View source for UNB Reds

{{Short description|University of New Brunswick athletic teams}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox college athletics
 | name = UNB Reds
 | logo = UNB Reds Logo.png
 | logo_width = 150
 | university = [[University of New Brunswick]]
 | association = [[U Sports]]
 | conference = [[Atlantic University Sport]]
 | director = John Richard
 | location = [[Fredericton, New Brunswick]]
| teams   = 18
| mens_teams   = 9
| womens_teams = 9
| coed_teams   = 
| basketballarena             = Richard J. Currie Center <ref name=currie>[https://goredsgo.ca/information/rjcc_page RICHARD J. CURRIE CENTER]</ref>
| volleyballarena             = Richard J. Currie Center <ref name=currie/>
| icehockeyarena              = [[Aitken University Centre]]
| soccerstadium               = BMO Centre <ref>[https://goredsgo.ca/information/bmo_page BMO CENTRE]</ref>
| natatorium                  = Sir Max Aitken Pool <ref>[https://goredsgo.ca/information/sma_page SIR MAX AITKEN POOL]</ref>
| trackvenue                  =
| arena2                      = 
| othersite label = 
| othersite =  
| mascot = 
| nickname = Reds
| fightsong =
| colour1 = Red
 | hex1 = EA0029
 | color2 = Black
 | hex2 = 000000
 | color3 =
 | hex3 =
 | pageurl = https://goredsgo.ca/landing/index
| altlogo   = 
}}

The '''UNB REDS''' are the athletic teams that represent the [[University of New Brunswick]] in [[Fredericton, New Brunswick]], Canada.

The UNB REDS compete in a variety of sports, including men's and women's [[basketball]], [[ice hockey]], [[soccer]], and [[volleyball]]. Additionally, the athletic program encompasses [[swimming (sport)|swimming]], [[track and field]], [[cross country running]], and [[curling]] for both men and women.

==History==
The name "Varsity Reds" was only adopted circa 1993. They are now named the "REDS" as of 2018. Prior to 1993, every varsity sport, including football, hockey, women's basketball, men's basketball and men's wrestling had a different name: the REDS,<ref name="Unb1985">{{cite news |title=UNB Athletes Of The Week |url=https://da.tj.news/viewer?opub=Daily_Gleaner&date=19850205&page=21&filename=4550_DG_1984-1985 |access-date=17 September 2023 |work=Daily Gleaner |date=February 5, 1985}}</ref> Red Bombers, Red Devils,<ref name="Unb1985"/> Red Bloomers,<ref>{{cite news |title=Big Weekend For UNB Teams |url=https://da.tj.news/viewer?opub=Daily_Gleaner&date=19840224&page=18&filename=6320_DG_1983-1984 |access-date=17 September 2023 |work=Daily Gleaner |date=February 24, 1984}}</ref> Red Raiders, and Black Bears, respectively.

==Varsity sports==

{| class="wikitable"; style= "text-align: "
! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Men's sports
! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Wpmen's sports
|-
| Basketball || Basketball
|-
| Cross country || Cross country
|-
| Curling || Curling
|-
| [[UNB Reds men's ice hockey|Ice hockey]] ||  [[UNB Reds women's ice hockey|Ice hockey]]
|-
| Soccer || Soccer
|-
| Swimming ||Swimming
|-
| Track and field || Track and field 
|-
| Volleyball ||  Volleyball
|-
| Wrestling || Wrestling
|}

===Curling===
The UNB men's and women's curling teams compete annually at the [[Atlantic University Sport Curling Championships]]. In 2015, the men's team led by skip [[Josh Barry]] won the inaugural event. In 2024, the women's team led by skip Jenna Campbell captured the first women's curling title in program history. In 2025, the men's team competed in the [[2025 New Brunswick Tankard]].

===Men's hockey===
{{main|UNB Reds men's ice hockey}}
[[File:UNB Reds Mens Hockey 2024..jpg|alt=Taken By Seth Murphy|thumb|UNB Reds Mens Hockey 2024]]
The University of New Brunswick's [[U Sports men's ice hockey|men's hockey]] program can trace its lineage back to 1880 and was an inaugural member of the Maritime Intercollegiate Hockey League in 1906.<ref name=MHKY>{{cite web|url=https://goredsgo.ca/sports/mice/2019-20/files/MediaGuide1920a.pdf |title=2019-2020 Media Guide |publisher=UNB Reds |access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref> Then known as the Red Devils, the team made their first appearance in the [[University Cup|national tournament]] in 1964 where they lost to the [[Alberta Golden Bears]], but defeated the [[Montreal Carabins]] to win a bronze medal.<ref name=MHKY/> The Varsity Reds won a silver medal in 1997 and then won their first national championship the following year, in 1998, by defeating the [[Acadia Axemen]] by a score of 6–3.<ref name="MHKY Champs">{{cite web|url=https://usports.ca/en/championships/hockey/m/history |title=History |website=[[U Sports]] |access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

