Current and former members of the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues gathered in the Kimel Family Field House on June 8 for the university’s 30th Sports Hall of Fame induction. Among the honorees were individuals, teams, and builders who made remarkable contributions to a long history of success in sport at U of T.
Women’s Field Hockey shone as three individual athletes and each member of the 1993–1994 Varsity team were inducted. Claire Thurgur (Victoria College 9T4, Medicine 0T2) and sisters Michelle Colaco (New College 9T2, OISE 9T4) and Nicole Colaco DeSouza (Innis College 9T4) were acknowledged individually and as members of the CIAU Championship and OWIAA Silver medal winning Blues team. All three women made mention of the dedicated coaching staff they play under, one of whom is the current Executive Director of Athletics & Physical Activity at U of T, Beth Ali.
Alison Evanoff (BPHE 9T2, OISE 9T3) was also honored individually and as a member of the 1991 Women’s Cross Country team that were CIAU Champions and OWIAA Silver medalists. Evanoff spoke directly to student athlete ambassador and track and field standout, Madeleine Kelly, about living a balanced life and cherishing her time as a Varsity Blues athlete.
Other inductees included Equestrian Olympian Jim Elder (Victoria College 5T7), Olympic gold hockey medalist Louis Hudson (Medicine 2T6), and national swimming champion Theo Van Rijn (Trinity College 6T8, Medicine 7T1) alongside his teammates on the 1965–1966 Men’s Swimming team with whom he captured the CIAU Championship together. Grandson of tennis champion Arthur Ham (Medicine 2T6) accepted the award on his behalf.
Among the builders recognized by U of T and the Faculty of Kinesiology are athletic therapist and equipment manager Norm Calder, Varsity Blues Men’s Tennis head coach Nabil Tadros (BPHE 8T0, OISE 8T1) and volunteer Viiu Kanep (BPHE 6T1, University College 6T2, OISE 7T2). Kanep is acknowledged as being instrumental in the development of the Clara Benson building as a facility dedicated to women’s athletics.
