Athletics and Recreation were saddened to learn of the passing of Anne Turnbull, a long-time coach, athletic coordinator, and one of the founding members of Queen's Women's Sports. Turnbull passed away last week at the age of 88.

Turnbull came to Queen's and coached Women's Badminton (1957-65), Women's Basketball (1957-69), Women's Tennis (1957-63), Nordic Skiing (1964-68, 1970-80), Men's Badminton (1961-64), and Cross-Country (1972-73) over a coaching career that spanned several decades.

Turnbull led the Women's Badminton team to five OWIAA championships, the Women's Basketball team to two OWIAA championships, and the Men's Badminton team to two OUAA Championships.

Turnbull also became the first woman in Canada to receive a national coaching certification for cross-country skiing in 1965. 

She officiated basketball and helped write the Canadian rules for women's basketball in the 1950s, in addition to writing the book Basketball for Women in 1973. Turnbull also officiated volleyball and gymnastics in the Kingston area and was the chief volleyball official for the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union.

Turnbull worked under Marion Ross, who was the first director of Women's Athletics programs at Queen's (1938-70) and helped develop the Levana Athletic Board of Control (LABC), which helped fund women's sports at Queen's.

Turnbull became Director of Women's Athletics in the 1970s and her philosophy was to get as many students involved in intercollegiate experiences as possible. She was an influential and well-regarded sport leader with peer institutions and in Ontario Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Association (OWIAA).  In 1991, Turnbull received the OWIAA Honour Award, which is presented to a university administrator for contribution to university sport, in addition to reflecting outstanding ethics, integrity, and honesty. She retired from Queen's in 1993, having increased the number of women's sports teams at Queen's from five to 24 during her tenure. 

"Anne Turnbull was a pioneer of women's university sport, at Queen's, provincially and nationally," commented Leslie Dal Cin, Executive Director, Queen's Athletics & Recreation. "The opportunities available to current Queen's varsity student-athletes stand squarely on the shoulders of, and were made possible by, the trailblazing efforts of women like Anne Turnbull and Marion Ross. We must remember them as true Queen's sport icons and legends."

Turnbull is a member of the Queen's Coaches Hall of Fame and the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame.