Pizza Pizza OUA Teams of the Month
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Basketball
The Ravens won their fourth straight W.P. McGee Trophy and their record 10th national crown in 12 years as they defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 79-67 in the gold medal game of the 2014 CIS Final 8 on Sunday, March 9 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario.
On their way to the national championship, Carleton knocked off McMaster 82-64 in quarter final action. From there the Ravens disposed of Alberta 79-55 in the semis to earn a berth in the final.
The victory makes Carleton the first team to win back to back championships as tournament host.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Basketball
The top-seeded Windsor Lancers captured a fourth straight Bronze Baby Trophy as CIS women’s basketball champions thanks to a 71-46 gold medal win over the No. 2 Saint Mary’s Huskies on their home court at the St. Denis Centre on Sunday March 16th.
After capturing their fourth OUA Championship title in five years the previous weekend, the Lancers knocked off the eighth seed Laurier Golden Hawks 81-53 in the quarter-finals, and the Fraser Valley Cascades 65-45 to advance to the CIS Championship final for the fifth consecutive year.
February 2014
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Swimming
The Toronto Varsity Blues men's swimming program earned their 11th consecutive OUA and second straight CIS title in 2014. The Blues dominated the OUA championship finishing 213 points ahead of the second-place McMaster Marauders. Zack Chetrat was named the OUA male swimmer of the year after sweeping the 50, 100 and 200 butterfly events and earned a major grand slam award for his fifth career 200 butterfly title. Hochan Ryu was named the OUA male rookie of the year, earning bronze medals in the 100 and 200 fly events, while Byron MacDonald was named the OUA coach of the year in leading the team to their 62nd title in program history. The Blues didn't stop there, successfully defending their national title, placing 80.5 points ahead of UBC, as they hosted the CIS championships. Chetrat again won his fifth career 200 butterfly title, while Chris Manning won CIS gold in the 50 breaststroke and 50 freestyle and Edward Liu claimed the 50 butterfly national title. MacDonald earned CIS coach of the year honours for the third-straight year.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Swimming
The Varsity Blues women's swimming team reclaimed the OUA title for the first time since 2008, finishing 131 points ahead of the five-time champion Western Mustangs. Veteran Vanessa Treasure was named the OUA female swimmer of the year, sweeping the 200 and 400 IM events to earn the Dr. Jeno Tihanyi award for individual medley excellence, while also winning the women's 200 breaststroke event. Paige Schultz swept the sprint freestyle events, setting new OUA records in the 50 and 100 races. Bridget Coley also claimed gold in both the 400 and 800 freestyle events. Byron MacDonald was named the OUA women's team coach of the year. The Blues went onto place fourth overall at the CIS championships at Varsity Pool, with Treasure earning Toronto's lone individual medal, a silver in the 400 IM.
January 2014
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
McMaster Marauders Basketball
The Marauder men's basketball team solidified its place atop the OUA west standings, and inched forward to sixth in the CIS top ten poll, with a spotless 7-0 record in the month of January. McMaster comfortably knocked off several division rivals over that span, winning its six games by an average of 19 points. A dominant return to conference play on January 8 saw the Marauders best the Brock Badgers 95-59 on the road, before returning to the Burridge Gym for a pivotal matchup with the Windsor Lancers. There, McMaster edged Windsor by two points in an instant classic on January 11. The Marauders were rewarded for that effort in the top-ten poll of January 14, where McMaster rose from No. 8 to No. 6. Heavy victories over the Waterloo Warriors (88-69), Laurier Golden Hawks (87-69) and Guelph Gryphons (88-59) followed on the road. The Marauders enjoyed a 78-61 home win over the Western Mustangs on January 25, before travelling to Thunder Bay for a weekend doubleheader against the Lakehead Thunderwolves. There, McMaster secured its first sweep of the Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay since the 2005-2006 season, with 85-74 and 101-64 wins on January 31 and February 1. The Marauders are riding a 12-game conference winning streak that dates back to November 22.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Hockey
In January the Gryphons scored 25 goals while allowing a measly four against. Three Gryphons sit in the top five of OUA scoring. Christine Grant (Mississauga, Ont.) has 33 points (12G, 21A) and sits second in the league. She is followed closely by teammates Jessica Pinkerton (Oshawa, Ont.) and Amanda Parkins (Kitchener, Ont.) who are third and fourth in OUA scoring with 30 and 30 points, respectively. Stephanie Nehring (Oshawa, Ont.) leads the Gryphons between the pipes. Nehring has excelled this season, posting a 1.17 GAA and 0.941 save percentage. She leads OUA in shutouts with a tally of seven on the season.
November 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Basketball
The Carleton Ravens men's basketball team went undefeated in the
month of November, posting a 9-0 record. The Ravens continue to be
the top ranked team in the country. Led by two-time CIS MVP Phil
Scrubb (Richmond, B.C.), Carleton has outscored the competition
867-567 through nine games.
The three-time defending national champions lead the OUA in several
team statistical categories including scoring offence, scoring
defence, scoring margin, field goal percentage, three-point field
goal percentage and rebounding.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Water Polo
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's water polo team
capped off a perfect season when they defeated the Carleton Ravens
10-4 to claim the gold medal at the 2013 OUA women's water polo
championship at Varsity Pool.
Toronto went 3-0 at the championship to claim their third title in
the past six years. U of T finishes the 2013 season with a perfect
10-0 record versus OUA competition, including a 8-0 November
record.
U of T second-year standout Stephanie Watson of Victoria led all
players with four goals in the gold-medal match and was named the
OUA championship most valuable player.
