Three-time Olympian Paul Williams, U of T’s first CIS athlete of the year Justine Ellison Sharp and decorated football coach Ron Murphy are just three of the 12 Varsity Blues greats, including eight individuals, two builders and two teams, who will be inducted into the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 24th.
Williams won two CIAU cross country titles in 1978 and 1980 and competed internationally at the FISU, Goodwilll, Commonwealth and Olympic Games. He is a four-time national champion in the 5000m and in 1984, became the first Canadian to ever run the 10000m in under 28 minutes (27:55).
One of U of T’s all-time greatest female basketball players, Ellison Sharp became the second Varsity Blue to win the Nan Copp trophy as the CIAU’s women’s basketball player of the year. She was named the 1996 Women’s T-Holders female athlete of the year and went on to become the first U of T athlete to win the CIAU’s Howard, Mackie female athlete of the year award (now known as the BLG award).
Murphy spent 17 seasons (1966-82) as Varsity Blues football head coach and is the all-time leader in career coaching victories (93-50-6). Under his guidance, the Blues won league titles in 1967 and 1974, and posted only one losing season. Murphy was named the CIAU coach of the year in 1974, as the Blues were Vanier Cup finalists and set a U of T record for victories which stood until 1993. He served as an assistant coach in 1965 and again from 1986-1993, helping the team win Vanier Cup championships in 1965 and 1993. At the inaugural OUAA Football Legends dinner in 1993, Murphy received the league’s prestigious John S. McManus award in recognition of his coaching contributions to university sport.
Athletes joining Williams and Ellison at the 2009 Hall of Fame induction ceremony at historic Hart House on the U of T’s downtown campus are Olympic sailor Paul Henderson, international fencers Peter Urban and Yoko Ode, female hockey pioneer Helen Murphy, legendary quarterback Eugene Buccigrossi and decorated wrestler Teresa (Piotrowski) Fox.
Murphy and OUA winningest volleyball coach Orest Stanko will be inducted in the builder category, while the 1920-21 women’s basketball and 1954 men’s track and field teams will also be honoured.
The Sports Hall of Fame honours U of T's greatest athletes and builders. It was established by the T-Holders' Association in 1987 as part of an ongoing effort to preserve and display the records relating to the outstanding historical tradition of athletic, academic and community leadership fostered by the University of Toronto.
Tickets are available at
uofttix.ca, or by calling the Hart House box office (416) 978-8849. The reception will start at 6 p.m. in the Great Hall with the ceremony to follow at 7:30 p.m. in Hart House Theatre.