Content Warning: This article contains a quotation of an anti-Black racial slur.
Known colloquially as the GOAT debate, the quest for a consensus on the “greatest of all time” is one of the most fascinating, relentless, and divisive discussions in sports.
In my opinion, two GOAT debates stand out as the most notorious in sports history. On one hand is the rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, whose intense competition and fervent fandoms drove the last two decades of soccer. On the other is the timeless, cross-era debate between basketball legends Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
In other sports, the GOATs are undisputed — Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, and Simone Biles come to mind. There are even debates about the GOAT of GOATs, matching up the most dominant athletes across different sports. Each of these conversations merit an entire article of its own.
What makes these debates so divisive and intense is the fact that there often is no right answer. Opinions are shaped by age, fandom, and nationality. Can we fairly compare Babe Ruth’s era in the racially segregated ‘Negro League’ age of baseball with the analytically-driven, international game of today, where Shohei Ohtani competes against an average of 150 kilometres per hour pitches? What about the inherent challenges of a cross-gender debate between Serena Williams, the undisputed women’s tennis GOAT, and your pick among Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, or Novak Djokovic for the throne of tennis’ best? Should Olympic medals outweigh world records in individual sports like swimming and track and field? How do we factor in different race distances and events? The questions are endless, as are the criteria with which one can build a GOAT argument for an athlete.
Over 552 U of T athletes, staff, and alumni have participated in the Olympics. Nominating a single GOAT from the thousands of athletes who have donned U of T colours since the Varsity Blues football team’s establishment in 1877 is no easy task. The U of T Sports Hall of Fame is filled with incredible athletes and achievements worthy of honourable mention.
Nonetheless, The Varsity has compiled a subjective list of four athletes deserving consideration as the Varsity Blues’ GOAT, based on the following three criteria: achievements as a Varsity Blue, general sporting achievements, and overall legacy. An athlete’s coaching career — both as a Blue and beyond — is also part of the conversation.
The first criterion makes the GOAT debate unique to former Varsity Blues by emphasizing an athlete’s individual and team achievements as a Varsity Blue. Unfortunately, athletes such as Paralympian Stephanie Dixon are ineligible for GOAT consideration. Despite earning a masters degree from the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education at U of T in 2023 — and an astonishing 19 Paralympic medals — Dixon never competed competitively as a Varsity Blue. As a result, Dixon and other U of T alumni without Varsity Blues experience cannot be considered.
Vicky Sunohara
The Varsity Blues women’s ice hockey team is spoiled for choice when it comes to legends. A strong argument can be made for Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Jayna Hefford as a GOAT. Her treasure trove of Olympic medals — four gold and one silver — and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women’s Championships accolades — seven gold and five silver — highlights a remarkable résumé filled with athletic achievements.
However, the women’s ice hockey GOAT at U of T is likely current Varsity Blues women’s ice hockey Head Coach Vicky Sunohara. What sets Sunohara apart from her former teammate Hefford is her outstanding contributions as a Varsity Blue. While Sunohara has fewer Olympic medals (two gold, one silver) and IIHF World Championship hardware (seven gold, one silver), she boasts two provincial titles and a provincial Rookie of the Year award with the Varsity Blues.
Hefford, by contrast, played only a single season for the Blues, earning a provincial silver medal during her lone campaign. Both are U of T Sports Hall of Fame inductees, widely regarded as some of the greatest women’s ice hockey players of all time, with achievements too numerous to list in a single article.

The final nail in the coffin for Sunohara’s GOAT nomination is her immense contribution to women’s hockey as a coach. In her 14 years — and counting — behind the Blues’ bench, the Scarborough native has won two additional Ontario University Athletics (OUA) titles, along with three national and three provincial Coach of the Year awards. In the 2019–2020 season, Sunohara earned OUA Female Coach of the Year honours across all sports. Last season, her team fell just short of a national title. Sunohara also serves as the current head coach of the U18 Women’s Canadian National Team and as a Coaching Consultant of the Toronto Sceptres. The Blues are fortunate to have a living legend running the team, and Sunohara is surely in contention to be a Varsity Blues GOAT.
Varsity Blues Legacy: 5/5
Sporting Achievements: 4/5
Legacy: 4/5
Conn Smythe
Another hockey heavy hitter comes in the form of Conn Smythe, a Varsity Blues alumnus from the class of 1920. Smythe is best known today as the namesake of the prestigious Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s playoff MVP. He was also the founder of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens, which underscores why Smythe deserves consideration as a Varsity Blues GOAT. The Leafs actually wear blue sweaters because Smythe drew inspiration from the colours of his beloved alumni hockey team.

