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Mountie Pride has been echoing through Mounties Athletics — and indeed across campus — for more than a decade. It’s been the mantra that has united the ��Ʒ������ Athletics community.

But where did it originate?

In 2011, there was a strategic focus in Mounties Athletics on returning to the standards of the program’s former success. Through consultation and reflection with student-athletes, staff, and coaches, they sought to define the culture and articulate just what it meant to be a Mountie.

“I wanted something that we could hold onto and identify our program with through the tough times...through the hard times...that we were going to base our program on,” says former Mounties Football Head Coach (2009-2016) Kelly Jeffrey.

The values that were already important to the community spelled out a direction that would not only define the culture but transform it.

Mountie PRIDE was born.

PASSION — RELENTLESSESS — INTELLIGENCE — DISCIPLINE — EXECUTION

“Mountie Pride was the glue that held things together, that held teams together,” says former President and Vice-Chancellor (2006-2018) Dr. Robert Campbell.

One of the pinnacles of Mountie Pride was the 2013 Uteck Bowl vs Laval — the first national semi-final game ever hosted at ��Ʒ������.

"It was really special,” says Campbell. “I think someone should talk to Netflix about a documentary of the making of that season and the making of that game.”

At Homecoming 2024, more than 50 members of the 2010-2014 Mounties Football teams gathered on campus in a ‘Reignite the Flame’ celebration, spearheaded by a passionate group of football alumni, including Jonathan Graves (‘15).

“It’s not until years later that you understand the significance of certain moments in your life and just how lucky you were to be a part of those moments,” says Graves. “Being able to gather again as a group and reflect on those times was a very special experience for us and I was so fortunate that so many people took the time and made the long trip to be a part of it. I think the reunion will quickly become another one of those special moments.”

During this celebration, former longtime Director of Athletics (2009-2022) Pierre Arsenault credited this time in Mounties history as the real beginning of Mountie PRIDE.

“When you look at the more than 60 years of the football program, that ‘84 group has a real presence in our history, the ’91 Vanier team, Éric Lapointe's era, and now it’s you guys [2010-2014]...You guys are one of those moments in the history of our program,” he says.

The storied ‘Uteck 2013’ was followed in 2014 by an undefeated football season and a national semi-final appearance at the Mitchell Bowl at McMaster University. Then AUS Championship Loney Bowl berths the following two years.

Following that success, unwavering alumni donor support mobilized the making of Alumni Field in 2015. ��Ʒ������ hosted its first CCAA National Championships in women’s basketball in 2018. Men’s basketball won their first ACAA Championship in program history in 2020. The McCormack Gymnasium was revitalized in 2023 and the University hosted its first CCAA men’s basketball national championships in 2024. Looking ahead, the new Multi-Sport Complex will be built behind the Athletic Centre in 2030.

As the original mantra states, “Being a part of the Mountie family is a unique privilege.”

#MountiePride Forever