The REDS men's hockey team has appeared in 15 gold medal games and has won ten national championships, most recently in [[2024 U Sports University Cup|2024]].<ref name="MHKY Champs"/> The University of New Brunswick has hosted the national tournament six times and the team has won two titles on home ice.<ref name="MHKY Champs"/> The Reds have also won 20 AUS conference championship banners, including three in a row on two separate occasions, between 2018–2020 and 2022–2024 respectively.<ref name="AUS MHKY">{{cite web|url=https://www.atlanticuniversitysport.com/sports/mice/records/pastchamps |title=Atlantic University Sport Men's Hockey Past Champions |website=[[Atlantic University Sport]] |access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

*[[Lesley Reddon]] was part of the 1994–95 UNB team and became the first female goaltender to play in the men's Atlantic Universities Hockey Conference, and possibly in U Sports.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/readings/inredden.html |title= Insight: Goaltender Lesley Reddon Talks About Making History  |publisher= Women in Sports|access-date=10 April 2010}}</ref>
* UNB and the [[St. Thomas (New Brunswick) Tommies|St. Thomas Tommies]] had a fierce rivalry in men's ice hockey. These games, known as the "Battle of the Hill" were among the most heavily anticipated and attended despite UNB winning them on a regular basis.

=== Women's Hockey===
{{Main|UNB Reds women's ice hockey}}
The Reds [[U Sports women's ice hockey|women's ice hockey]] program made a return as a varsity team for the 2018–19 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4547740/unb-womens-hockey-team-back/|title='It’s something special': UNB women’s varsity hockey team back on the ice|publisher=Global News|date=14 October 2018}}</ref> The team had been downgraded to a club team after the 2007–2008 season, but after a lengthy legal battle, was reinstated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thespec.com/sports-story/2118543-women-s-hockey-exploding-still-unb-cuts-varsity-reds/|title=Women's hockey exploding - still UNB cuts Varsity Reds|publisher=The Spec|date=29 March 2008}}</ref>

===Men's soccer===
Established in 1948 as the "UNB Red Shirts", the team plays their home games at the BMO Centre.

*2012: Coach Miles Pinsent was named AUS and CIS coach of the year.
*2014: Captain Alexandre Haiart leads the team to victory at the [[Atlantic University Sport]] Championship.

===Track & Field and Cross Country===
The UNB Track and Field team was established during the 2011–12 school year. It is the only varsity team composed of athletes from both the UNB Fredericton and the UNB Saint John campuses.

===Wrestling===
The UNB wrestling team is known as the Black Bears, and they have produced several CIAU/CIS medals, as well as a record 15 consecutive AUAA titles from 1987 to 2002.  The AUAA title was retired in 2002 ending the run of consecutive titles. The team captured back to back CIS Team Silver medals in 2010 and 2011, as well as a team bronze in 2015.

==Club sports==

===Baseball===
The UNB Cougars baseball team competes in the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association.
*2003 CIBA National Champions (3–0 win over [[Laval Rouge et Or|Laval]])
*2007 CIBA National Champions (2–0 win over [[Concordia Stingers]])
*2008 CIBA National Champions (win over McGill)

===Cricket===
In 2005, the UNB Cricket Club organized the initial UNB Cricket Cup, which took place in October. Featuring teams from several Residences on campus, it is believed that it is the first of its kind to take place at UNB. The tournament was won by Harrison House who chased a target of over 150 to beat McLeod by a margin of 1 wicket. All games, of innings comprising 10 overs, took place at Queen's Square Ball Field in Fredericton. The trophy is proudly displayed in the Harrison lounge.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}  In 2007, UNBCC grew to almost 40 members making it arguably the biggest cricket club in the Atlantic Provinces{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}.

===Fencing===
The UNB Fencing Club has been in operation since 1966, competing in the Atlantic Fencing League and the Canadian Fencing Federation. Teams from the club have captured the Alfred Knappe Trophy for Maritime Mixed weapon competition 7 times (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1998, 2001 and 2013) as well as the Atlantic University Mixed Weapon Championship in 2009 (one of only two years it was run), defeating [[Memorial University]] for the title.

