Colleen Jones Memorial Trophy: Nova Scotia women’s provincial curling title renamed in honour of late legend

It’s been a week of acknowledgment, awards and accolades for late curling legend and iconic CBC broadcaster Colleen Jones. 

Jones, who died on November 25, 2025, at the age of 65 after a three-year battle with cancer, was officially inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax for her illustrious 37-year career at the public broadcaster earlier this week.

Then on Sunday, it was announced the winner of the women’s Nova Scotia provincial championship will now hoist the Colleen Jones Memorial trophy. 

Jones won a record-tying six national curling titles over her five decade career in the sport – she won an unprecedented 16 provincial titles and competed in 21 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. 

The announcement was made at the annual Nova Scotia Curling Association Celebration of Excellence awards at Mount Saint Vincent University. 

Hundreds of curlers, supporters and family members watched on and cheered loudly when the trophy was revealed. On each table there was a pack of gum – a nod to Jones who notoriously chewed gum throughout many of her curling games.

“Colleen loved home and loved playing in the provincial championships in Nova Scotia. She met lifelong friends on the ice, found her identity competing locally and loved trying to win this trophy,” said her son, Luke Saunders.

“This all feels really fitting. It’s a nice touch and honour for my mom. It’s been so fulfilling to work with the Nova Scotia Curling Association in building towards today’s announcement.”

Jones won her first provincial title as second in 1979 at the age of 19. She would win a silver medal at the Canada Games that year and then just a couple of days later competed in her first national championship. 

Over the next four decades she was a fixture at the Scotties – not only was she on the ice playing, once eliminated from playoff contention Jones would then join the CBC Sports coverage alongside Don Wittman and Don Duguid starting in the early ‘90s.

Jones captured her first national championship in 1982 at the age of 22, making her the youngest skip ever to win the event. She wouldn’t win the title again until 1999, which sparked one of the greatest runs in curling history.

From 2000 to 2004, Jones and her teammates Kim Kelly, Mary Ann Arsenault and Nancy Delahunt won four-straight Scotties. During that run, they would also capture two world championships. 

“This is the greatest curler this province has ever produced. What she did nationally, internationally, but locally is never going to be touched, and it’s how she did it too,” said Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame president and CEO, Bruce Rainnie.

“She represents different things to different people, but she represents excellence and she represents the journey. I don’t think it was really ever about the destination for her. It was always about the work you put in, what you overcome along the way, and if you get there, that’s great, but if you give a good effort, that’s great too. That’s Colleen Jones in a nutshell.”

Throughout her curling career she was also a CBC broadcaster. Jones was the first female sports anchor in the province. She then went on to host CBC Newsworld, and covered 10 Olympic Games for CBC throughout her career. In 2012, she returned to CBC Nova Scotia as a reporter, sharing stories from her community.

Jones was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2024, she was invested into the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon in recognition of her athletic accomplishments and broadcast career.

WATCH | Late curling legend Colleen Jones inducted into CBC News Hall of Fame:

Colleen Jones posthumously inducted into CBC News Hall of Fame

Her career at CBC spanned nearly 40 years across news and sports. A ceremony was held in her honour in Halifax on Thursday.