Third-year Blues netminder Breanna Gadzosa earned OUA most valuable
goalie honours for the second time in her career, while Toronto's
George Gross Jr. was named the OUA coach of the year.
Watson's four goals topped the game, with Rosalee Brown, Ana
Miroslavic, Marianne Tout, Julie Szpara, Emily Bidinosti and
Danielle Hirsh getting in on the action with single tallies in the
win.
Bidinosti and Gadzosa also earned OUA all-star honours for their
stellar play over the weekend.
October 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Ryerson Rams Soccer
The Ryerson Rams men’s soccer team went undefeated in the
month of October, posting a 5-0-1 record and adding an OUA
quarter-final playoff victory. The Rams finished the season as the
only undefeated team in the country (12-0-2) and broke program
records for both wins (12) and points (38). Ryerson’s first
place finish in the OUA east division was a first in school
history. With the quarter-final victory on October 27, the Rams
went back to the OUA Final Four for the second time in four seasons
and they have since qualified for the CIS national tournament for
the first time in program history after a semifinal win this past
weekend. After their historic season, the Rams were rewarded with
three of the four OUA major awards and six OUA all-stars.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Western Mustangs Lacrosse
The Western Mustangs women’s lacrosse team continued their
record-breaking win streak throughout the month of October, adding
another seven wins to their total and outscoring opponents 108-33
over those seven games. The team finished out October by recording
their third consecutive undefeated regular season before claiming
their third straight OUA championship title, and running their
undefeated streak to 41 games, at the beginning of November.
September 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Western Mustangs Football
The Western Mustangs football team rolled through the OUA in
September racking up six victories in six games to improve to 7-0
on the season. The ‘Stangs established themselves as the
number one ranked team in the CIS, unseating Laval. Leading the way
for the Mustangs has been the nation’s top offence which is
currently first in: total points (408), points-per-game (58.3),
passing yards (2,727), and rushing yards (1,697). So far in 2013
the team has scored at least 50 points in all but one of their
games in which they put 45 points on the scoreboard.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Rugby
The Guelph Gryphons women’s rugby team has started the season
with a perfect 5-0 regular season record. The Gryphs have scored
298 total points – 120 more points than the next closest team
in the Shiels Division – and allowed a league-low 46. The
offensive juggernaut has four players listed in the top 10 of OUA
scoring led by Daria Keane with 50 total points.
March 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Track and Field
The Guelph Gryphon men’s track and field team captured the
CIS Championship banner in the month of March. It was the Gryphons
third national title in the last six years. Overall the Gryphons
finished with 10 medals at the meet.
The Gryphons battled a spirited Windsor Lancers squad to the bitter
end and were trailing their rivals with only four events remaining.
Then, in a 20-minute stretch, the tides changed dramatically
– between two events, the Gryphons placed a remarkable eight
men in top eight positions in the shot put and 1500 metres to
defeat the competition by over 20 points.
Third-year runner Anthony Romaniw (Hamilton, Ont.) captured three
medals in leading the team. He earned a total of 21.25 points, the
most of any athlete in the competition and was also the only
athlete to capture three medals. The Human Kinetics student won
gold and broke the school record in the men’s 600m with a
time of 1:18.20. He also won gold as a member of the 4x800m relay,
running the first leg as the Gryphons crossed the line in 7:31.62,
a full two seconds ahead of the previous school record. In addition
he earned a silver medal in the men’s 1000m race.
Romaniw’s win in the 600m race, was the turning point of the
meet, putting the Gryphons in flight.
Gryphon team architect Dave Scott-Thomas won the Bob Boucher Award
as the CIS men’s track and field coach of the year and rookie
Yves Sikubwabo (Ottawa) was named the CIS rookie of the year.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Basketball
The Windsor Lancer women's basketball team claimed their third
straight CIS national championship title on St. Patrick’s Day
with a hard fought 66-57 win over the Regina Cougars in Regina,
Saskatchewan. Windsor was playing in the championship game for the
fourth straight year, and joins UBC (1971-73), Laurentian
(1975-79), Victoria (1980-1982) and Winnipeg (1993-1995) as the
only schools to capture three straight Bronze Baby trophies.
The No. 1 Lancers finished the month of Match undefeated with a 5-0
record, including the win that gave them their fourth OUA
championship title. Miah-Marie Langlois was named the OUA & CIS
defensive player of the year for the second straight year, while
also being named the championship game MVP and a tournament
all-star at the national level. Teammate Korissa Williams was named
the CIS tournament MVP, while Jessica Clemencon was also named a
tournament all-star.
Langlois and Clemencon were also named to the OUA first team, while
Williams was a second team all-star. Rookie guard Caitlyn Longmuir
was recognized as a member of the OUA west division all-rookie
team.
February 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Swimming
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s swimming team
capped off another successful season by claiming the OUA and CIS
championship titles in the month of February.
Toronto earned their 10th consecutive OUA banner in their home pool
on February 9. The Blues dominated the three-day meet, finishing
169 points ahead of the silver medalist McMaster Marauders.
U of T went onto claim their first national banner since 1994,
finishing 15 points ahead of the defending champion UBC
Thunderbirds. Toronto is the first non-Canada West team to win the
title in the past 18 years and claimed their CIS-leading 17th
national banner in program history.
Fourth-year veteran Zack Chetrat was named the OUA male swimmer of
the year, as well as the OUA and CIS male athlete of the week, with
three wins in as many races. The Blues won 13 individual and relay
titles during the provincial meet and added three gold medals on
the national stage.
