York's first women's national champion, Susan (Buchanan) Pierce was a member of the Canadian gymnastics team that competed at the 1970 World Championships (in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia). In her first year at York in 1970-71, she placed first at all invitational meets and led York to the WITCA championship, finishing first in three of four events to also win the all-around title. At the CWIAU championship held at York that same year, she was again all-around individual champion, collecting golds in the beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. In 1971-72, Pierce continued to dominate women's gymnastics in Ontario, winning the individual all-around title at the OWIAA championship as York won its second straight provincial crown. At the CWIAU meet that year, she placed a strong third all-around. Later in 1972, Pierce represented Canada as a gymnast at the Munich Olympics.
