The Battle of the Bridge is the name of the all-sports rivalry between the Canisius Golden Griffins and the Niagara Purple Eagles .[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference . The two teams compete every school year in 14 sports; men's baseball , men's and women's basketball , men's and women's cross country , men's golf , men's ice hockey , women's lacrosse , men's and women's soccer , women's softball , men's and women's swimming & diving , and women's volleyball . The overall winner of the annual series receives the Canal Cup trophy.[ 5] Western New York rivals created the trophy in 2007 to enhance the historic rivalry between the two schools.[ 6] Grand Island Bridge , which each team crosses when traveling along I-190 to the other's campus.[ 7] [ 8] Erie Canal , which separates Erie County , where Canisius is located, and Niagara County , where Niagara is located.[ 6]
Battle of the Bridge Sport Multi-sport First meeting 2006 Trophy Canal Cup All-time series Canisius leads, 13–4 Longest win streak Canisius, 10 (2010–2019) Current win streak Canisius, 1 (2022–present)
[ 9] [ 10]
Season
Winner
Overall score
Series
Canisius
Niagara
2006–07 Niagara 10
24
Niagara 1–0
2007–08 Canisius 21
13
Tied 1–1
2008–09 Canisius 23
11
Canisius 2–1
2009–10 Niagara 15
17
Tied 2–2
2010–11 Canisius 20
13
Canisius 3–2
2011–12 Canisius 18.5
14.5
Canisius 4–2
2012–13 Canisius 21
12
Canisius 5–2
2013–14 Canisius 23.5
9.5
Canisius 6–2
2014–15 Canisius 21
7
Canisius 7–2
2015–16 Canisius 20.5
7.5
Canisius 8–2
2016–17 Canisius 30
8
Canisius 9–2
2017–18 Canisius 27
9
Canisius 10–2
2018–19 Canisius 19
11
Canisius 11–2
2019–20 Canisius 16
10
Canisius 12–2
2020–21 Niagara 10
16
Canisius 12–3
2021–22 Niagara 13
23
Canisius 12–4
2022–23 Canisius 19
17
Canisius 13–4
Total
16* seasons
327.5
222.5
Canisius 13–4
^ "Niagara beats Canisius" . WIVB-TV . January 27, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-03 .^ "A higher bridge for Canisius, Niagara" . uscho.com. November 4, 2010. Retrieved 2014-01-03 .^ ESPN and Bill Bradley (2009). ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game . Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN. p. 114. ISBN 978-0345513922 .
^ Beck, Stan, and Wilkinson, Jack (2013). College Sports Traditions: Picking Up Butch, Silent Night, and Hundreds of Others . Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-8108-9120-3 .
^ "COLLEGE ROUNDUP (JAN 31): NU, Canisius to battle for Canal Cup" . Niagara Gazette . January 31, 2007. Retrieved 2014-01-03 .^ a b "Battle of the Bridge" . GoGriffs.com. 2008-06-23. Retrieved 2024-07-08 .^ Harrington, Mike (February 2, 2007). "Canisius, Niagara add to rivalry" . The Buffalo News . Retrieved 2014-01-03 . ^ "Battle of the Bridge" . PurpleEagles.com. Retrieved 2014-01-03 .^ "Battle of the Bridge - Canisius College Athletics" . gogriffs.com . Retrieved 2021-12-30 .^ "Battle of the Bridge - Niagara University Athletics" . purpleeagles.com . Retrieved 2024-02-06 .
