Trent University Saddened to Learn of the Passing of PSB Wilson ’96 (hon)

The Trent University community is saddened to learn of the passing of Paul S.B. Wilson ’96 (hon), the University’s founding athletics director, whose vision and dedication laid the foundation for sport and recreation at Trent and shaped the student experience for decades. 

PSB joined Trent in 1966. Over his 36-year career at the University, he played a central role in establishing and expanding formal athletics facilities, organized programs and recreation, which have become an integral part of campus life. One of PSB’s major achievements was opening Trent’s original Athletics Centre in 1977. He also established varsity soccer, hockey, basketball, football, rugby and squash teams and programs at Trent University. 

"PSB Wilson was a community builder. From the earliest days of Trent, he imagined what athletics and recreation could mean for students and spent decades turning that vision into reality. He established programs and facilities that shaped the student experience and brought people together through sport, recreation, and enjoyment,” said Dr. Cathy Bruce, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University. “His legacy lives on in the PSB Wilson Lounge in the Trent Athletics Centre, and beyond through the thousands of students, alumni, and community members whose lives he enriched.” 

In recognition of his 30th anniversary of becoming athletic director, PSB was named an honorary Trent alumni in 1996 and the PSB Wilson Bursary was established in his honour. At the time of his retirement from Trent University in 2002, PSB achieved the unprecedented honour of being awarded both the Symons Award for Teaching Excellence and the Eminent Service Award. PSB was also recognized as the longest-serving athletics director at a Canadian university, reflecting his sustained commitment to Trent and his influence across broader university sport. 

PSB’s community service extended beyond the University through civic leadership and volunteer work in the Peterborough community. He was inducted into the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. 

Prior to his career at Trent, PSB was an accomplished athlete, coach, and official. Born in Orpington, England, he came to Canada in 1960 and was later recognized as an outstanding student-athlete at the University of Toronto. His achievements in squash included city and provincial championships, national and international competition, and recognition from Squash Ontario for his contributions as a player, coach, and administrator. He was also deeply involved in rugby as a player, referee, and honorary life member of the Peterborough Rugby Club. 

PSB remained actively engaged in Trent life well beyond his retirement. He helped establish the PSB Wilson Bursary and the David Glassco Prize at Trent and continued to serve on the PSB Wilson Fund for Athletics and Recreation Committee, which has been monumental in supporting students and expanding athletics and recreation facilities. As one of the University’s greatest ambassadors, PSB was a regular attendee at Trent events, including the Excalibur varsity bus unveiling in fall 2025, Trent University Alumni Awards celebrations, and the Trent Athletics VIP Luncheon at Head of the Trent, to name a few. He was also an active member of the Trent University Association of Retired Persons. 

The PSB Wilson Lounge in the Trent Athletics Centre, unveiled and named in 2015, stands as a recognition of PSB’s contributions to Trent athletics and recreation programs and his lasting impact on generations of students, alumni, and the wider community.