U Sports men's soccer
FormerlyCIAU Soccer, CIS Soccer
SportSoccer
Founded1972
No. of teams48, in four conferences
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		Cape Breton Capers
(2023)
Most titlesUBC Thunderbirds (13)[1]
Related
competitions		U Sports Men's Soccer Championship
Official websiteusports.ca/en/sports/soccer/m

U Sports men's soccer is the highest level of amateur play of association football in Canada and operates under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports.[2] As of the 2018 season, 48 teams from Canadian universities are divided into four athletic conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of U Sports: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport.[2] At the end of every season, eight teams compete for the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy, awarded to the U Sports Men's Soccer Championship team.

Season structure

Regular season

The regular season is eight to nine weeks long, depending on the conference. Teams play between 12 and 16 regular season games, depending on conference or division, with teams typically playing a home and home series with every other team in their conference or division. All regular season games are in-conference. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Joe Johnson Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Player of the Year in U Sports men's soccer.

Playoffs

After the regular season, single elimination playoff games are held between the top teams in each conference to determine conference champions. In the Canada West and RSEQ conferences, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs, with the fourth and first seeded teams playing one match and the third and second seeded teams playing another. The two winning teams then play for the conference championship. Because there are more teams in the Atlantic conference, the top six teams qualify, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye. The sixth and third seeded teams play one match and the fifth and fourth seeded teams play another. The winning teams then go on to play the top two seeded teams, with the lowest remaining seed playing the first seeded team and the highest remaining seed playing the second seeded team. The winners of these two semi-final matches then play for the Atlantic conference championship.

The Ontario playoff system operates much like the Atlantic one, except it functions for both the West and East divisions. The top six teams from each division (twelve total) qualify for the playoffs, with the top two seeds of each division receiving byes. The champions of each division then play for the OUA conference championship. Because the OUA has 12 teams competing, it necessitates a longer post-season schedule. Consequently, the first round of the playoffs in the OUA occurs during the same week that each of the other three conferences are playing their last regular season games. The four conference champions automatically qualify for the U Sports men's soccer championship.

Men's Soccer Championship

The U Sports Men's Soccer Championship, first established in 1972, features eight teams in single elimination matches to determine a national champion. The championship hosts 11 games over four days at a predetermined host venue. The host team is automatically qualified for the tournament, as is each of the conference champions. Another berth is awarded to the second-place finisher in the Ontario conference and the two remaining spots are awarded to the second-place finisher in each of the remaining conferences. If an OUA team is hosting, three teams from the OUA qualify.[3]

Teams

Atlantic University Sport

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
Acadia UniversityAxemenWolfvilleNS1838Raymond Field3,000
Cape Breton UniversityCapersSydneyNS2005CBU FieldN/A
Dalhousie UniversityTigersHalifaxNS1818Wickwire Field2,000
Memorial University of NewfoundlandSea-HawksSt. John'sNL1925King George V Park6,400[4]
Université de MonctonAigles BleuMonctonNB1864Moncton Stadium10,000
Mount Allison UniversityMountiesSackvilleNB1839MacAulay Field2,500
University of New BrunswickVarsity RedsFrederictonNB1785BMO Centre2,500
University of Prince Edward IslandPanthersCharlottetownPEI1969UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place1,670
Saint Mary's UniversityHuskiesHalifaxNS1802Huskies Stadium4,000
St. Francis Xavier UniversityX-MenAntigonishNS1853Oland Stadium4,000

Canada West Universities Athletic Association

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
Pacific Division
University of British ColumbiaThunderbirdsVancouverBC1906Thunderbird Stadium3,500
University of British Columbia OkanaganHeatKelownaBC2005Nonis Sports Field200
University of the Fraser ValleyCascadesAbbotsfordBC1974Bateman Park1,000
University of Northern British ColumbiaTimberwolvesPrince GeorgeBC1990Charles Jago Sport CentreN/A
Thompson Rivers UniversityWolfPackKamloopsBC1970Hillside Stadium1,060
Trinity Western UniversitySpartansLangleyBC1962Rogers ParkN/A
University of VictoriaVikesVictoriaBC1903Centennial Stadium5,000
Prairie Division
University of AlbertaGolden BearsEdmontonAB1908Foote Soccer Field1,500
University of CalgaryDinosCalgaryAB1966West Varsity Soccer PitchN/A
University of LethbridgePronghornsLethbridgeAB1967U of L Community Stadium2,000
MacEwan UniversityGriffinsEdmontonAB1938Clarke Stadium4,100
Mount Royal UniversityCougarsCalgaryAB1910MRU Stadium FieldN/A
University of SaskatchewanHuskiesSaskatoonSK1907Field 7 in PotashCorp Park400

