Al Bohonus, who hosted the first ever CCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship at Mount Royal College, will be inducted into the CCAA Hall of Fame in the Builder Category. He will be inducted posthumously.
Bohonus was the Host Chair at Mount Royal College (now Mount Royal University) for CCAA Men’s Basketball in 1975, CCAA Men’s & Women’s Basketball in 1982 and CCAA Men’s Volleyball in 1994.
He began his career at Mount Royal in 1975 as Campus Recreation Coordinator and took over as Athletic Director in 1978. He occupied the position until his untimely passing in 1995.
Under Bohonus’ leadership from 1979 to 1994, the Mount Royal Cougars earned 41 provincial college championships and seven national titles. In 1999, Mount Royal received the CCAA 25th Anniversary Overall Sport Supremacy Award.
“In addition to being an outstanding leader at Mount Royal College, Al consistently took on a variety of leadership roles within the ACAC and CCAA to ensure that varsity sport was a meaningful contributor to student life in Canadian Colleges,” said Brian Fleming, who worked closely with Bohonus during the 1980s and 1990s.
Bohonus served as the ACAC’s representative to the CCAA Board of Directors from 1980-82 and was on the CCAA Executive from 1982-85 as the 2nd Vice President. Bohonus twice served as the ACAC President, from 1980-83 and again from 1990-92.
Several awards and scholarships are named after the long-time Athletic Director at Mount Royal. Bohonus is also widely regarded around Alberta as an influential figure in the growth of the ACAC.
Bohonus was inducted into the Mount Royal Wall of Fame in 2012 and the ACAC Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Al Bohonus left a legacy at Mount Royal that can still be found in our halls, our facility and the culture of the Cougars today,” said Karla Karch, Director of Athletics & Recreation at Mount Royal University. “I truly wish I could have met the man, to thank him for being so instrumental in building varsity sports here at MRU.”