Byron MacDonald and Linda Kiefer were named the OUA and CIS male
coaches of the year, while David Dorian claimed the CIS
student-athlete community service award.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Ottawa Gee-Gees Volleyball
The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s volleyball team
captured the OUA championship banner in a five set thriller at the
Final Four, the team’s first championship since 2007.
Ottawa then earned the third seed at the national championship
tournament and defeated the RSEQ finalist Sherbrooke Vert et Or in
their quarterfinal match 3-0. That win sent an OUA team to the
national semifinal for the first time since 2001.
In the semis, the Gee-Gees put on a great show by pushing the
Alberta Pandas to five sets before ultimately finishing fourth at
the national championship. Ottawa won five straight matches in
February, going 5-3 overall in the month.
They were led by OUA Player of the Year Karina Krueger Schwanke,
who was also named a CIS first team all-star and a national
championship tournament all-star.
January 2013
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Basketball
The Lancer men's basketball team has been near perfect in the month
of January. The No. 4 ranked Lancers have won nine of the last 10
contests and are currently on a seven game win streak. In the month
of January, the Lancers have averaged 87.6 points per game, 42.3
rebounds per game, 12.1 steals per game, and have not lost on home
court.
The Lancers are led by fourth-year forward Lien Phillip. The St.
Mark's, Grenada native picked up key minutes in the month of
January and has averaged 14.9 points per game this season. He sits
atop the OUA in total rebounds, and is number two in the CIS with
177 boards.
Windsor has also leaned heavily on fourth-year guard Enrico
DiLoreto (London, Ont.). Standing at six-foot-one, DiLoreto has
averaged 14.4 points per game in 17 contests. Fellow guard Josh
Collins (Toronto) has also been a contributor to the Lancers' post
new year success. He sits number two in the OUA in both steals (2.1
SPG) and assists (4.4 APG).
The Lancers sit atop the OUA men's basketball West Division. On
February 8th and 9th they visit the second place Lakehead
Thunderwolves in two important battles that will determine playoff
seeding.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
The CIS No. 6 Guelph Gryphon women’s hockey team has
dominated the OUA since the beginning of 2013. The team went
undefeated in the month of January, earning six victories and are
currently riding a 12-game winning streak.
This past month the team has scored 25 goals while allowing just
eight. Their play has subsequently vaulted them in the CIS coaches
poll and they now sit in the sixth spot.
This past weekend the Gryphons knocked off the No. 4 and OUA
leading Laurier Golden Hawks 3-2 at the Gryphon Centre.
The Gryphons are led in scoring by a duo of players who are at the
top of the OUA including Amanda Parkins (Kitchener, Ont.) and
Jessica Pinkerton (Oshawa, Ont.). Parkins is first in OUA scoring
with 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points, while Pinkerton is
second with 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points.
November 2012
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
MALE: Ryerson Rams Basketball
The Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team is off to their best
start in team history and is the only OUA team to post a perfect
record after collecting seven wins in the month of November and
adding another on December 1 to finish the fall semester 8-0.
In addition to being the only undefeated OUA team, they are one of
just three teams in the country to have not suffered a loss in
November.
The Rams have defeated two nationally ranked teams and for the
first time in 12 years the Rams entered the national rankings on
November 27 in the No. 10 position.
Ryerson has been solid at both the offensive and defensive ends of
the floor, ranking in the OUA’s top five in several
statistical categories.
As a team the Rams average 80.8 points per game (4th) and have shot
45.7 percent from the floor (3rd), including 38.1 percent from
three point range (3rd).
Defensively, Ryerson has held their opponents to an average of 61.6
points per game (2nd) and limited them to a 33.9 percent shooting
percentage (1st). The Rams have done well on the glass as well as
their 29.6 defensive rebounds per game puts them tops in the
OUA.
Ryerson is one of two schools that have three players in the OUA
top 20 scoring race as Jahmal Jones (Mississauga, Ont.) is ninth
with 17.0 points per game, Jordon Gauthier (Windsor, Ont.) is 13th
with 15.9 points per game and Bjorn Michaelsen (Otterburn Park,
Que.) is 18th with 14.5 points per game.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
FEMALE: York Lions Volleyball
The York University Lions women’s volleyball team went
undefeated in November and is the only team in the country with a
perfect mark through the first half of the season, at 8-0.
The Lions, who began the month at No. 9 in the CIS rankings and are
now up to No. 5, won four matches in November, including a five-set
thriller over the then-No. 4 nationally-ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees and
a straight-sets win over the Toronto Varsity Blues, who spent two
weeks in the national rankings at the start of the season. Their
other wins included a sweep of the Ryerson Rams, who were
undefeated heading into the match, and another sweep of the Guelph
Gryphons.
The match against the Gee-Gees was the game of the first half in
the conference featuring the last two undefeated teams in the CIS.
After falling behind early in the fifth set, the Lions rallied to
win 19-17 and keep their perfect record intact.
The Lions have dropped only three sets in eight matches this
season, the fewest in the CIS, and rank first in the OUA and second
in the CIS in points per set. The squad also has two players
– Brandie Wilkerson (Innisfil, Ont.) and Michelle Pierce
(Windsor, Ont.) – among the OUA’s top 10 in
scoring.
