October 6, 2022
Banner Season: Championship action ready takes centre stage with tennis titles on the line
Burlington, Ont. - Banner Season is officially back, making its 2022-23 debut on the courts of the Mayfair Club (East) at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Tennis Championships. Seven teams will serve up three days of action on the courts, with the first round robin points being played on Friday, October 7 before play wraps up with the gold medal matches on Sunday, October 9.
Championship Details:
When: Friday, October 7 to Sunday, October 9 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Mayfair Club East, Toronto
Participating Schools (7): Brock Badgers, McMaster Marauders, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Toronto Varsity Blues, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, York Lions
Defending Champions: Toronto Varsity Blues (W); Western Mustangs (M)
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Justine Bryson, Western Mustangs | Bryson was named OUA rookie of the year in 2021 when she delivered a standout performance and has picked up right where she left off this season. The Markham, Ont. native hasn't lost a game this season in the three weekends the Mustangs have played so far, which includes both singles and doubles matches in each event.
Winnie Choi, Toronto Varsity Blues | Also named rookie of the year a season ago, Choi has continued the strong start to her varsity career with an undefeated run in doubles this season alongside partner Veronika Podobed. A champion in her first go-around at the OUA conclusion, the Toronto, Ont. native will be eyeing more of the same in the team's hunt for a 40th conference banner.
Meghan Mazer, McMaster Marauders | Mazer, a senior from Rockwood, Ont., has been an instrumental captain on and off the court throughout her playing career at McMaster. Without her leadership, organization, and dedication to the team, the program would not be in the place it is today and the banner season veteran will strive to help her team snag a spot on the podium in her fifth go-around.
Ethan Milavsky, Western Mustangs | Milavsky has been a consistent and solid leader for the Mustangs this season, winning all of his matches to this point in both singles and doubles. He was part of the 2021 championship team and is looking to finish his final season on the right foot in what will be his third conference finale.
Pavle Milic, Waterloo Warriors | The No. 1 male seed for the black and gold and the 2020 Waterloo male rookie of the year is looking to build off a strong lead up to the OUA Championships. The Warriors have amassed a 3-2 record during that stretch and will hope that the Toronto, Ont. native's wicked forehand is firing on all cylinders come banner season weekend.
Aleks Paramentic, Brock Badgers | A first-year nursing student, Paramentic has made an immediate impact with the Badgers women's team. In the final tune-up before the OUA Championships, the Niagara Falls, Ont. native picked up both a singles and doubles win over McMaster, while also kicking off her fall campaign with wins over both Ottawa and Waterloo in doubles and an additional singles triumph over the latter.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
Brock is bringing a young contingent to the OUA Championships, featuring a majority of first and second year student-athletes, but with these early standouts already providing strong results in the lead up to the weekend, the St. Catharines squad has their sights set on both gaining experience, but also rising the ranks.
New McMaster women's coach, Kirsten Magi, has added a fresh spin to the Marauders program, implementing her past learnings from competing in Division I tennis with the Purdue Boilermakers as well as her experience managing Team Ontario at the Canada Games. Magi has introduced new structure to the team with the goal of enhancing the full student-athlete experience and bringing a strong showing at the upcoming OUA finale.
President of the University of Ottawa's Tennis Club, Ryan Zanganeh, along with help the team's head coach, spending the entirety of his undergrad leading the club to receive varsity status. The goal was achieved in May 2022, for the first time since 1992, and this year's marks the first time the Gee-Gees tennis teams are competing at the OUA Championships.
With six wins apiece heading into the final weekend, compared to just one loss, both Blues teams are eyeing lengthy runs when they hit the Mayfair Club (East) courts. The lone loss for the men's group came against the four-time defending champion Mustangs, who also took home the win when the two sides met to close out the 2021 festivities.
Both the women's and men's Mustangs teams have gone undefeated in their matchups leading up the OUA Championships, and with numerous players graduating last year, the three new rookies on the women's side have shown quickly that they came to play. All of them have unblemished records this season and are looking to continue that streak into a gold medal outing.
