Varsity Athletics is an integral part of the Bishop’s experience, as it has been for generations—uniting students, alumni, and friends through a shared passion for the Gaiters. Whether cheering from Coulter Field, the Mitchell Gym, or the Jane and Eric Molson Arena, our community proudly rallies behind our student-athletes and our university.
Today, Bishop’s supports 326 varsity student-athletes across nine men’s and women’s teams, offering countless opportunities to celebrate success. In 2024–25 alone, our football team captured the Loney Bowl Championship, both basketball teams claimed RSEQ titles, and women’s hockey earned the ultimate distinction as U SPORTS National Champions. In March 2026, Men’s Basketball earned the silver medal at the National Championships in a very close game. And more recently in September 2026, the women’s golf team captured the RSEQ Championship, a first in the program’s history.
Excellence is not limited to competition. In 2024-25, 141 student-athletes achieved Academic All-Canadian status, maintaining an average of 80% or higher. These accomplishments reflect not only talent and determination but also an emphasis on academic achievement.
Behind every victory is a foundation of support—state-of-the-art facilities, coaches, and scholarships that attract gifted student-athletes who excel in sport and academia alike.
Your contribution to the Invest, Empower, Transform Campaign for Bishop’s Athletics will support our dedicated coaches and the student-athletes they inspire.
THE INITIAL GOAL: A $10 MILLION ENDOWMENT FOR ATHLETICS
When this campaign began in 2023, years of generous support had built an athletics endowment of $2.5 million, generating about $110,000 annually for scholarships. Two life insurance policies totaling $2.5 million were also in place, with proceeds designated to benefit coaching. However, this was not enough to secure the future of athletics at Bishop’s.
To ensure lasting strength for Bishop’s Athletics, we set an ambitious goal: raise an additional $5 million to build a $10 million endowment dedicated to supporting our varsity teams.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we have successfully reached our goal of raising an additional $5 million. Building on this momentum, we have extended our campaign goal to $6 million, allowing us to further strengthen the future of Bishop’s Athletics with the resulting $11 million endowment and enhance support for our student-athletes and coaches.
Our Immediate Goal
Securing an additional $1 million in donations will ensure we can attract and retain exceptional student-athletes who excel both in competition and in the classroom, as well as dedicated coaches who will bring out the best in them.
While this goal establishes a critical foundation, it reflects only the baseline of what is needed; ongoing investment will be vital to ensure Bishop’s Athletics can truly thrive. But your support today will make an important difference.
CAMPAIGN FUNDING PRIORITIES
Scholarships for Student Athletes
Athletic scholarships are vital for attracting and retaining talented student-athletes. Time and again, former student-athletes have shared that financial support was the deciding factor in making it possible for them to wear the Gaiters jersey.
Unfortunately, funds dedicated to scholarships have historically fallen short. While the Bishop’s Foundation has generously helped bridge the gap, we continue to lose exceptional athletes to universities offering more substantial support. Many have shared that they wanted to don the Bishop’s purple but chose another school because of greater scholarship opportunities.
Scholarships not only ease financial burdens (tuition, rent, groceries, etc.) but also allow student-athletes to focus on academics and training, fostering success in both areas.
The Coaching Excellence Fund
The Varsity Athlete Coaching Excellence Fund was created to recruit and retain exceptional coaches for our varsity programs. Coaches are the foundation of every successful team, guiding student-athletes to achieve their goals on and off the field. Many alumni have confirmed that long after their athletic career was over, the lessons from a dedicated coach have continued to guide them through life.
By investing in coaches, we ensure they have the strategies and skills to inspire and lead athletes to peak performance while fostering mentorship and leadership across all programs. This commitment to coaching elevates the entire athletic department, creating a legacy that strengthens school spirit and community pride.
We Need You!
Bishop’s varsity teams are competing at a higher level. Sustaining that progress will require investment.
Your support will help us recruit top student-athletes and coaches, and ensure they have the resources to perform, develop, and succeed.
We are deeply grateful for everything our donors have helped us accomplish so far, and we hope we can count on you to keep changing the game for the better.
Contact Us
Jacquie Scott ‘90
Associate Vice-Principal, Alumni Relations & Philanthropy
jacqueline.scott@ubishops.ca
Matt McBrine ’96
Director of Athletics
matt.mcbrine@ubishops.ca