October 2012
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
MALE: McMaster Marauders Soccer
The McMaster men's soccer team went undefeated in the month of
October with five wins and three ties. One of their wins included a
quarter-final defeat over the Guelph Gryphons. They consistently
moved up in the CIS Top Ten rankings, finishing at No. 3 last week,
and repeated as OUA Champions over the weekend, defeating two Top
Ten teams, scoring five goals each game, in the process. The
McMaster Marauders boast five OUA all-stars; Andrew Pastoric, Ryan
Garnet, Mark Reilly, Angelo Calluzzo and Garret McConville.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
FEMALE: Toronto Varsity Blues Field hockey
The Varsity Blues field hockey team capped off a perfect OUA season
with a dominant 5-2 win over the Guelph Gryphons to claim their
29th provincial title in team history. The Blues went 7-0 in the
month of October, outscoring their opponents 41-5. The Gryphons
were the only team to
score against the Blues, as U of T edged Guelph 4-3 in their final
regular season meeting. Fifth-year veteran Kaelan Watson, as well
as sophomore and third-year standouts Amanda Woodcroft and Tegan
Stairs, earned OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian status.
September 2012
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
McMaster Marauders Football
The McMaster Marauders have held the No. 1 spot in Canada since the
start of the 2012 CIS football season. With a 5-0 record, the
defending Vanier Cup champions have defeated two top ten opponents
and are in sole possession of first-place in the OUA standings. The
Marauders sit in the top ten in the nation in nearly every
statistical category and quarterback Kyle
Quinlan has thrown for over 1,000 yards and nine
touchdowns in just five games.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Ottawa Gee-Gees Soccer
The University of Ottawa women's soccer team opened the 2012 season
ranked third in CIS. An early season definitive 3-0 win over the
defending national champions from Queen's vaulted them on a course
to the top of the national rankings. The team's 10-0-1 record has
been bolstered by an OUA-best 35 goals, while giving up only a
single marker against. The Gee-Gees have won six straight games and
have an eight point lead over the second place team in the OUA east
division.
January 2012
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Basketball
The Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team continued to
impress in January, going a perfect 9-0 to improve to 17-0 on the
season and holding on to their No. 1 national ranking. During this
month, the team outscored their opponents 862-483, hitting the
century mark twice in league play. The Ravens also captured their
fifth consecutive Capital Hoops Classic title, defeating the
uOttawa Gee-Gees 74-34 in front of a crowd of 7,022 at Scotiabank
Place.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Hockey
The No. 1 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks had a month to remember in
January. The Hawks strung together eight straight victories over
the course of the month to help extend their CIS-best winning
streak to 16 games and in the process, overtook perennial
top-ranked McGill in the CIS Top Ten poll. On January 24, 2012, the
Hawks were named the top team in the country for the first time
since 2006 and ended a streak that saw the Martlets ranked No. 1 in
71 of the last 73 polls. Overall, the Hawks outscored their
opponents 41-15 and earned three shutouts as they clinched first
place overall in the OUA.
November 2011
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
McMaster Marauders Football
The McMaster Marauders football team had their most successful
season in school history winning three major championship
titles in the month of November. Having gone undefeated as of
September 17, the Marauders began November with a 40-13
romping of the Queen's Gaels in the OUA semifinals. They
steamrolled their way through the Yates Cup with a 41-19 win
over the favoured Western Mustangs for the school's first Yates Cup
victory since 2003, and followed that with a win on the east coast
in the Uteck Bowl over the Acadia Axemen. They finished off
the month with a 41-38 double overtime victory at the Vanier Cup
over the top ranked Laval Rouge et Or, winning their first
Vanier Cup Championship in school history.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Brock Badgers Basketball
The Brock women's basketball team is off to a perfect 8-0 regular
season start and remains just one of three schools in the CIS with
an undefeated record. The Badgers knocked off the No. 3 ranked
Carleton Ravens in the second game of the season and defeated No. 8
ranked Toronto Varsity Blues this past weekend. They also knocked
off the No. 1 ranked Regina Cougars in pre-season action. Brock is
led by Nicole Rosenkranz who ranks first in the OUA and CIS in
blocks (14), ninth in OUA scoring (13.9 PPG) and seventh in OUA
rebounding (8.5 RPG). Also in double figures is Emily McKay who is
averaging 11.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. The Badgers
up-tempo pressure defence has caused the opposition problems all
season long, forcing 219 turnovers which Brock has converted into
185 points. Brock has outscored their opponents 558-421 and is
averaging 69.8 points per game.
October 2011
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen’s Gaels Football
The Gaels football team went undefeated in the month of October,
winning all three regular season games as well as their
quarter-final matchup with the Laurier Golden Hawks. In their 4-0
stretch, the Gaels won big in each game outscoring their opponents
131-24. Their October run was punctuated by a 37-0 win over then
No.1 nationally ranked Western Mustangs on national television. The
Gaels top performer in this stretch was Ryan Granberg of Sherwood
Park, Alta. who clinched his first CIS rushing title thanks to 778
yards rushing between the regular season and playoffs. Just prior
to the playoffs, the team moved into the national rankings for the
first time, debuting at No. 8.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Rugby
In the month of October the Guelph Gryphon women’s rugby team
capped off a perfect 5-0 regular season and won their fourth
straight OUA Championship with a 36-5 victory over the McMaster
Marauders. The victory also marks the 12th time the Gryphons have
won the OUA title since it was first competed for in 1994.
During the regular season Guelph scored 453 points, nearly double
the next closest team, while holding opposing teams to just eight
points. The No. 2 nationally ranked Gryphons also enjoyed
individual accolades during October as six different players
including five all-stars and three major award winners swept the
Shiels division. Jacey Murphy (Alliston, Ont.) was named the MVP,
Brittany Priddle earned top rookie and Colette McAuley was named
the OUA coach of the year.
