First awarded in 1898, the Yates Cup is emblematic of Ontario university football supremacy. For the McMaster Marauder football program, it took until the 2000 season before the Maroon was able to hoist the historic trophy as Yates Cup Champions.

While it was a long journey, 102 years in the making, the 2000 championship edition of McMaster Marauder football took the program where it had never been before. In recognition of that team’s ground-breaking achievement, the theme of the annual Marauder Football Gala Dinner will be a celebration of the 2000 Marauders, with members of that historic squad returning for the festivities.

Coached by Greg Marshall, who was named both OUA and CIS Coach of the Year for the 2000 season, the Marauders completed the regular season schedule in first place with a 7 and 1 record, before defeating Waterloo and Laurier to capture the Ontario Championship. “The 2000 Yates Cup Championship was a culmination of four years of work by a special group of people that cared about McMaster and a belief in the Marauder football program,” said Marshall, who took over the Head Coach duties in 1997. “But what I remember most is the TEAM accomplishment and sharing the championship with so many people that made it happen...players, coaches, managers, alumni, fans, friends of Marauder football, and especially the players from the teams of 1997, 1998 & 1999.  Those teams never quit, fought hard, and laid the foundation for that tremendous season.”

Confirmed to be in attendance at the 2011 McMaster Football Gala are many of the key members of that 2000 Marauder team, including: Hec Crichton Trophy winner, Kojo Aidoo; CIS 1st team All-Canadian quarterback, Ben Chapdelaine; current Winnipeg Blue Bomber guard Ryan Donnelly; and current Hamilton Tiger-Cat linebacker Ray Mariuz.

Coach Marshall, who left McMaster in 2003 to coach the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats, before returning to coach in the university ranks at Western Ontario will be in attendance at the Gala, and recalls what was a watershed moment for McMaster. “I will never forget hearing Ken Welch saying over the loudspeaker, during the Yates Cup presentation, ‘For the first in its history, The Yates Cup is going to McMaster University’”

The 2000 Yates Cup victory started a championship streak for the Marauders that saw the team win four consecutive Yates Cup titles between 2000 and 2003. That four-year run is tied for the longest in Yates Cup history, equalled by Western Ontario (1979-82), Queen’s (1922-25), and Toronto (1908-11).

The McMaster Football Gala Dinner will be held on April 28, 2011 in the Sport Hall of the David Braley Athletic Centre. For more information about the McMaster Football Gala, please contact Stuart Smith by phone at 905.525.9140 ext.23566 or via email at stsmith@mcmaster.ca