| Simon Fraser Red Leafs football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First season | 1965 |
| Last season | 2022 |
| Athletic director | Vacant |
| Head coach | Mike Rigell 2nd season, 2–16 (.111) |
| Stadium | Terry Fox Field |
| Field surface | Artificial turf |
| Conference | Lone Star |
| All-time record | 186–321–2 (.367) |
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) |
| Conference titles | 1 (2003) |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Mascot | McFogg the Dog |
| Website | athletics.sfu.ca |
The SFU Red Leafs football or Simon Fraser Red Leafs football team represented Simon Fraser University since the athletic department's inception in 1965 until 2022. The team played by American rules while they competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from 1965 to 2001 against other American teams. Along with other SFU teams, the football program transferred to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) and thereby switched to playing Canadian football against Canadian University teams in 2002. While playing in the CIS, SFU won its first and only Hardy Trophy conference championship in 2003 while qualifying for the playoffs twice. After playing eight seasons in the Canada West Conference of the CIS, the football team began competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference of NCAA Division II in 2010, and have played the American format of football again since.[1] Kristie Elliott became the first Canadian woman to play, and to score, in an NCAA football game, on September 11, 2021, as a kicker for the team.[2][3] After the GNAC dropped football after the 2021 season, SFU and the other two GNAC members that still sponsored the sport became football-only members of the Lone Star Conference.[4] After the 2022 season, it was announced on April 4, 2023, that football would be dropped from the school after it was previously announced the Lone Star Conference was ending its affiliation with Simon Fraser after the 2023–24 season.[5]
The team previously used the names "Clansmen" and "Clan;" those names were retired in 2020.[6] The new nickname "Red Leafs" was announced in September 2022.[7]
- ^ Simon Fraser University (July 10, 2009). "SFU first Canadian school in NCAA". Simon Fraser University. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
- ^ "Kristie Elliott becomes first woman in Canada to play and score in a college football game". The Peak. November 21, 2021.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-football-first-canadian-woman-scores-1.6179046
- ^ "Three football teams to join LSC as affiliate members" (Press release). Lone Star Conference. November 18, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "Simon Fraser, NCAA's Only Canadian Member School, Ends Football Program" Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ "SFU Athletics name change". SFU Athletics. August 12, 2020.
- ^ "SFU Announces New Varsity Team Name". SFU Athletics. September 6, 2022.