Joining the OUA conference in the 2002-03 season, having formerly been as a club team at the university, the Warriors were led by head coach Bill Antler. His coaching staff for the inaugural season included assistant coaches Roger McKenzie and Mike Cinelli. Serving as the first captain in Warriors history, Lindsay Wood played for the program until 2005, part of a foundation of competitive players including Sarah McNaught and Lindsay Wood. Finishing fourth in the OUA Western Division for their inaugural season, the club finished ahead of the Western Mustangs, who would become one of their biggest rivals.
Mike Kadar era
During the 2005-2006 season, the Warriors clinched their first playoff berth under interim head coach Mike Kadar. Having also served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, Kadar joined the Warriors due to the NHL Player Lockout. Facing the Brock Badgers in their first-ever playoff series, the Warriors were unable to qualify for the next round.
Geraldine Heaney era
With Kadar returning to the Kings the next autumn, the 2005-2006 season featured a new head coach. Winter Games gold medalist Geraldine Heaney, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, took the reins, with a coaching staff that included Mike Stankowitsch, Jerry Harrigan and Bradi Cochrane. Heaney stepped down from the role in May 2011.[3]
Shaun Reagan era
Warriors women's goalie in 2014
Following the 2011 season, the Warriors hired former OHL player and schoolteacher Shaun Reagan, a lifelong resident of Waterloo who had been the inaugural coach of the Kitchener-Waterloo Rangers of the OWHA since 2008.[4]
Following several years of consistent regular season success and OUA playoff appearances following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warriors' most successful season came in 2023-24 when they defeated the Laurier Golden Hawks and York Lions in the quarter and semi-finals of the OUA playoffs, advancing to the McCaw Cup final and granting them a spot in the U Sports National Championship for the first time. In the OUA final, the Warriors faced defending provincial champions Toronto at Varsity Arena, defeating them on the road 2-1 in overtime to win their first provincial championship in program history.[5] At their first national championship appearance, the Warriors defeated AUS finalists St. Francis Xavier 6-1 but were defeated by RSEQ champions Concordia 3-1 in the semi-final, who went on to win the national title. In the third place match against RSEQ finalists Montréal, they opened the scoring in the first period but fell short after the Carabins tied the game in the third period forcing overtime and a shootout, and were defeated 2-1.
