Moved from UBC basketball to soccer to become one of the finest players in the country. A three-time All-Canadian she led UBC to the inaugural CIAU women's soccer championship in '87. Represented Canada internationally including at the first-ever women's World Cup in China.
The mid-1980s saw inter-university women's soccer in Canada dominated by the teams from UBC. Coach Brian Thompson's squads had won Canada West championships three consecutive years – 1983/84, 1984/85 and 1985/86. The 1986/87 team was not only another powerhouse but had in its line-up a young player who would later be described as "the cornerstone of both the UBC and Canadian National teams.” That player was rookie mid-fielder Michelle 'Mitch' Ring.
Ring entered UBC in 1985 as a highly rated basketball player, being BC’s number one high school hoopster her senior year. As a UBC "frosh" in 85/86, she not only made Jack Pomfret's Thunderbird Varsity women's basketball team but also won the team's most valuable rookie award. Coach Pomfret saw her as an essential building block in the re-structuring of his struggling program.
It was the summer of 1986 when Mitch decided to re-discover the sport of soccer, trying out for and making the provincial women's team. Having made the BC team, the 18-year-old tried out for Canada's National team making that team as well. When the school session began in September 1986, Mitch decided to forego UBC basketball in favour of the UBC soccer team even though soccer received less attention and it meant she would have to give up her $1,000 basketball scholarship. Coach Thompson was delighted with his newcomer, as she was the only National team member on his UBC squad.
UBC was once again successful that 1986/87 season, winning its fourth Canada West soccer title, placing three players on the Canada West All-Star team – Wendy Pease, Christine Pinette and Mitch Ring.
In 1987/88, Ring's second year with the team, she was selected team captain, even though she was the team's youngest player. The UBC Thunderbirds launched the season with a 4-0 victory over SFU in the Diachem Bowl with Ring receiving game MVP honours. UBC went on to win both leagues in which it competed – the Vancouver Premiere Division, with a 1-0 victory over Surrey on a goal by Ring and the Canada West interuniversity league - a championship they had now won five consecutive times.
It would be this 1987/88 season that for the first time a CIAU Canadian women's soccer championship would be held. UBC was the first team to capture this title with a 1-0 victory over McMaster – captain Mitch Ring scoring the UBC goal. Ring, who was later named to the CIAU All-Canadian team, stated after the victory, "I don't think I'll ever be as proud of any other team as I am of this one ".
In April 1988 Ring was selected to the soccer team representing Canada at the International Women's Soccer Tournament held in China, the only UBC player to be so honoured. Crowds of 45,000 saw Canada's team finish a surprising sixth at this inaugural World Cup competition. Michelle would eventually earn 45 caps with the National Teams while playing from 1986 to 1995.
In 1988/89 Ring was for the second time selected All-Canadian, even though UBC lost its Canada West title to Alberta.
Ring returned for her final year in 1989/90, leading UBC to a second place finish in Canada West and earning for her third year in succession, All-Canadian honours.
At the conclusion of 1990, Ring was named winner of the Marilyn Pomfret Award as UBC's top female athlete of the year. She was a rare double winner that year as she also received the Kay Brearley Award in recognition of her exceptional service to the women's athletic program at UBC. Her career saw her become one of only a few UBC athletes to gain All-Canadian status three years in a row. She was four-time Canada West All-Star and led the Canada West conference in scoring her last two years. Moreover, she led UBC to two Canada West championships as well as the inaugural CIAU women's soccer championship.
In April 2005 Ring was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, at the time only the fourth woman to receive this honour.
According to former UBC soccer coach Bob Elton, Ring as a soccer player was "hard working with leadership qualities. She is the one player you identify with the sport.” In the words of former UBC Sport Information Director Don Wells, "she is one of the best soccer players in our history and one of the nicest people I've ever met."
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
