NEWS: U SPORTS awards 2025 University Cup to University of Ottawa
TORONTO – For the first time in history, the University Cup men's hockey championship will be played in Ottawa, as U SPORTS announced Wednesday that its 2025 championship has been awarded to the University of Ottawa.
The championship trophy, named in honour of Canada's 28th Governor General David Johnston, will be hoisted in late March 2025 at The Arena at TD Place.
"U SPORTS is thrilled to partner once again with the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) to bring the University Cup to the nation's capital for the first time in 2025," said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, U SPORTS Chief Sport Officer. "Ottawa has proven to be a great site to promote and showcase the finest in athletic and academic talent in University Sport across our country. The success of the 2020 Final 8 basketball championships hosted in part by the University of Ottawa and OSEG laid the foundation for what we believe will be an outstanding tournament in two years' time."
The 2025 edition of the U Cup will be the second year in as many years to be hosted by an Ontario University Athletics member, after a 14-year absence. Toronto Metropolitan University was announced as the host of the 2024 championship back in November.
"The University of Ottawa is honoured and excited to bring the 2025 U SPORTS men's hockey championship to our nation's capital," said Sue Hylland, University of Ottawa's Director of Recreation and Varsity Sports. "We look forward to putting on an event that inspires and ignites both the spirit of our campus and the entire National Capital Region. We are proud to be working with our great partners at OSEG once again to showcase outstanding student-athletes from across Canada at The Arena at TD Place."
"We're honoured and excited to host the 2025 University Cup at The Arena at TD Place," said OSEG CEO Mark Goudie. "As a passionate supporter of U SPORTS and varsity athletics, along with our long-standing relationship with the University of Ottawa, we're looking forward to an exciting tournament showcasing the best of Canadian men's university hockey."
The Ottawa Gee-Gees most recently appeared in the pandemic shorted 2020 University Cup in Halifax and are expected to be David Johnston University Cup contenders in 2025.
"Watching the development and support of our Gee-Gees program under head coach Patrick Grandmaître has shown how deep the love of hockey runs in our region and we look forward to the University Cup in 2025 creating lasting memories for generations to come," said Hylland.
U SPORTS will unveil its 2025 basketball championship hosts over the coming weeks.