Manitoba sports legend Dufresne takes her place in CW HOF

Former Bisons coach and AD acknowledged by conference

EDMONTON - In many ways it was a trailblazing career on the court, sidelines, and board room.

Former Manitoba Bisons women's basketball coach Coleen Dufresne was announced Thursday as the latest inductee in the Canada West Hall of Fame.

While Dufresne enters the Hall in the women's basketball category thanks to her outstanding track record as Bisons head coach from 1984 to 2001, she also left a lasting mark on the university and conference as an adminstrator.

After her starting her coaching career at the University of New Brunswick in 1980, Dufresne came to Manitoba in 1984, starting a stretch of 17 years as the Bisons WBB head coach. During her time patrolling the sidelines she led the program to three national titles (1988, 1996, 1997).

A star basketball player herself and 1976 Olympian for Canada, Dufresne took over as Manitoba's athletic director in 2001. During her 15-year tenure she made significant contributions to both the U of M, but also Canada West and FISU.

She served as CW president from 2005-07, and in 2005 became just the second Canadian elected to the FISU Executive Committee.

To read more about her outstanding career, click here.

ABOUT THE CANADA WEST HALL OF FAME

For the last century, organized university sport has been a central part of the student experience at institutions across Western Canada. Beginning with the University of Manitoba capturing the first Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU) men's hockey banner in 1919-20, student-athletes have been competing to reach their full potential in sport and the classroom, while enriching campus life. 

To commemorate 100 years of university sport across Western Canada, the Canada West Hall of Fame was created in the spring of 2019, with the first induction class set to be unveiled throughout the 2019-20 season. 

VISIT: CanadaWestHallofFame.org

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About Canada West

Since 1972, Canada West (CW) has been a leader in Canadian university sport, working to provide our student-athletes the opportunities to excel in sport, the classroom, and their communities. CW and our 17 members from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba collectively carry on a legacy of competitive excellence, as our champions proudly go on to represent the conference at U SPORTS national championships.

Canada West – training leaders, building champions.