(FREDERICTON, NB) UNB’s 1970 Red Bloomers women’s basketball team, Canadian Junior A women’s basketball champions, and Gardiner MacDougall, head coach of UNB’s men’s hockey team and seven-time national champion, were inducted to the Fredericton Sports Wall of Fame on Thursday.
The induction ceremony, hosted by Fredericton Sports Investment Inc., was attended by more than 300 people.
In the days before a Canadian women’s university basketball championship, the Red Bloomers were an Atlantic conference powerhouse.
During the 1960s and 1970s, UNB won 15 of 17 Atlantic championships, including a run of ten consecutive, between 1962 and 1972.
As the 1970 Atlantic Universities Athletic Association champions, the Red Bloomers took on teams from Lethbridge, Brandon, Toronto, and Victoria in the Canadian championship tournament, in Lethbridge.
Coached by Sandy Robinson, UNB’s Karen Lee was named the most valuable player of the tournament and a tournament all-star, along with Joyce Douthwright.
Now in his 23rd season as coach of the REDS, MacDougall has guided UNB to 10 conference championships and seven national titles.
He’s the Atlantic conference all-time leader in wins, is a five-time winner of the AUS Coach of the Year Award and two-time winner of U SPORTS Coach of the Year and has coached Team Canada to two world university games gold medals during his career.
Earlier this year, he served as interim head coach of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, leading them to a Memorial Cup triumph on home ice.
Under MacDougall’s guidance, more than a third of his student-athletes are recognized as Academic All-Canadians annually and more than 350 players have gone on to professional hockey careers at various levels.
The REDS are proud of the members of the 1970 Red Bloomers and of Coach MacDougall and thank Fredericton Sports Investment Inc. for the recognition of their incredible achievements.
PHOTO: UNB Archives