Newly named Quigley Cup honours celebrated OUA standout, Therese Quigley
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is proud to announce that the women’s volleyball championship trophy has been named the Quigley Cup, honouring former McMaster University and Western University Director of Athletics, Therese Quigley.
From her time as an OUA student-athlete for Western, wherein she donned the purple and white from 1971-72 to 1976-77, all the way through to her eventual roles as Director of Athletics with the Marauders (1990-2009) and Mustangs (2009-2016), Therese has made her presence felt at virtually every level in Canadian university sport.
While her reach has far exceeded just one sport – as evidenced in part by her roles on the board of Canada Basketball and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U SPORTS) – her influence in women’s volleyball may be the most substantial.
As a player, few were better than Therese, as she helped the Mustangs win multiple OWIAA Women’s Volleyball Championships and led the team to three CIAU women’s volleyball titles. To cap off her outstanding athletic career, Therese was honoured with Western’s F.W.P. Jones Trophy – awarded to the female athlete who made the greatest career contribution to athletics – and later, the Elfrida Berezins Award for excellence in and contributions to women’s athletics at Western.
More than just awards, however, Therese has seen plenty of successes during her time as an administrator with both McMaster and Western. With the former, in a tenure that began as the women’s volleyball coach and ended with a nearly two-decade stint as Director of Athletics, she modernized the university’s athletic and recreations programs and sparked the successful fundraising and planning efforts of the David Braley Athletic Centre and Ron Joyce Stadium.
Upon returning to her Alma Mater as Director of Athletics, Therese helped to develop Western’s recognition programs for students and student-athletes, expanded the connection to Mustang alumni and supporters, and invested in promoting athletics through new programs and partnerships.
Even since her retirement, Therese continues to be one of the most celebrated figures in all of Canadian university sport. She is the namesake for a U SPORTS leadership award, presented annually to a U SPORTS women’s volleyball player for leadership and citizenship; is an inductee in the Kitch McPherson Hall of Fame by the Ontario University Basketball Coaches Association; and was most recently awarded the J.P. Loosemore Award as the person who contributed to the advancement of athletics in the OUA.
A presentation to present Therese with the honour and celebrate the unveiling of the new Quigley Cup will take place during the women’s volleyball game between the Western Mustangs and McMaster Marauders on Saturday, February 17 (12:00pm) at the David Braley Athletic Centre.
The Quigley Cup will be awarded for the first time on Saturday, March 10 at the OUA Women’s Volleyball Final Four tournament, which will be hosted by the highest remaining seed after quarterfinal play.
