Definition:
The 38th Vanier Cup was the championship game of Canadian university football played to determine the national champion for the 2002 season under the jurisdiction of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now known as U Sports).
Overview:
The 38th Vanier Cup took place on November 23, 2002, at the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in Toronto, Ontario. The game featured the Saint Mary's Huskies representing the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference and the Saskatchewan Huskies representing the Canada West conference. Saint Mary's emerged victorious with a 33–21 win, securing their first Vanier Cup title in program history. The game was notable for the strong performance of Saint Mary's quarterback, Steve Panella, who threw for three touchdowns, and the team’s defensive resilience in the second half.
Etymology/Origin:
The term "Vanier Cup" is derived from the trophy awarded to the champion, which is named in honor of Georges P. Vanier, the 19th Governor General of Canada, who served from 1959 to 1967. The trophy was created in 1965 to recognize university football excellence in Canada. The ordinal "38th" indicates it was the 38th edition of the championship game since its inception.
Characteristics:
- Date: November 23, 2002
- Venue: SkyDome (now Rogers Centre), Toronto, Ontario
- Participating Teams: Saint Mary's Huskies (AUS), Saskatchewan Huskies (Canada West)
- Final Score: Saint Mary's 33, Saskatchewan 21
- Attendance: Approximately 12,188
- Most Valuable Player: Steve Panella (QB, Saint Mary's)
- Broadcast: CBC Sports (live television coverage)
- Significance: First Vanier Cup win for Saint Mary's; Saskatchewan's first appearance since 1998.
Related Topics:
- Vanier Cup
- U Sports football
- Saint Mary's Huskies football
- Saskatchewan Huskies football
- Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
- College football in Canada
- Georges P. Vanier