# York Lions

The York Lions is the official name for the athletic varsity teams that represent York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports and, where applicable, in the east division. The Lion's logo features a red lion from the school's logo with the university's colours, red and white.
York's former teams were known as the York Yeomen and York Yeowomen, but changed their name to the gender-neutral Lions in 2003.

## Interuniversity sport teams

* Badminton, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, water polo, and swimming are played at the Tait McKenzie Centre.
* Cross Country and track & field events are held at the Metro Toronto Track and Field Centre.
* Field hockey and rugby games are played at Alumni Field.
* Football and soccer games are played at York Lions Stadium.
* Hockey games are played at Canlan Ice Sports – York.
* Tennis games are played at the Aviva Centre.

### Lions football

The York Lions football team has been in operation since 1968 and currently compete in the 11-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program is one of two in U Sports football to have never won a conference championship. Dexter Janke has been the team's head coach since January 22, 2024.

### Lions men's ice hockey

The York Lions men's ice hockey team competes in the 20-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The team has won three national championships in 1985, 1988, and 1989. The program has also yielded seven Queen's Cup conference championships, most recently in 2017. The team's head coach has been Russ Herrington since 2017.

### Lions women's ice hockey

The York Lions women's ice hockey team competes in the 13-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The team's head coach is Dan Church, who has been in that position since 2004 and is the longest-serving active head coach at York. The team was won three McCaw Cup conference championships, coming in 1983, 1987, and 1997.

### Lions men's soccer

The York Lions men's soccer team has won five U Sports national championships and seven OUA conference championships. Since the hiring of head coach Carmine Isacco in 2007, the Lions have won six of these conference championships (2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018) and four national championships (2008, 2010, 2014, 2015). The Lions' 2008 U Sports championship was York's first national championship in any sport in 18 years, and their first soccer championship since 1977. Playing for the Lions, in 2010 Alon Badat was named a U Sports Championship All Star, and the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West Rookie of the Year, and in 2011 he was a First-Team OUA All-Star. The team currently competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference.

### Lions women's soccer

The York Lions women's soccer team currently competes in the 19-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has had four conference championship winners, coming in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2019. Carmine Isacco has been the team's head coach since 2012.

### Lions men's volleyball

The York Lions men's volleyball team currently competes in the 13-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has featured 13 conference championship winners, most recently in 2005. The highest that the team has finished in the national championship tournament was a second-place finish in 1974. Jordan Taylor was named the team's head coach on July 21, 2023.

### Lions women's volleyball

The York Lions women's volleyball team currently competes in the 14-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has had a school-record 15 conference championships with the most recent occurring 2009. In the national championship tournament, the Lions have won five bronze medals, most recently in 1991. The team has been led by head coach Jennifer Neilson since 2018.

## International competition

This is an incomplete list
* Kelsey Webster, Ice Hockey, 2009 Winter Universiade,
* Courtney Unruh, Ice Hockey, 2011 Winter Universiade,
* Kelsey Webster, Ice Hockey, 2011 Winter Universiade,
* Kiri Langford, Ice Hockey, 2011 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships – Division IV,
* Autumn Mills: Baseball, 2015 Pan American Games,
* Brittany Crew, Track and Field, 2017 Summer Universiade (Won gold with a best throw of 18.34 meters)
* Melissa Humana-Paredes, Volleyball, 2018 Commonwealth Games , 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships

## Awards and honours

* Lauren Golding, U Sports Athlete of the Month, January 2020

### Athletes of the Year

This is an incomplete list
| Year | Female Athlete | Sport | Male Athlete | Sport | Ref. |
| 2009–10 | Heather Hamilton | Track & Field | Tyrone Halstead | Track & Field | |
| 2010–11 | Effie Petrou | Field Hockey | Adrian Pena | Soccer | |
| 2011–12 | Melissa Humana-Paredes | Volleyball | Dontae Richards-Kwok | Track & Field | |
| 2012–13 | Cynthia Appiah | Track & Field | David McKay | Track & Field | |
| 2013–14 | Khamica Bingham | Track & Field | Dontae Richards-Kwok | Track & Field | |
| 2014–15 | Brittany Crew | Track & Field | Jarek Whiteman | Soccer | |
| 2015–16 | Brittany Crew | Track & Field | Michael Cox | Soccer | |
| 2016–17 | Holly Pitters | Track & Field | Jonathan Lao | Soccer | |
| 2017–18 | Holly Pitters | Track & Field | Kayden Johnson | Track & Field Football | |
| 2018–19 | Brittany Crew | Track & Field | Pierce Lepage | Track & Field | |
| 2019–20 | Teni Odetoyinbo | Soccer | Daniel Gleason | Track & Field | |
| 2020–21 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2021–22 | Leah Jones | Track & Field | Dieu Merci Yuma | Soccer | |
| 2022–23 | Jotam Chouhan | Soccer | Soji Olatoye | Soccer | |