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Waterloo Warriors
Waterloo Warriors logo
First season1957
Athletic directorRoly Webster
Head coachChris Bertoia
9th year, 19–51  (.271)
Other staffBrendan Conway (OC)
Kevin MacNeill (DC)
Home stadiumWarrior Field
Year built2009
Stadium capacity1700 (Bleacher Seating)
4000 (Sloped Lawn Seating)
Stadium surfaceFieldTurf Duraspine PRO
LocationWaterloo, Ontario
LeagueU Sports
ConferenceOUA (1980-present)
Past associationsOIFC (1957-1966)
CCIFC (1967)
CIRFU (1968-1970)
OUAA (1971-1973)
OQIFC (1974-1979)
All-time record– 
Postseason record– 
Titles
Vanier Cups0
Yates Cups2
1997, 1999
Hec Crighton winners1
Tre Ford
Current uniform
ColoursBlack, Gold, and White
     
OutfitterNike
RivalsWilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Guelph Gryphons
Websitegowarriorsgo.ca

The Waterloo Warriors football team represents the University of Waterloo in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Warriors U Sports football program has been in operation since 1957, winning two Yates Cup conference championships in 1997 and 1999. Currently, they are one of six teams to have never appeared in a Vanier Cup game and the longest tenured program in the OUA to have never qualified for the national championship game.

Recent history

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In the 21st century, the program struggled to compete in the OUA, having not qualified for the playoffs from 2004 to 2017 and not having a winning record since 2001. The program then made national headlines in 2010 after it was discovered that a student athlete was in possession of steroids and human growth hormone in March 2010.[1] The school then conducted a steroid investigation that had led to all 65 members of its team tested for steroids on March 31, with three positive results. Consequently, on June 14, 2010, the school announced that the program would be suspended for the 2010 season.[2] While the football team returned for the 2011 season, it proved difficult as many players transferred to other schools after they learned they would not be able to play at Waterloo that year.[3] Consequently, the Warriors finished winless in eight games in their return to the OUA. The team was coached by Dennis McPhee, who was the former head coach of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men football team where he won Atlantic University Sport coach of the year in 2002.[4] In 2011, they experienced the growing pains associated with a year off of football, and losing most starters and veterans to transfers. At the end of the season, McPhee resigned as head coach on November 22, 2011.[5]

The team was then led by Joe Paopao for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.[6][7] In 2012, most expected the Warriors to be at the cold cellar of CIS, however, they surprised the football community with convincing wins against the York Lions and a huge upset victory over the Windsor Lancers. They won one game in 2013 against the expansion Carleton Ravens. Paopao resigned following the 2013 season and Marshall Bingeman's appointment as interim head coach for 2014.[8] The team won one game in 2014 against the Lions, which was an away game.

Chris Bertoia was hired as Head Coach and Manager of Football Operations for the 2015 season.[9] After finishing their 2015 and 2016 seasons winless, the Warriors won their first four games of the 2017 season, before losing their remaining four to finish in seventh place and just outside of the playoffs. It was the teams' best finish (seventh place) since 2007 and their best record (4-4) since 2001. In the 2018 season, the Warriors continued their strong play with another 4-4 record, but qualified for the playoffs based on their victory over the 4-4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks earlier in the season. In their first playoff appearance since 2003, the Warriors lost to the Guelph Gryphons by a score of 45-34. In 2019, the Warriors finished again with a 4-4 record, but this time earned their first post-season victory in 20 years with a resounding 44-21 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team lost a close OUA semi-final game to the Western Mustangs, ranked #1 in the country, by a score of 30-24.[10] Following a cancelled 2020 season, the Warriors finished with a 3-3 record in 2021 behind the strength of the program's first ever Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Tre Ford. However, the Warriors lost again to the Mustangs in the quarter-final game. After Ford left the program, the team finished with a 1-7 record in 2022.

