By Kaden Nanji
Welcome to the world of sports here at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), home of the TMU Bold.
Sports are an integral part of the university experience as they create a sense of community amongst students in an accessible and exciting way.
However, for those joining the TMU ranks, it can be difficult to follow some of our sports culture without knowing about their players, histories, rivalries and ambitions.
So we created a guide for you, first-years and other newbies, to understand how sports operate around here.
How it all works: Varsity, clubs and more
TMU has four varsity sports, along with a plethora of varsity club sports teams. The four varsity sports—which play full Ontario University Athletics (OUA) seasons—are hockey, basketball, volleyball and soccer. Each sport has a men’s and women’s team.
Other sports like badminton, baseball and cross country are examples of the many varsity club sports teams at TMU. Similarly to the varsity sports, these clubs compete with other schools on a provincial and national level. However, they do not receive the same funding or follow the same consistent schedules.
Both varsity club sports and competitive club sports—who don’t have the opportunity to play at a provincial and national level—hold tryouts in the summer or fall for TMU students to earn a spot on the team.
If OUA competition isn’t for you, TMU also offers intramural sports leagues with recreational and competitive divisions based on your comfort level with the sport. There are also men’s, women’s and co-ed divisions. Intramurals are available for volleyball, basketball, badminton, dodgeball, pickleball and more.
Where to go for Bold action this year
The best place to start your sports journey at TMU is the home of the Bold—the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC). The MAC is located five minutes up Church Street from campus.
Formerly known as Maple Leafs Gardens, the historical venue serves as the official home stadium for TMU’s volleyball, hockey and basketball teams.
Volleyball and basketball are played on the second floor while the hockey rink is accessible from the fourth floor. Most games take place over the weekend but with over 80 home games across six months of action, there’s plenty for you to watch.
Volleyball and basketball games are usually played back-to-back, with the women’s teams playing first followed by the men. The men’s and women’s hockey teams generally rotate with one team playing home at the MAC while the other hits the road.
The second floor of the MAC also contains one of TMU’s fitness centers. The other is the Recreation and Athletic Centre (RAC), located under Kerr Quad, in the centre of campus. Just bring your OneCard and you can get in a quick workout before going to class or catching a game.
Soccer is the anomaly of the varsity sports. Games are held at Downsview Park, located about an hour away from campus using the Toronto Transit Commission. Soccer season begins at the end of August rather than in October like other varsity sports.
The rest of the upcoming season begins on Oct. 9, when the women’s and men’s hockey teams will both hit the ice for their home openers. The men will face off against the Bold’s cross-town rivals, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. Regardless of the sport, a Bold and Varsity Blues match is a guaranteed entertaining and passion-filled outing. If you’re going to watch any game, you don’t want to miss these ones.
The women will face off against the York Lions earlier in the day.
Another game to circle on your calendars is the Bold’s homecoming match, which will see the Bold’s men’s hockey team take on the Brock Badgers at the Mac on Sept. 19—a rematch of last year’s OUA semi-finals. The festivities will kick off with a tailgate at Pitman Quad before all sorts of fun and school spirit follow at the game.
What you need to know about each squad before the 2024-25 OUA season
Now let’s get you up to date with the teams.
Men’s hockey:
Last season, the Bold men’s hockey team placed second in the OUA West, boasting a solid 19-8-1 record. They made it to the OUA championship game but fell to the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes in a 3-2 double-overtime thriller.
During the U Sports national championship, hosted at the MAC last March, the Bold were devastated by the McGill Redbirds in the third-place matchup.
There will be a lot of intrigue surrounding head coach Johnny Duco’s squad this season as many of their veteran players have graduated and fresh faces are ready to make a mark.
Women’s hockey:
The Bold’s women’s hockey team didn’t have the same success in 2023-24, finishing last place in the OUA East with a 7-18-2 record.
With five of their top eight scorers leaving after the 2022-23 season, the Bold were left with one of the youngest teams in the OUA last year. A late-season surge and the opportunity to build chemistry has placed head coach Lisa Haley’s team in an optimal position for a rebuild.
Men’s basketball:
In 2020, the Bold men’s basketball team saw their five-year U Sports Nationals qualification run snapped. Since then, they have struggled with consistency during the regular season and playoffs, with their recent season ending with a surprising first-round upset by the McMaster Marauders.
With star forward Aaron Rhooms entering his fourth year and former Wisconsin Badgers guard Jahcobi Neath set to make his TMU debut after injuries sidelined him in 2023-24, head coach David DeAveiro’s side has high expectations coming into this season.
Women’s basketball:
After winning the program’s first-ever National Championship in 2022, the Bold women’s basketball team are looking to get their hands on another trophy this year.
At the end of last season, the Bold said farewell to their primary playmaker and defensive anchor, Kaillie Hall, which opened up a slot for OUA Rookie of the Year Catrina Garvey to step up as starting point guard this year.
Head coach Carly Clarke and Garvey will lead a strong, young core looking to rebound after a rocky second half of the season, which culminated in a loss to the Queen’s Gaels in the OUA semi-finals.
Men’s volleyball:
In volleyball, the Bold men’s side failed to make the playoffs last year after a 5-15 regular season.
They will hope for star outside hitter Jacob Walker to start the season in tip-top shape after a rough 2023-2024 season saw the former OUA First Team All-Star and team MVP play only 40 sets due to missing the first half of the season.
Niko Rukavina—who was recently named head coach after serving as interim coach for four seasons—will hope to see lots of improvement from his young squad.
Women’s volleyball:
Meanwhile, the Bold women’s volleyball team saw their 2023-24 season end after losing in five sets against the eventual OUA Champion Brock Badgers in the semi-finals. They placed fourth in the OUA regular season with a reputable 15-5 record.
This season, head coach Dustin Reid’s squad will look to maintain a strong reputation for the program, albeit without many of their veteran players who have since graduated.
Men’s soccer:
On the pitch, the Bold men’s soccer team will look to bounce back after a chaotic last season, where an investigation into “serious and concerning behaviour” led them to forfeit the first two matches of the season.
Despite their messy start, the Bold racked up an 8-3-1 record during the regular season, making the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. They breezed past the Nipissing Lakers in the first round before falling to the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a thrilling penalty shootout.
This season, coach Filip Prostran and the team will set their sights on the U Sports National Championship, where they placed fifth during the 2023 season.
Women’s soccer:
Finally, the women’s soccer team will look to secure a spot in the OUA Championships this season with the team missing the playoffs for the second year in a row last year.
Head coach Natalie Bukovec’s youthful squad is looking to get even younger, having already signed 10 new players during this year’s recruitment period.
Stay informed with Eye Sports!
There is undoubtedly a lot of information here and there is lots to know when it comes to being a fan or athlete at TMU. But don’t worry, we’re here all year!
The Eyeopener’s sports section—led by sports editors Daniel Carrero and Mitchell Fox—will have you covered all year long with game recaps, season previews, profiles and lots more. Stay tuned for tons of content from our great team of contributors!
Sabena Govani
Wow what a nice informative breakdown of all the sports teams and what to expect from them this year.