Victoria Vikes
University athletic team in Canada
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The Victoria Vikes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Victoria of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in both men's and women's U Sports. Vikes was previously a longstanding nickname for both the men's teams (previously the Vikings) and women's teams (previously the Vikettes) until it was officially adopted as the teams' name in 1989.[2]
| Victoria Vikes | |
|---|---|
| |
| University | University of Victoria |
| Association | U Sports |
| Conference | Canada West BCIHL NAIA independents |
| Athletic director | Clint Hamilton |
| Location | Victoria, BC |
| Varsity teams | 9 |
| Basketball arena | CARSA[1] |
| Ice hockey arena | Ian Stewart Rink[1] |
| Soccer stadium | Centennial Stadium[1] |
| Lacrosse stadium | Artifical Fields[1] |
| Outdoor track and field venue | Centennial Stadium[1] |
| Nickname | Vikes |
| Colors | Blue and Gold[2] |
| Website | govikesgo |
 | |
Varsity teams
The Vikes have both men's and women's varsity teams in the following sports:
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Golf | Field hockey |
| Rowing | Golf |
| Rugby | Rowing |
| Soccer | Rugby |
| Swimming | Soccer |
| Cross Country | Swimming |
| Track and field | Cross Country |
| Track and field |
Club teams
The Vikes operate a club men's hockey team that competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League.[3]
Facilities
Victoria's athletics facilities include:[1]
| Venue | Sport(s) |
|---|---|
| Centennial Stadium | Soccer |
| Track and field | |
| CARSA [n 1] | Basketball |
| Field Hockey Turf | Field hockey |
| McKinnon Building and Gym | Basketball |
| Swimming | |
| Wallace Field | Rugby union |
| Artificial Fields | (various)[n 2] |
| Ian Stewart Rink | Ice hockey |
- Notes
Championships
U Sports Championships
| Sport | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball (men's) | 9 | 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1996–97, 2024-25 |
| Basketball (women's) | 9 | 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2002–03 |
| Cross country (men's) | 5 | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2015 |
| Cross country (women's) | 9 | 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
| Field Hockey (women's) | 13 | 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2018, 2019 |
| Soccer (men's) | 5 | 1975, 1987, 1996, 2004, 2011 |
| Soccer (women's) | 1 | 2005 |
Canadian University National Championships
| Sport | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Golf (men's) | 3 | 2003, 2005, 2006 |
| Golf (women's) | 1 | 2008 |
| Rowing (women's) | 11 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Rowing (men's) | 7 | 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2021 |
| Rugby (men's) | 3 | 1997–98, 1998–99, 2019–20 |
| Rugby 7s (men's) | 5 | 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| Rugby 7s (women's) | 2 | 2017, 2019 |
Awards and honors
Canada West Hall of Fame
- Kathy Shields: Canada West Hall of Fame - 2019 Inductee [4]
- Nicci Wright, Soccer: Canada West Hall of Fame - 2019 Inductee [5]
- Victoria Vikettes, Basketball: Canada West Hall of Fame - 2019 Inductee [6]
Rivalries
UBC
As the two oldest universities in the province, the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have long been fierce rivals in sports and athletics, including in rowing, rugby, and soccer.[7] The UVic Vikes and UBC Thunderbirds rivalry is a symbol of good sportsmanship. The "Annual UBC I UVic Soccer Classic" is one of the largest university sporting events in Canada and pits the UBC Men's Soccer Team against the UVic Men's Soccer Team. The annual classic alternates between the UVic Centennial Stadium and the UBC Thunderbird Stadium.
Vikes Nation fans and UBC Thunderbird fans pack into the Centennial stadium for the classic, with the UVic Cheerleaders and Marching Band also present. In 2015, UVic also constructed a new and expanded Athletics Facility (CARSA) which includes a major auditorium/gymnasium for Vikes Basketball Teams, and significantly more seating, stands, and court facilities.
