Our History
The Lightning first competed as a member of the, now defunct, Alberta Colleges Athletic League, in 20. After many years of sustained success, in 2012, The Lightning stepped up to the Big Leagues, joining the ACAC (Alberta College Athletic Conference), making us also a part of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Lightning basketball teams began competing at this level in 2012. In 2014, the Lightning introduced our Cross Country program and began competing in indoor track in the 2017/2018 season. Women’s Basketball was the first team to taste success winning an ACAC Gold Medal in 2018-19 after silver medals in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The Lightning women have made the playoffs for past 9 years. A remarkable streak for our school of under a thousand students with no on campus gym. Montana Smith was the Lightning Women’s Basketball first All-Canadian in 2018-19.
Men’s Basketball had a long slow climb to the top, led by Coach and Athletic Director, Nathan Ruff. But now sit as one of the premier basketball programs in the ACAC and a preeminent small university program in Canada, after back to back ACAC Silver Medals in 2023 and 2024. As well as a trip to the CCAA National Championships in 2023.
Caleb Jipp was award the CCAA Player of the Year in 2024 was the top player in all of Canada in 2024. Brock Dewsbery is other Men’s Basketball Player to be honoured as an All-Canadian in 2023.
With a beautiful Cross Country running course through our campus, (we even hosted the CCAA NationalChampionships in 2019), St Mary’s has become an ideal school for motivated runners.
Cadence Laplante won our first ever medal in Cross Country – a bronze at the ACAC Championships in Lethbridge. The 2003 Lightning women’s team had a strong performance at the CCAA National
Championships in Truro, Nova Scotia.
In June of 2024, we won our first gold medals in indoor track. Sydney Zizzos wrote her name in the Lightning record books with a gold in the 3000M with a Lightning Fast time of 11.24.70. An hour lately, Cadence Laplante added her name with a gold in the 1000M on an epic photo finish (she won by 0.003 seconds). Cadance added another gold the next day. This time with a definitive time of 1:42.79 in the 600M.
In May of 2024, Montana Smith was St Mary’s first inductee to the ACAC Hall Of Fame.
Montana was part of the core leaders and players at St. Mary’s that turned the program around and has created the legacy and success of the program at St. Mary’s. Her 4 year is riddled with expectation accomplishments: 1st team ACAC all conference player 14-15, 15-16, 16-17 and 17-18, 2015-16 CCAA All Canadian, 2017-18 CCAA National Championship 2 nd Team All-tournament player, 2017-18 ACAC Gold Medalist, 2015-16 and 2016-17 ACAC Silver Medalist, 2 National Championship Appearances, St. Mary’s University All Time leading scorer, 2 point conversion, 3 point conversions, FT conversion, Assists and Steals, ACAC All-time leader in 3 point shots made, 2nd ACAC All-time leader in scoring 1842 points, 2nd ACAC All-time leader in steals, 7 th ACAC All-time leader in Assists.
She is a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education graduate is now a teacher and coach at a Calgary high school.