Scholarship efforts help Huskies stay strong.

The 15 teams on the University of Saskatchewan campus have either finished, or are approaching the stretch drive of their 2021-22 seasons. For Michael Jenkins, Associate Athletics Officer Development & Marketing, a busy time lies ahead. Jenkins and his team are in the annual effort to raise funds for scholarships for Huskies’ athletes.

Competition is fierce for the best athletes approaching their university careers. “The recruiting landscape is so different than it was 5 years ago. Then it was 10, 20, 30 years ago.” said Jenkins. “The world has gotten so much smaller.” The mandate from an athletic standpoint for the University of Saskatchewan is quite simple. Attempt to have the best student-athletes stay in Saskatchewan, and attempt to attract the top student-athletes from across Western Canada. Having scholarship money in place is key. “It’s something we work really hard at, year round…to drive scholarship dollars.”

The University of Saskatchewan’s outstanding academic and athletic programs and reputation help with recruitment. “We’ve got top coaches, and student trainers and physio and support staff.” said Jenkins. The Huskies football team’s head coach is Canadian Football Hall of Fame member, Scott Flory. The men’s hockey team is currently led by a Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold Medal head coach, Mike Babcock. The women’s basketball team’s head coach is Lisa Thomaidis, who also served as Canada’s national team head coach for close to a decade. Track and Field coach Jason Reindl led the Huskies’ women’s team to the 2020 Canada West title. The list goes on.

State of the art facilities also play a role. Merlis Belsher Place, which opened in 2018, houses the basketball teams, soccer teams, and hockey teams at the University of Saskatchewan. The PAC, where the basketball teams and volleyball teams play, opened in 2003. Griffiths Stadium, home of the Huskies’ football and soccer teams, had new turf installed in 2020.