What They're Saying:
"We have a lot of confidence coming off of an undefeated season, but OUAs is completely different. We are ready to bring a new level of intensity for this weekend and our team is eager to improve from our silver medal last year to fight for gold." - Justine Bryson, Student-Athlete, Western Mustangs
Championship Details:
When: Friday, October 7 to Sunday, October 9 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Mayfair Club East, Toronto
Participating Schools (7): Brock Badgers, McMaster Marauders, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Toronto Varsity Blues, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, York Lions
Defending Champions: Toronto Varsity Blues (W); Western Mustangs (M)
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Justine Bryson, Western Mustangs | Bryson was named OUA rookie of the year in 2021 when she delivered a standout performance and has picked up right where she left off this season. The Markham, Ont. native hasn't lost a game this season in the three weekends the Mustangs have played so far, which includes both singles and doubles matches in each event.
Winnie Choi, Toronto Varsity Blues | Also named rookie of the year a season ago, Choi has continued the strong start to her varsity career with an undefeated run in doubles this season alongside partner Veronika Podobed. A champion in her first go-around at the OUA conclusion, the Toronto, Ont. native will be eyeing more of the same in the team's hunt for a 40th conference banner.
Meghan Mazer, McMaster Marauders | Mazer, a senior from Rockwood, Ont., has been an instrumental captain on and off the court throughout her playing career at McMaster. Without her leadership, organization, and dedication to the team, the program would not be in the place it is today and the banner season veteran will strive to help her team snag a spot on the podium in her fifth go-around.
Ethan Milavsky, Western Mustangs | Milavsky has been a consistent and solid leader for the Mustangs this season, winning all of his matches to this point in both singles and doubles. He was part of the 2021 championship team and is looking to finish his final season on the right foot in what will be his third conference finale.
Pavle Milic, Waterloo Warriors | The No. 1 male seed for the black and gold and the 2020 Waterloo male rookie of the year is looking to build off a strong lead up to the OUA Championships. The Warriors have amassed a 3-2 record during that stretch and will hope that the Toronto, Ont. native's wicked forehand is firing on all cylinders come banner season weekend.
Aleks Paramentic, Brock Badgers | A first-year nursing student, Paramentic has made an immediate impact with the Badgers women's team. In the final tune-up before the OUA Championships, the Niagara Falls, Ont. native picked up both a singles and doubles win over McMaster, while also kicking off her fall campaign with wins over both Ottawa and Waterloo in doubles and an additional singles triumph over the latter.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
Brock is bringing a young contingent to the OUA Championships, featuring a majority of first and second year student-athletes, but with these early standouts already providing strong results in the lead up to the weekend, the St. Catharines squad has their sights set on both gaining experience, but also rising the ranks.
New McMaster women's coach, Kirsten Magi, has added a fresh spin to the Marauders program, implementing her past learnings from competing in Division I tennis with the Purdue Boilermakers as well as her experience managing Team Ontario at the Canada Games. Magi has introduced new structure to the team with the goal of enhancing the full student-athlete experience and bringing a strong showing at the upcoming OUA finale.
President of the University of Ottawa's Tennis Club, Ryan Zanganeh, along with help the team's head coach, spending the entirety of his undergrad leading the club to receive varsity status. The goal was achieved in May 2022, for the first time since 1992, and this year's marks the first time the Gee-Gees tennis teams are competing at the OUA Championships.
With six wins apiece heading into the final weekend, compared to just one loss, both Blues teams are eyeing lengthy runs when they hit the Mayfair Club (East) courts. The lone loss for the men's group came against the four-time defending champion Mustangs, who also took home the win when the two sides met to close out the 2021 festivities.
Both the women's and men's Mustangs teams have gone undefeated in their matchups leading up the OUA Championships, and with numerous players graduating last year, the three new rookies on the women's side have shown quickly that they came to play. All of them have unblemished records this season and are looking to continue that streak into a gold medal outing.
What They're Saying:
"Feet and compete. Women need other women in their lives who think they are a big deal. No competition, no backhanded comments, no jealousy, no hate, just 'I love you, I support you, and there is no one on Earth like you' kind of energy. If our team brings this supportive energy to one another along with good footwork and a competing mentality, we're in for a tremendous OUA championship." - Kirsten Magi, Women's Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"I am pumped to play the upcoming OUAs and would love to end my last season with an OUA gold medal." - Ethan Milavsky, Student-Athlete, Western Mustangs
"Our teams are looking forward to the OUA Championships this weekend with another strong outing." - Nabil Tadros, Head Coach, Toronto Varsity Blues