September 2011
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Western Mustangs Football
The Western Mustangs football team has started the season with a
perfect 5-0 record and they have been ranked No. 2 in the CIS Top
Ten since the start of the season. The Mustangs are the top scoring
team in the OUA and CIS, averaging 51.4 points per game and feature
the top two touchdown machines in the CIS with Tyler Varga
(Kitchener, Ont.) leading the way with 13 touchdowns and Nathan
Riva (LaSalle, Ont.) closing in with 9. The Mustangs have already
dismantled two CIS Top Ten teams, after beating McMaster in Week 2
by a score of 48-21 when they were ranked No. 3, and followed that
up in Week 3 with a 41-13 win over the Ottawa Gee Gees when they
were ranked No. 9.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Laurier Women’s Soccer
To put it simply, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women’s
soccer team has dominated the OUA West division since the beginning
of the year. After opening the season as the No. 4 team in Canada,
the Hawks have won all nine of their games in 2011 and have done so
in decisive fashion. The team has scored 28 goals while allowing
just five and has an average margin of victory of over 2.5 goals
per game. Their play has subsequently vaulted them into top-spot in
the CIS coaches’ poll as the top team in the country.
The Hawks have been led by a trio of players who are at the top of the OUA scoring list including Alyssa Lagonia (Kitchener, Ont.), Krista Cellucci (Mississauga, Ont.), and rookie Emily Brown (Waterloo, Ont.). Those three have combined for 18 of Laurier’s 28 goals in 2011 and they represent the most prolific offensive trio of anyone in the OUA.
March 2011
MEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Basketball
The Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team went 4-1 in March
to finish the 2010-11 season with a record of 34-1 against CIS
competition, with their lone loss coming in the OUA final against
the Lakehead Thunderwolves. The team dominated the OUA East and CIS
awards, earning four out of the five major awards in the OUA and
three out of five in the CIS. The Ravens entered the CIS Final 8
tournament as the No. 2 seed and proved to be unstoppable,
defeating the Concordia Stingers 73-66 in the quarter-final before
knocking off the defending champion Saskatchewan Huskies 95-83 in
the semis. OUA and CIS player of the year, Tyson Hinz, was named
the tournament MVP as the Ravens went on to capture their seventh
national title in nine years, defeating Trinity Western 82-59 in
the final.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Basketball
The Windsor Lancers women’s basketball team captured their
first ever CIS Championship in the program’s 50 year history,
while also becoming the first team to win a CIS women’s
basketball national title on their home court. The No. 1 Lancers
finished the month of March undefeated with a 4-0 record, including
the win that gave them their third-straight OUA championship title.
OUA and CIS player of the year, Jessica Clemencon, was named
championship game MVP at both the provincial and national level,
while teammate Miah-Marie Langlois was named CIS tournament
MVP.
February 2011
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
McMaster Marauders Volleyball
The McMaster Marauders men's volleyball team went 6-1 in the month
of February to be crowned the newest OUA Champions. On Saturday
night at Alumni Hall in London, Ont., the Marauders were able to
take down the top ranked Western Mustangs in their own gymnasium.
The Marauders defeated the Mustangs 3-1, on their way to their
third OUA title in four years. Mikasa Final Four MVP Tyler Santoni
(Kingston, Ont.) and Rookie All-Star Jori Mantha (Vanier, Ont.) led
the Marauders with 11 kills and 14 points. The McMaster Marauders
advance to the CIS Championships being held at Trinity Western
University in British Columbia from March 4-6.
WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen’s Gaels Hockey
The Queen’s Gaels women’s hockey team put together one
of their best stretches of hockey in program history during the
month of February. The Gaels won all seven of the games they
played, including five wins over nationally-ranked opponents, and
outscored their opposition 21-7, allowing just a single goal in
each of their wins. The Gaels opened the month with victories on
the road over No. 5 Brock and No. 8 Guelph before finishing their
regular season at home with two more wins to wrap up fourth place
in the OUA standings. They continued their strong play into the
post-season, posting three consecutive 2-1 double overtime
victories over No. 10 Windsor in the quarter-finals and No. 2
Laurier in the semifinals to advance to their first OUA
Championship since 2006-07. Goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher starred for
the Gaels during the streak, especially during the playoffs, as she
won all three playoff games posting a 0.75 GAA and a 0.973 SV%.
Twin sisters Brittany and Morgan McHaffie were also very strong for
Queen’s with both players posting four points in three games
while Brittany scored both overtime winners against the Golden
Hawks
January 2011
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Basketball
The No. 1 nationally ranked Carleton Ravens men’s basketball
team continued to put on outstanding displays on the court to open
2011. The team went undefeated in the month of January, earning
nine victories and cracking the century mark three times. The team
also captured its fourth straight MBNA Capital Hoops Classic title
after defeating cross-town rivals, the uOttawa Gee-Gees 78-65 at
Scotiabank Place. They have a strong hold on top spot in the OUA
East with a perfect 17-0 record. Second-year
forward Tyson Hinz (Ottawa, Ont.) is
fifth in OUA scoring with 286 points in 17 games.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Brock Badgers Hockey
The No. 6 Brock Badgers women’s hockey team went 6-1 in
January and has won eight of their last nine
games. In that nine game span, the Badgers
have earned two wins over No. 2 Laurier as well as single victories
over No. 8 Guelph and No. 9
Windsor. Defensively in their last nine
games, the Badgers have allowed only 12 goals, an average of 1.33
per game including shutout victories of Waterloo, Western and No. 8
Guelph. On the offensive end, the Badgers
have averaged 3.29 goals per game over their last nine. OUA
scoring leader Kelly Walker (Brampton,
Ont.) used the month of January to extend her lead in the points
race. Walker added six goals and eight assists on the month
for a season total of 19 goals, 19 assists for 38 points, nine
points ahead of second. January also marked a
historic occasion for the Badgers, as their latest win over No. 2
Laurier, was the first time in school history that the team has
reached the 20-win mark. The same win was also the
100th conference victory in school history.
