VANCOUVER – A total of 11 UBC alumni will see their name permanently enshrined in the BC Sports Hall of Fame as members of the 2018 induction class.
Long-time UBC swimming coach and current Canadian national team head coach Tom Johnson has been selected in the builder-coach category, recognizing his decades of work developing some of the world's top athletes.
Joining Johnson in the Hall of Fame are 10 members of the 1991 Canadian national men's rugby team which has been elected in the team category. Scott Stewart, David Spiers, Roy Radu, Pat Palmer, Norm Hadley, John Graf, Eddie Evans, Glenn Ennis, Jeff Knauer all attended and played for UBC and were all on the historic squad along with forwards coach Rod Holloway.
Other members of the 52
nd induction class include former MLB pitcher Ryan Dempster, para-alpine skier Josh Dueck, former BC Lion linebacker Glen Jackson, Olympic gold medal skier Marielle Thompson, and former Vancouver Canuck Cliff Ronning, all in the athlete category. Sports Medicine pioneer Alex McKechnie and long-time NHL referee Rob Schick have been elected along with Johnson in the builder-coach category, while former Province Sports scribe Tony Gallagher is being honoured under the media umbrella.
Johnson came to UBC in 1989 after almost a decade of serving as head coach of the Canadian Dolphins Swim Club. The native of Hudson, Quebec has long been affiliated with Canada's national team and has coached at every Olympic Games since 1976. During his time at UBC he synchronized the resources and expertise of the Dolphins and UBC Thunderbird swim programs to create a revered national training centre in 1998 where he continues to work with the national program. Since his arrival on campus, UBC's swim program has won 19 women's and 14 men's U SPORTS championships, eight of which were won under the guidance of current head coach Steve Price.
Johnson was named U SPORTS Coach of the Year 12 times while at the helm of the Thunderbirds, receiving the honour six times each for both the men's and women's teams.
The 1991 Canadian men's rugby team remains the most successful squad this country has produced. The team finished first in the Americas qualifying standings for the World Cup where Canada reached the quarter-finals for the first and only time.
The inductees will be officially installed as members of the Hall of Fame at a gala ceremony on May 31, 2018.
