We are the SFU Red Leafs!

It's not every day you change a varsity team name.

The journey to choose a new team name has been nothing short of extraordinary.  It has been one of incredible learning, teamwork, collaboration and personal growth.  The process to choose a new team was a true team effort in adapting and evolving to a place where we were comfortable in choosing a name that we can all be proud of. 

We navigated this process through some difficult times in our society.  What kept us grounded was meaningful dialogue and respectful conversation built on the foundation of reinforcing our institutional commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and choosing a name that inspires unity, reflects shared values of excellence, integrity and accountability, and will be a source of pride.

Grounded in the university's strong and rich athletic history, thousands of athletes and coaches have competed under SFU's iconic leaf for generations, and it is recognized as a source of unity across our campuses and across generations of athletes. To all of you that have represented this fine university under the iconic leaf over the decades, thank you!

I am genuinely proud of the work we collectively did, and am truly grateful to the many people that paved the way. To the Working Group for their commitment and honesty throughout the process; to the numerous student groups and host nations for their honest, meaningful and respectful feedback on the recommended names; to our joint communications team for their wisdom and expertise; and finally, to the University, and particularly the student services leadership team, for their leadership and advocacy in support of a new name.

Finally, I want to express my special appreciation to our student-athletes, coaches and Athletics and Recreation staff for continuing to 'Rep the Leaf with respect and pride.

The SFU Red Leafs is more than a name. It is our name.