Ontario University Athletics

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
East Division
Carleton UniversityRavensOttawaON1952Ravens' Field3,000
Laurentian UniversityVoyageursSudburyON1960Laurentian Soccer FieldN/A
Nipissing UniversityLakersNorth BayON1909Nipissing University soccer pitch200
University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyRidgebacksOshawaON2002Vaso's FieldN/A
Queen's UniversityGaelsKingstonON1841Richardson Memorial Stadium10,258
Royal Military College of CanadaPaladinsKingstonON1876Inner FieldN/A
Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson)BoldTorontoON1948Monarch Park Stadium5,000
University of TorontoVarsity BluesTorontoON1827Varsity Stadium5,000
Trent UniversityExcaliburPeterboroughON1962Justin Chiu Stadium1,000
West Division
Algoma UniversityThunderbirdsSault Ste. MarieON1964Superior Heights Field1,000
Brock UniversityBadgersSt. CatharinesON1964Brock Field1,200
University of GuelphGryphonsGuelphON1964Alumni Stadium4,100
McMaster UniversityMaraudersHamiltonON1887Ron Joyce Stadium6,000
University of WaterlooWarriorsWaterlooON1959Warrior Field5,400
Western UniversityMustangsLondonON1878TD Waterhouse Stadium8,000
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityGolden HawksWaterlooON1911Alumni FieldN/A
University of WindsorLancersWindsorON1857University of Windsor Stadium2000
York UniversityLionsTorontoON1959York Stadium2,500

Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
Concordia UniversityStingersMontrealQC1896Concordia Stadium4,000
Université LavalRouge et OrQuebec CityQC1663PEPS Stadium12,257
McGill UniversityRedbirdsMontrealQC1821Percival Molson Memorial Stadium25,012
Université de MontréalCarabinsMontrealQC1821CEPSUM Stadium5,100
Université de SherbrookeVert et OrSherbrookeQC1843Stade de l'Université de Sherbrooke3,359
Université du Québec à MontréalCitadinsMontrealQC1969terrain #2 of Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard1,000
Université du Québec à Trois-RivièresPatriotesTrois-RivièresQC1969Stade de l'UQTR1,500

Professional advancement

U Sports was previously not geared towards producing professional soccer players, though some U Sports players have turned pro. U Sports players are not eligible for the MLS SuperDraft, but are able to be selected in the CPL or USL draft. Top players in high schools and sports academies may opt not to play in U Sports so that they can turn pro directly.[5] Despite this, some U Sports alumni in the pro ranks include Haidar Al-Shaibani (Western), Nana Attakora (York), Gabe Gala (Toronto), Srdjan Djekanović (UBC).[6]

Since 2019, U Sports men's soccer players have been eligible for the CPL–U Sports Draft, a draft conducted by the Canadian Premier League.[7] This has allowed Canadian University Soccer players to have a direct route to a professional league after post secondary school. The creation of the draft has given a pathway to dozens of players since its inception. Not only do professional clubs now focus on drafting these players but they can be invited to training camps during the university’s offseason allowing for greater development. For those not drafted or signed they can return to school; if eligibility remains.

References

  1. ↑ "History". U SPORTS.
  2. 1 2 "U SPORTS Identity". U SPORTS.
  3. ↑ "Player regulations" (PDF). english.cis-sic.ca. 2011. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  4. ↑ "King George V Park".
  5. ↑ "From the CIS to the MLS: The road less travelled | the Ubyssey". ubyssey.ca. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "Canadian Soccer News - CIS pushing for MLS draft entry: Coach". www.canadiansoccernews.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "CPL to partner with U Sports on sharing talent". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
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