McGill Martlets ice hockey

The McGill Martlets ice hockey team represents McGill University, based in Montreal, Quebec in U Sports women's ice hockey. They are members of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) and have won four U Sports women's ice hockey championships. Some players have participated internationally, including in the World Student Games. Home games are played at McConnell Arena. Origin name The origin of name "Martlet" is used in reference to the coat of arms of McGill University, which includes three birds. These birds were originally a part of the family crest of James McGill, founder of the university. The McGill Martlet Foundation, created in 1954, uses this heraldic symbol. The foundation is a philanthropic organization aimed at helping student athletes at McGill. In 1976, various women's teams at McGill University adopted the use of the name "Martlets". History Since 1896, women's ice hockey has existed at McGill University. In the early years of ice hockey play at McGill University, women dressed in long skirts and males were not allowed to attend. The only exceptions were the referee and the arena employees who guarded the main entrance. The ban was lifted a few years later. The McGill women's ice hockey team participated in the first Women Provincial Ontario Championship in 1914. The university league was dissolved in 1933. From 1936 to 1948, followed by the time period of 1951 to 1960, there was no competition in the Women Interuniversity Athletics Union (WIAU).