November 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
York Lions Soccer
The York University Lions men’s soccer team won its second
national title in three seasons in November. The squad went 4-1
overall for the month, with a perfect 3-0 record at the CIS
championships and a 1-1 mark at the OUA championships. At the
national tournament the Lions knocked off the defending champion
Laval Rouge et Or with a 3-2 penalty kicks win in the
quarter-finals, defeated the AUS champion Saint Mary’s
Huskies 1-0 in the semis and won the gold medal with a 1-0 victory
over the Canada West champion UBC Thunderbirds in the final.
Striker Adrian Pena (Woodbridge, Ont.)
was named the CIS tournament MVP and five members of the squad were
among the 11 players selected for the CIS tournament all-star team.
Earlier in the month, the Lions knocked off the Ryerson Rams in the
OUA semifinals to advance to the national championships and settled
for the OUA silver medal after a narrow 1-0 loss in penalty kicks
to the Toronto Varsity Blues.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen’s Gaels Soccer
The Queen’s Gaels women’s soccer team capped off an
incredible season by winning the 2010 CIS Women’s Soccer
Championships in November. The Gaels went 4-1 in the month of
November having only lost in the OUA championship to provincial
rivals, the Laurier Golden Hawks. After advancing to the national
championship tournament with a 3-0 win over the McMaster Marauders,
Queen’s posted three consecutive shutout victories to capture
their second national championship in team history. The Gaels
opened up the CIS Championships with a 1-0 win over the AUS
Champion Cape Breton Capers thanks to a 14th minute
goal from CIS scoring champion Jacqueline
Tessier (Winnipeg, Man.). In the semifinals,
Queen’s knocked off the upstart UFV Cascades 2-0
as Elena Corry (Hamilton, Ont.) posted
her second consecutive shutout. The championship match saw an
all-Ontario final where Queen’s took on the Laurier Golden
Hawks. After 90 scoreless minutes, Queen’s scored an overtime
goal fromRiley Filion (Alexandria, Ont.) to
win their first national title since 1988.
October 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Cross Country
The Guelph Gryphon men’s cross country team dominated the OUA
Championships. The Gryphons swept the medal podium, had five of the
top six runners and broke the OUA record for lowest team
score. It also marked the sixth consecutive OUA team title
for the Gryphon men. Alex Genest(Lac Aux
Sables, Que.), led the Gryphons after finishing the 10 kilometre
course in a time of 30:30 and was named the men’s OUA MVP.
Finishing nine seconds behind Genest was teammate Kyle
Boorsma (Guelph, Ont.) with a time of 30:39.5
while Allan Brett (Ottawa) completed the
podium sweep finishing third with a time of 31:00.5.
Finishing fourth for the Gryphons was first year Ross
Proudfoot (Sudbury, Ont.) with a time 31:19.0,
Proudfoot was named the OUA men’s rookie of the year for his
performance. Overall the Gryphons earned six OUA
All-Stars.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Rugby
The Guelph Gryphon women’s rugby team finished the regular
season with a perfect 5-0 record and won the OUA Championships in
the month of October. The victory marked the 11th time that
the Gryphons have won the OUA title. The Gryphons finished first
atop the OUA Shiels Division and went 8-0 overall, including a 5-0
regular season record and then 3-0 in the playoffs. Guelph
outscored the competition 380-0 in the regular season and 171-11 in
the playoffs.In October, the Gryphons received numerous individual
accolades and led the OUA Shiels Division with most award
winners. Jacey Murphy (Alliston, Ont.)
was named the Gilbert Canada Shiels Division most valuable player.
The fourth-year eightman played a huge role in the Gryphons first
place finish, tallying 85 points in five games. Meanwhile,
first-year centre Dominique
Monaghan (Markham, Ont.) was a key part of the
Gryphons defence, who gave up zero points in the regular season and
was named the Shiels rookie of the year. Five Gryphons were also
named Shiels All-Stars including Murphy. Fly half, three time
All-Star and former All-Canadian Brittany
Benn (Napanee, Ont.), two-time All-Star
lock Caitlin Beaton (Clavering, Ont.),
inside centre Jane Kirby (Brampton,
Ont.), and flanker Stephanie
deVries (Ariss, Ont.).
September 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Western Mustangs Soccer
The Western Mustangs men’s soccer team recorded an undefeated
8-0-1 record through September. Allowing just four goals in nine
games, the Mustangs are ranked No. 2 in the CIS and have the best
record in the OUA. Goalkeeper Andrew
Murdoch (Burlington, Ont.) recorded seven shutouts in
the nine games in September as the Western offence recorded 20
goals in that stretch, led by Niko
Mavrikos' (Victoria, B.C.) nation-leading 10 goals.
The Mustangs have outscored their September opponents 20-4 in nine
games.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Waterloo Warriors Golf
The Waterloo Warriors women’s golf team have been simply
dominant at all OUA events they have been a part of this
season. At the Western Invitational, Waterloo won gold at
both events by 14 strokes and 11 strokes. Led by rookie
golfer Devon Rizzo (Brantford, Ont.) who
shot an OUA women’s golf record of two-under 70 in the
opening round, the Warriors look unstoppable heading into this
year’s OUA Championship. Fifth year and backbone of the
women’s golf program, Tiffany
Terrier (Kingston, Jamaica) also picked up gold in
the second event of the Western Invitational. At their home
invitational tournament this past weekend the Warriors won the
title by a staggering 29 strokes once again led by Rizzo who shot
another two-under (70) and a two day total of 145 (one-over par);
she earned the individual title over teammate Terrier by 11
strokes.
