Ottawa Gee Gees starters. The
The Ottawa Gee-Gees are an athletic team that represents the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario in all of their sporting events. The term Gee-Gee is taken from horse racing where a Gee-Gee is the first horse out of the starting gate. The name GGs also describes the university colors, garnet and grey. [1]
The Gee-Gees most successful team is the women’s soccer team- provincial and national contenders every year.
The Gee-Gees are best known in Canadian college athletics (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) for a perennially strong football team, winning the national championship, the Vanier Cup, in 1975 and 2000 and appearing in the championship game in 1970, 1980, and 1997.
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1975 Vanier Cup Champions
The undefeated 1975 National Championship team (11-0) is considered by many to be the best ever in Canadian college history. 32 years later the 1975 team still holds several CIS and OUAA team and individual records. Players from the 1975 team were selected to the CIS All-Canadian team 13 times during their college careers . During their CIS careers players from the 1975 team were selected as OUAA All-Stars 42 times. 12 players from the 1975 Vanier Cup Championship team were selected in the CFL draft including 9 players in the first round. During their careers as professionals, those same players appeared in 23 Grey Cup games and went on to collect a total of 12 Grey Cup Rings. They collectively played in the CFL for a staggering 90 years. The 1975 team was coached by Don Gilbert. Don starred as a defensive back for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1965-67. Don was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
1975 Gee Gees CIS Career Awards
13 All-Canadian Selections during their CIS careers
42 OUAA All-Star Selections during their CIS careers
1 Hec Creighton Finalist (CIS Outstanding Player)
2 J.P. Metras Trophy Finalists (CIS Outstanding Lineman)
1 Frank Tindall Trophy (CIS Coach of the Year)
1 Ted Morris Trophy (MVP Vanier Cup)
1975 Gee Gees in the CFL Draft
9 1st Round Picks
1 2nd Round Pick
1 4th Round Pick
1 6th Round Pick
In addition to the 12 Canadian players off the 1975 team drafted by the CFL, the 7 American starters from the 1975 team (all of them selected to the All-Canadian team or All-Conference team during their CIS careers) were not eligible for the CFL Draft. They all received NFL try outs with 2 of them making NFL rosters.
The 1975 University of Ottawa Gee Gees CFL Careers
Eric Upton - Guard - 10 Years CFL Edmonton Eskimos-3 time Western All-Star, 6 Grey Cup Appearances, 5 time Grey Cup Champion
Rocky DiPietro - Slotback - 14 Years CFL Hamilton Ti-Cats, CFL All-Time Pass Reception Leader, CFL Hall of Fame Inductee, 2 time CFL Outstanding Canadian, 3 time Lew Hayman Trophy Outstanding Canadian Eastern Division, 5 time Eastern All-Star, 4 Grey Cup Appearances, 1986 Grey Cup Champion
Neil Lumsden - Fullback/Kicker - 10 Years CFL Toronto Argonauts/Hamilton Ti-Cats/Edmonton Eskimos, Winner 1976 Frank M Gibson Trophy CFL Outstanding Rookie Eastern Division, 2 Time Eastern Division All-Star, 1981 Grey Cup Canadian MVP, 3 time Grey Cup Champion
Myles Gorrell - Offensive Tackle - 18 Years CFL Calgary Stampeders/Hamilton Ti-Cats/Montreal Allouettes/Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 5 time Eastern Division All-Star, 2 time Winner Leo Dandurand Trophy CFL Outstanding Lineman Eastern Division, 5 Grey Cup Appearances, 1 time Grey Cup Champion
Jeff Avery - Wide Receiver- 6 Years CFL Ottawa Rough Riders, 1 time Eastern Division All-Star, 2 Grey Cup Appearances, 1976 Grey Cup Champion
Al Moffat - Defensive Tackle - 6 Years CFL Hamilton Ti-Cats, 1 time Eastern Division All-Star, 1 Grey Cup Appearance
Mike Murphy - Fullback - 6 Years CFL, Winner 1977 Frank M Gibson Trophy CFL Outstanding Rookie Eastern Division, 1 Grey Cup Appearance
Doug Falconer - Defensive Back - 4 Years CFL Ottawa Rough Riders/Calgary Stampeders, 1976 Grey Cup Champion
Tim Berryman - Linebacker - 7 Years CFL Edmonton Eskimos/Ottawa Rough Riders, 1 Grey Cup Appearance
Bill Harrison - Halfback - 3 Years CFL Hamilton Ti-Cats
Ian Mac Phearson - Defensive Tackle - 3 Years CFL Hamilton Ti-Cats
CFL Awards Presented to Players from the 1975 Gee Gees Team
1 CFL Hall of Fame Inductee
1 Grey Cup MVP Canadian
2 CFL Frank M Gibson Trophies for Outstanding Rookie Eastern Division
2 CFL Leo Dandurand Trophy Outstanding Lineman Eastern Division
3 CFL All-Stars
17 CFL Divisional All-Star Selections
23 Grey Cup Appearances
12 Grey Cup Rings
The football Gee Gees practice on campus but play their home games at Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park. The University of Ottawa’s current head football coach is Denis Piche. Denis was recented awarded the 2006 Frank Tindall Trophy as CIS football coach of the year in Canada.
Gee Gee Basketball
The Gee-Gees men’s basketball team has been ranked in the CIS Top Ten for most of the 2005-2006 season, sitting 2nd as of January 24, 2006. On January 18, 2006, the Gee Gees recorded their first win against the Carleton Ravens, their cross-town rivals. Previous to their 62-61 win, the Gee Gees had dropped 18 straight games against the Ravens, dating back to 1999. The win also snapped the Ravens 56-game winning streak at home. The Gee-Gees currently sit at 16-1, and are in first place in the OUA East division. The Gee-Gees finished 6th at the 2005 CIS National Basketball Tournament in Halifax.
The Gee-Gees men’s competitive club baseball team, who plays in the CIBA (Canadian Interuniversity Baseball Association), are hosting the national championships of 2006. They also lost in the semi-finals of the 2005 national CIBA championships held in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Home games are played at Montpetit Hall.
Gee-Gees Soccer
The women’s soccer team is very strong, National Champions in 1996, Silver medallists in 2005, 2003, 2000, 1997 and Bronze medallists in 2001, and 2006.
The women’s soccer team is regarded as one of the best programs in the country.
Gee-Gees Volleyball
With a dominant 3-0 win in the OUA Final vs McMaster, this year’s
edition of the Gee-Gees Volleyball Team secured the 4th conference championship in the program’s history and its 5th trip to the
CIS National Championship Tournament.
In the end, the Gee-Gees claimed 6th place in Canada and set themselves up for a great summer of preparation for another run in 07-08 with 5 of 6 starters returning for another season!
External links
- The University of Ottawa
- The GeeGees Athletics Website
- GeeGee Football Website
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