The Championship That Launched a Dynasty

The Championship That Launched a Dynasty

The formation of the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU) in 1961 marked a turning point for university sport in Canada. As the country's first national governing body for university athletics, the CIAU established a unified structure for national competition and crowned true national champions.

Just three years later, the University of Alberta Golden Bears seized their first opportunity to make history.

On March 14, 1964, in Kingston, Ontario, the Golden Bears defeated Concordia University 9–1 to capture the University's first national hockey championship. It was only the second University Cup ever contested, following McMaster University's victory over the University of British Columbia in the inaugural championship the previous year.

The victory was more than a championship—it was the beginning of one of the greatest dynasties in Canadian university sport.

Behind the bench was Clare Drake, whose legendary coaching career was just beginning. That first national title became the foundation for a remarkable legacy. Over the next four decades, Drake would win 697 games and six national championships, earning recognition as one of hockey's greatest innovators and most influential coaches.

The road to the championship, however, was anything but smooth.

As historian Steven Scriver recounts in Bears on Ice: A History of the University of Alberta Golden Bears (2007), the Bears endured significant adversity during the season. Midway through the campaign, it was discovered that forward Johnny Utendale had previously played professional hockey, forcing the forfeiture of two victories in which he had participated. Shortly afterward, questions surrounding another player's academic eligibility resulted in two additional forfeited wins.

The student newspaper, The Gateway, captured the dramatic reversal, reporting that "in the course of two days the Bears had dropped from first to last place."

Their championship hopes came down to the final weekend of the season, when Alberta travelled to Winnipeg needing to sweep the University of Manitoba to claim the league title. The Bears delivered under pressure, earning their place at the national championship.

Once there, they continued their dominant play, defeating the Atlantic champion University of New Brunswick 5–3 before overwhelming Sir George Williams University of Montreal 9–1 in the championship game.

The University Cup was presented by federal Cabinet minister Judy LaMarsh and Syl Apps—former NHL star, Ontario legislator, and one of Clare Drake's childhood hockey heroes—making the moment even more memorable for the young coach.

The championship roster included Brian Harper, John Aubin, Ed Wahl, Dave McDermid, Les Payne, Dale Rippel, Dale Harder, Howie Green, Jim Reaman, Ralph Jorstad, Butch Hyde, Dave Jenkins, Jim Fleming, Terry Bickell, captain Dick Wintermute, Ian Baker, Leigh McMillan, Earl Grey, manager Gus Gushaty, and head coach Clare Drake.

In Hockey's Quiet Revolutionary: Clare Drake—The Coaches' Coach (2007), Derek Dreger describes captain Dick Wintermute as "a wide-eyed kid from northern Alberta's Peace River country." Wintermute played five seasons with the Bears and captained the team during his final two years, leading Alberta to its first national championship.

That 1964 victory marked the beginning of an extraordinary tradition. Since winning their first University Cup, the Golden Bears have gone on to capture 16 national championships, establishing themselves as the most successful program in U SPORTS men's hockey history.

The Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU) was renamed the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union in 1978, became Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in 2001, and adopted its current name, U SPORTS, on October 20, 2016.