Smythe captained the Blues’ Junior Hockey Team to a provincial championship in 1915, and played on the senior team in 1919. He also served as the head coach for the Blues from 1923 to 1926, leading the team to six intercollegiate and provincial titles. Additionally, Smythe also led the ‘The Varsity Grads,’ a team composed of Blues’ alumni, to an Olympic gold medal at the 1928 St. Moritz Olympics.
A significant limitation to Smythe’s GOAT claim is his relatively brief career as an active hockey player. Smythe enlisted in 1915, serving in World War I in both the artillery and air force, and was a prisoner of war from 1917 until the end of the war. His prime sporting years were dedicated to Canada during a period when sports understandably took a backseat. As a result, the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Smythe as a builder rather than a player. Nevertheless, Smythe’s immense impact on Toronto’s history makes it hard not to consider him a potential GOAT.
Varsity Blues Legacy: 4/5
Sporting Achievements: N/A
Legacy: 5/5
Heather Moyse
Legend says that if you look up ‘athlete’ in a dictionary, a picture of Heather Moyse will appear. Remarkably, Moyse is a Canadian international representative in not just one, but three — yes, three — sports: rugby, bobsleigh, and cycling. And it doesn’t stop there — the all-rounder also competed for a year on the varsity soccer team for the Waterloo Warriors.
In rugby, Moyse represented Canada on both the 15s and 7s teams, competing in the 2006 and 2010 Rugby World Cups, and earning a silver medal at the 2013 World Rugby Sevens tournament. She was a leading try scorer in both World Cup tournaments and is a Rugby Hall of Fame inductee.
In bobsleigh, Moyse is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, in addition to her impressive collection of World Championship medals (two bronze) and Bobsleigh World Cup medals (six gold, six silver, four bronze) medals. In 2012, the four-time Olympian competed at the Pan-American Cycling Championships, where she placed fourth.
As a Varsity Blue, Moyse competed on both the rugby and track and field teams, earning all-Canadian honours in both sports during her lone season at U of T in 2004. She also claimed national championship All-Star honours. Unfortunately, many of Moyse’s collegiate achievements came with the Warriors, where she completed her undergraduate studies. In terms of versatility and sheer athletic ability, Moyse’ GOAT candidacy is second to none.
Varsity Blues Legacy: 2/5
Sporting Achievements: 5/5
Legacy: 4/5
Kylie Masse
Last but certainly not least is current Team Canada swimming captain Kylie Masse. As a Varsity Blue, Masse was nothing short of dominant. She won five straight OUA championships, five consecutive OUA women’s swimmer of the year, was a first-team All-Star for five years running, and claimed OUA women’s Rookie of the Year honours. Nationally, Masse won four straight U Sports backstroke events, and was named U Sports Female Swimmer of the Year for four consecutive years. She is also the only athlete, man or woman, to win The U of T Varsity Athlete of the Year award for four straight years. Hers is an unprecedented, sparkling Blues career.
On the international stage Masse has two silver and three bronze medals from her four Olympic appearances. The backstroke specialist also holds the all-time record for World Championships medals, earning at least one medal in 15 consecutive major international championships and Olympic Games. There’s not much more to say about the Canadian legend in her prime.

Varsity Blues Legacy: 5/5
Sporting Achievements: 5/5
Legacy: TBD
What truly separates Masse from the other candidates is that she has forged her legacy in a sport where Canada has not traditionally been dominant. While Moyse would be a severely underrated candidate for GOAT, the fact that her best collegiate achievements came at the hands of rivals Waterloo is a sore spot. Furthermore, Masse is yet to complete her career or forge a coaching or builder legacy like Sunohara or Smythe. In both individual and team accomplishments at the Varsity Blues level, Masse is unmatched.
In her five consecutive years at the provincial championships, Masse did not lose a single individual or relay race. Masse is The Varsity’s pick for the Blues’ GOAT.
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