The Quebec Student Sport Federation (QSSF) has denied an application by the University of Ottawa to move its men's and women's basketball teams from the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) to the QSSF.
The QSSF indicated that it was not comfortable with the Gee-Gees basketball programs making a direct application to join it prior to receiving approval to leave from OUA.
The University respects the decision. "It's our intention to ask the OUA Board of Directors for support of our application to leave the OUA men's and women's basketball leagues beginning in September 2007," says Luc Gélineau, director of Sports Services. The request will be made at the May 2006 Annual General Meeting.
"Participating in the QSSF would enable our institution to attract new talent from Quebec and support our presence in the province," says Gélineau. As a bilingual institution, recruitment from Quebec will help preserve the linguistic balance the university needs to maintain its unique status.
In the meantime, Sport Services will attempt to maximize its presence in Quebec through its women's hockey program, which has been a member of the QSSF since 2001. To that end, the University will adopt standard QSSF regulations on awards in women's hockey as of September 2006.
The University of Ottawa is the only option for women's hockey players, who wish to play at the university level and study in French. The ten CEGEPs in Quebec that offer women's hockey are prime recruiting targets for the University.