March 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen's Gaels Curling
The Queen's Gaels men's curling team overcame all odds as they
captured the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)-Canadian Curling
Association (CCA) championship in thrilling fashion. Facing off
against Canadian junior champions as well as world junior
medalists, the Gaels posted a 5-1 record in the round robin to
finish atop the standings in their pool. In the semfinals, the
Gaels found themselves down 5-2 against the Manitoba Bisons late in
the game before they took one point with the hammer in the eighth
end. In the ninth, the team stole one point and then stole two in
the 10th to advance to the championship match. Facing off against
Canadian junior champion Brett Gallant and the UPEI Panthers, the
Gaels played the Panthers shot for shot and came out with a 7-6
victory. Skip Jonathan Beuk was named a
first-team all-Canadian and lead Scott
Chadwick was named a second-team all-Canadian
following the championship. The team will now represent Canada at
the 2011 International University Sports Federation (FISU) games in
Turkey.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Basketball
The Windsor Lancers women's basketball team had their best season
ever, winning a silver medal at the CIS women's basketball
championship in Hamilton, Ont. The Lancers lost out to the Simon
Fraser Clan 77-56 in the national final, but they improved on a
fourth-place finish in 2008-09 in just their second trip to the CIS
tournament. The Lancers repeated as OUA champions, defeating the
Ottawa Gee-Gees 83-55 in the conference final. The Lancers had a
24-1 record against OUA opponents in both the regular season and
playoffs, matching their 2008-09 record. The Lancers won their
first two games at the national tournament before losing to Simon
Fraser. OUA West and CIS rookie of the year Jessica
Clemençon (St. Rambert, France) wrapped up a
terrific season by being named Windsor's most valuable player in
the championship final, as well as a CIS tournament all-star.
February 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Lakehead Thunderwolves Wrestling
The Lakehead Thunderwolves won their first-ever OUA men's wrestling
championship. Led by OUA coach of the year Brock
Curtis, the Thunderwolves tied the Brock Badgers for top
spot in the standings sharing the OUA crown. Thunderwolves who
earned gold medals includedGaston
Tardiff (Calgary) in the 57 kg
division, Dustin Helwig (Toronto) in the
61 kg weight class and Corey
Lee (LaSalle, Ont.) in the 82 kg division. Tardiff's
victory over Brock's Tim Clement (Barrie, Ont.) in the gold medal
match proved to be the difference for Lakehead in its share of the
men's title. Other Thunderwolves earning hardware
were Preston Mikulasik taking silver in
the heavyweight division, and bronze medalists Steve
Gross (Cambridge, Ont.) in the 54 kg
class, Jason Bresele (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
in the 65 kg, Scott Christian (Brampton,
Ont.) in the 68 kg andBrandon Gardner (Grand
Prairie, Alta.) in the 90 kg.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Waterloo Warriors Curling
The Waterloo Warriors won the OUA women's curling title for the
first time in three seasons. The Warriors, who had a 5-3 regular
season record, got hot at the right time, winning all three round
robin games, including one against the previously unbeaten Brock
Badgers, to earn a spot in the final. In the final game of the
round robin, Waterloo stole a pair against the defending Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champion Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
in the eighth end to win 6-5. Laurier then held a lead against the
Warriors in the gold medal game, but Waterloo stole one in the
eighth end and another in the extra end to win 6-5. The Warriors
are comprised of skip Katie
Pringle (Orillia, Ont.), lead Molly
Hunter (Exeter, Ont.), secondLeigh
Coyle (Mississauga, Ont.), vice Bridget
Arnold (Waterloo, Ont.) and fifth
member Melissa Savage (Listowel,
Ont.).
January 2010
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Waterloo Warriors, Hockey
The No. 10 nationally-ranked Waterloo Warriors won six of seven
games in the month of January to improve to 17-6-1 and sit in
second place in the OUA West with 35 points, one point behind the
No. 8 Lakehead Thunderwolves and No. 3 Western Mustangs. Included
in their six wins were four road victories, highlighted by two road
wins over their cross-town rivals, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden
Hawks. The Warriors defeated the Golden Hawks 5-4 in overtime on
Jan. 7, and 4-3 this past Saturday night (Jan. 30). The Warriors
currently are on a five-game win streak. Chris
Ray (Kelowna, B.C.) is currently 12th in OUA scoring
with 33 points, including 17 goals and 16 assists.
Goaltender Keaton Hartigan (Kitchener,
Ont.) is near the top of OUA in shutouts with three this season,
including a 4-0 win over the Brock Badgers on Jan. 29. The Warriors
have four games remaining this season, including three at home, as
they look to secure top spot in the OUA West.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues, Volleyball
After a 5-4 start to the season, the Toronto Varsity Blues women's
volleyball team has turned things around in the New Year. Toronto
is a perfect 7-0 in the month of January, dropping only two sets as
they've staked their claim on the top spot in the OUA East. The
Blues have blanked all but one of their opponents 3-0 in 2010
– the only blemish came versus the York Lions. Down 2-1
heading into the fourth set, fifth-year
veteran Heather Bansley (Waterdown,
Ont.) rallied the troops with a 22-kill and 17-dig performance to
come from behind and secure the win. Toronto also handily defeated
the Queen's Gaels 3-0 on home court on Jan. 30. Bansley again led
the squad with 16 kills and 11 digs and recorded her 1,000th career
point as a Varsity Blue. The Varsity Blues have three players on
the Top-15 leader board, more than any other team in OUA. Bansley
currently leads OUA in points (5.19) and kills (4.23) per game, as
well as total serving aces (31), while fellow
veterans Kristina Valjas (Toronto)
and Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.)
average 3.58 and 3.42 points per game, respectively. Blues
setter Kathleen Mahannah (North
Vancouver, B.C.) is currently ranked third in OUA, averaging 9.62
assists per game.
