Swimming
Date(s) of occurrence: 1931- present
Previous/other names: UNB Beavers, UNB Mermaids, Varsity Reds
History: With the construction of the Lady Beaverbrook Residence, UNB now had a swimming pool. This brought interest of competitive swimming into the university. By 1931 a Swimming Club had been established, and UNB hosted swimming meets open to both university and city participants. Competition within the university between 1931 and 1933 had been residence vs non-residence, but 1933 saw both clubs come together to form the University Swimming Club. It is not clear when UNB entered into intercollegiate swimming, however it is known that the first time the men’s team won an intercollegiate match was in 1945. The first Maritime Intercollegiate Swimming Championship was held in 1947, with the UNB men winning the title. The ladies were unable to participate due to the majority of the team catching the flu. 1949-1953 saw no female team compete for UNB, with their return in 1954. By 1959, the men’s team was known as the Beavers, while the women were referred to as the Mermaids. The swim team is currently active on the UNB campus, and compete as the on of the school's Varsity Reds teams.
Notes:
Source(s):
- the Brunswickan, vol 50, no.3
- the Brunswickan, vol 50 no. 5
- Up the Hill, 1933
- Up the Hill, 1944
- Up the Hill, 1947
- Up the Hill, 1954
- Up the Hill, 1959
© UNB Archives & Special Collections, 2014