===Football===
The UNB Red Bombers [[Canadian football|football team]] first began play in 1948 in exhibition play before playing in the first intercollegiate Canadian football game played in New Brunswick in 1949.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cisfootball.org/history/nbpei48-57.html | work=A History of Canadian University Football | title=Canadian Football in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island 1948-1957  | first=Robert E. | last=Watkins | date=May 2006 | publisher=cisfootball.org | access-date=6 March 2019 }}</ref> The program was in continuous operation until it was dropped after the 1980 season, with the school making the announcement in June 1981.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gridironnewbrunswick.org/university.html | title=Football New Brunswick Canadian University Football | publisher=gridironnewbrunswick.org | access-date=6 March 2019 }}</ref> In their history, the Red Bombers won two [[Jewett Trophy]] conference championships in 1969 and 1970, but lost in the following [[Atlantic Bowl]]s to the [[McGill Redmen]] and [[Ottawa Gee-Gees]] respectively.

In 2008, the university made the announcement that the Red Bombers were to be reborn in 2009 in the [[Atlantic Football League]], along with University of New Brunswick Saint John, Dalhouse University, and Holland College. In 2009 (the inaugural season for the Atlantic Football League), the Red Bombers defeated the [[UNB Saint John Seawolves]] to capture the first Moosehead Cup championship. The Red Bombers returned to the championship game in 2011, but lost to the [[Holland Hurricanes]]. The team returned to the Moosehead Cup the following year and defeated the Hurricanes in the rematch game in 2012. After a five-year absence, the Red Bombers qualified for the 2017 championship game where they defeated the [[Dalhousie Tigers#Football|Dalhousie Tigers]] 39–35 in the highest scoring Moosehead Cup to date. In 2019, the team won their fourth championship after defeating the Hurricanes 29–26. The Red Bombers returned to the championship game in 2021, but were defeated by the Tigers. On September 21, 2024, Ella Lord became the first woman to play in the [[Atlantic Football League]], playing for the Red Bombers.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241009002132/https://tj.news/saint-john-south/female-receiver-catches-on-with-atlantic-football-league-reds</ref>

The team has played in the following leagues: [[New Brunswick Football League|NBFL]] (1949–1957), [[Maritime Intercollegiate Football League|MIFL]] (1958–1959), [[Atlantic Football Conference|AFC]] (1960–1965), [[Maritime Intercollegiate Athletic Association|MIAA]] (1966–1968), [[Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association|AIAA]] (1969–1973), [[Atlantic Universities Athletic Association|AUAA]] (1974–1980), and [[List of Gridiron football teams in Canada|AFL]] (2009–present)

Championships: 2009, 2012, 2017, 2019

===Men's rugby===
The UNB men's rugby team is known as the Ironmen, and they boast numerous New Brunswick and Maritime championships at the 'A' and 'B' levels of competition.

===Women's rugby===
The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds Women's Rugby established in 2015 claimed the 2015 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association women's rugby championship with a 14–5 win over the St. Thomas University Tommies, on 1 November at Scotiabank Park South. Johanna Reid scored the Varsity Reds' lone try, while Julija Rans converted on three penalty goals.

After an undefeated season in 2016, the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds Women's Rugby once again were the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association women's rugby championship with a 24–0 win over the St. Thomas University Tommies, on 5 November.

==National championships==
{| class="wikitable"; style= "text-align: "
! width= 120px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Sport
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Competition
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Titles
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle| UNB Reds|border=1|color= white }}"| Winning years
|-
| Football || [[Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's soccer championship|Men's Soccer]] || {{center|1}} || [[1980 CIAU Men's Soccer Championship|1980]]
|-
| Ice hockey || [[University Cup|Men's Ice Hockey]]|| {{center|10}} || 1998, 2007, [[2009 CIS University Cup|2009]], [[2011 CIS University Cup|2011]], [[2013 CIS University Cup|2013]], [[2016 CIS University Cup|2016]], [[2017 U Sports University Cup|2017]], [[2019 U Sports University Cup|2019]], [[2023 U Sports University Cup|2023]], [[2024 U Sports University Cup|2024]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{ccat}}
* {{oweb}}
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* [http://www.patronsvredssoccer.com/ Patrons of UNB Varsity Reds Soccer]

{{New Brunswick Sports}}
{{Atlantic University Sport}}
{{RSEQ}}
{{Navboxes
| title = U Sports navboxes
| state = collapsed
| titlestyle = background:white; color:black; border: 2px solid #FF322D;
| list1  =
{{U Sports basketball}}
{{U Sports men's ice hockey}}
{{U Sports soccer}}
{{U Sports volleyball}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unb Reds}}
[[Category:UNB Reds]]
[[Category:U Sports teams]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in New Brunswick]]
[[Category:University of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Sport in Fredericton]]