Season-by-season record

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The following is the record of the Waterloo Warriors football team since 1995:

Season Games Won Lost Ties PCT PF PA Standing Playoffs
1995 8 4 3 1 0.563 199 166 3rd in OUAA Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in semi-final 23–22
1996 8 7 1 0 0.875 157 80 1st in OUAA Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in semi-final 26–23
Lost to Guelph Gryphons in Yates Cup final 23–13
1997 8 6 2 0 0.750 231 91 2nd in OUA Defeated York Yeomen in semi-final 17–0
Defeated Western Ontario Mustangs in Yates Cup final 30–10
Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in Churchill Bowl 44–37
1998 8 7 1 0 0.875 297 150 2nd in OUA Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in semi-final 32–10
Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in Yates Cup final 21–14
1999 8 4 4 0 0.500 232 149 4th in OUA Defeated Western Ontario Mustangs in semi-final 35–21
Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in Yates Cup final 32–20
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Atlantic Bowl 21–14
2000 8 4 4 0 0.500 208 176 4th in OUA Lost to McMaster Marauders in semi-final 44–20
2001 8 4 3 1 0.563 194 108 5th in OUA Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in quarter-final 19–11
2002 8 3 5 0 0.375 111 178 7th in OUA Lost to Queen's Golden Gaels in quarter-final 51–14
2003 8 2 6 0 0.250 142 328 8th in OUA Lost to McMaster Marauders in quarter-final 70–7
2004 8 2 6 0 0.250 149 296 8th in OUA Did not qualify
2005 8 2 6 0 0.250 139 302 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2006 8 3 5 – 0.375 117 264 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2007 8 3 5 – 0.375 123 252 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2008 8 2 6 – 0.250 147 285 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2009 8 3 5 – 0.375 226 213 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2010 team suspended
2011 8 0 8 – 0.000 95 421 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2012 8 2 6 – 0.250 145 333 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2013 8 1 7 – 0.125 161 406 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2014 8 1 7 – 0.125 76 418 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2015 8 0 8 – 0.000 66 380 11th in OUA Did not qualify
2016 8 0 8 – 0.000 77 435 11th in OUA Did not qualify
2017 8 4 4 – 0.500 299 339 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2018 8 4 4 – 0.500 263 272 6th in OUA Lost to Guelph Gryphons in quarter-final 45–34
2019 8 4 4 – 0.500 288 283 5th in OUA Defeated Ottawa Gee-Gees in quarter-final 44–21
Lost to Western Mustangs in semi-final 30–24
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 6 3 3 – 0.500 150 143 4th in OUA West Lost to Western Mustangs in quarter-final 51–24
2022 8 1 7 – 0.125 154 308 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2023 8 3 5 – 0.375 188 251 7th in OUA Lost to Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in quarter-final 69–0
2024 8 0 8 – 0.000 148 336 11th in OUA Did not qualify

[11][12]

National Postseason Results

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Vanier Cup Era (1965-current)
Year Game Opponent Result
1997 Churchill Bowl Ottawa L 37-44
1999 Atlantic Bowl Saint Mary's L 14-21

Waterloo is 0-2 in national semi-final games and has not appeared in a Vanier Cup.

Head coaches

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Name Years Notes
Carl Totzke 1957–1967
Wally Delahey 1968–1981
Bob McKillop 1982–1987
Chuck McMann 1988–1991
Tuffy Knight 1992–1997
Chris Triantafilou 1998–2006
Dennis McPhee 2007–2011
Joe Paopao 2012–2013
Marshall Bingeman 2014
Chris Bertoia 2015–present

National award winners

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Waterloo Warriors in the CFL

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As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, former Warriors players on CFL rosters include:

[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Waterloo rocked by college football doping scandal". The Star. April 1, 2010.
  2. ^ "Warrior Football suspended as doping test results revealed". Waterloo Warriors. June 14, 2010.
  3. ^ "Waterloo Warriors player banned 3 years for HGH use". The Star. September 8, 2010.
  4. ^ "Dennis McPhee named Warrior football head coach". Ontario University Athletics. January 5, 2007.
  5. ^ "Football coach Dennis McPhee leaving after five-season run". Waterloo Warriors. November 22, 2011.
  6. ^ "Joe Paopao lands full-time coaching job at the University of Waterloo". The Globe and Mail. February 20, 2013.
  7. ^ "Waterloo announces Joe Paopao as interim head coach of Warrior football". Waterloo Warriors. December 8, 2011.
  8. ^ "Joe Paopao leaves Waterloo for CFL". Waterloo Warriors. February 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Chris Bertoia named Waterloo Warriors Head Coach and Manager of Football Operations". Ontario University Athletics. December 18, 2014.
  10. ^ "Warriors see season end in narrow semifinal loss". athletics.uwaterloo.ca. November 2, 2019.
  11. ^ "Bob Adams CIS Sportspage". Chebucto Community Net. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  12. ^ "U Sports football standings". U Sports. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  13. ^ "CFL players". Canadian Football League. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
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