November 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen's Gaels, Football
The Queen's Gaels football team captured the Yates Cup, the
Mitchell Bowl and the Vanier Cup in November to cap off an
incredible season. After finishing the regular season atop the OUA
standings with a 7-1 record, the Gaels easily handled the McMaster
Marauders in the OUA semifinal before facing their rivals from
London, Ont., the Western Mustangs. In one of the greatest games in
Yates Cup history, Danny
Brannagan(Burlington, Ont.) outdueled Michael
Faulds (Eden Mills, Ont.) in a showdown on the two
top passers in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) history to lead
Queen's to their first OUA title since 1978. The victory advanced
the Gaels to the Mitchell Bowl where they squared-off against the
No. 1-ranked team in Canada, the Laval Rouge et Or. With Laval
looking to advance to the Vanier Cup on their home turf, Queen's
spoiled the party as they upset the Rouge et Or by a score of
33-30. The victory was highlighted by Jimmy
Allin's (Belleville, Ont.) 120-yard return of a
missed field goal for a touchdown. The Gaels finished their season
in style as they overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to shock the
Calgary Dinos by a score of 33-31 and capture their fourth Vanier
Cup. Brannagan was named the game's MVP and Chris
Smith (Toronto) captured top defensive honours for
the Gaels.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons, Cross-Country
In the month of November, the Guelph Gryphons women's cross-country
team once again dominated the CIS cross-country championships at
Fort Henry Hill in Kingston, Ont. The Gryphon women entered the
history books becoming the first team to earn five championship
banners in a row. Both the men's and women's team won both titles
for a record fourth straight year and Guelph became the most
successful cross-country program in CIS history with the most CIS
banners captured by a single school with 15. The Gryphon women
finished 87 points ahead of second place Toronto. The spread was
the largest in CIS history adding another record to Guelph's
impressive list. Individually the Gryphons were led by third-year
runnerLindsay Carson (Cambridge, Ont.) who
earned the silver medal. Rookie Genevieve
Lalonde (Moncton) was named the CIS rookie of the
year after finishing ninth and being named a second team
all-canadian, and head coach Dave Scott-Thomas was named the coach
of the year for the fourth straight season. Overall the team
finished with three all-Canadian runners.
October 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen's Gaels, Rugby
The Queen's Gaels men's rugby team went a perfect 4-0 in the month
of October to secure first place in the OUA standings. Two of those
wins came against the second and third place teams in the OUA, the
Western Mustangs and the Brock Badgers. Back on Oct. 3, the Gaels
earned a hard-fought 13-12 win over their rivals from Western and
two weeks later, easily handled the Badgers by a score of 36-3. The
wins are even more impressive considering they both came on the
road. The team was also extremely successful off the pitch in their
continued fundraising efforts for the Canadian Breast Cancer
Foundation (CBCF). They have been actively involved with the CIBC
Run for the Cure for the past 10 years and after another successful
fundraising campaign this year, the team has raised over $125,000
in the last 11 years for the CBCF.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen's Gaels, Soccer
The Queen's Gaels women's soccer team wrapped up one of their best
seasons in school history as they finished atop the OUA standings
with a 13-1-2 record. The No. 2 ranked team in the country won
seven games and tied one during the month of October. What is even
more impressive is that they did not allow a single goal during the
eight-game stretch. After earning a first-round bye, the Gaels
opened their drive for an OUA championship with a 3-1 victory over
the Carleton Ravens to close out the month.
September 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Western Mustangs, Football
The defending OUA champion and No. 2 nationally-ranked Western
Mustangs were 4-0 in September and defeated nationally ranked
Ottawa, Wilfrid Laurier and Guelph during the month. Running
back Nathan Riva (LaSalle, Ont.) led the
nation in scoring with 10 touchdowns and was at the top for
all-purpose yards. Preseason Hec Crighton
favourite Michael Faulds (Eden Mills,
Ont.) led the nation in many categories including passing yards,
touchdowns and total offence. Western averaged 717 all-purpose
yards per game, including 544 yards of total offence per game and
had 1,367 passing yards in the month.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons, Field Hockey
The Guelph Gryphon women’s field hockey team has dominated
the 2009 season so far with a perfect record and sits atop the OUA
leaderboard. During the month of September the Gryphons went 6-0,
outscoring the opposition 26-2 and lead OUA with most goals scored.
Third-year playerBrienne Stairs (Kitchener,
Ont.) was the top scorer in the scorer in the country with 15
goals, and was named the OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport
(CIS) athlete of the week once during September.
March 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Track & Field
The Windsor Lancers men's track & field team captured the CIS
championship title with a record-breaking 145.5 points, 73.5 points
ahead of second place Sherbrooke. It is their second CIS title in
four years. Dennis Fairall was named CIS
Coach of the Year and Jamie
Adjetey-Nelson was named Outstanding Athlete of the
Meet.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Track & Field
The Windsor Lancers women's track & field team captured
their second CIS title in four years, with a nail-biting one-point
victory over their OUA rivals, the Guelph Gryphons. This truly was
a team effort as the girls only had a handful of
all-Canadians. Dennis Fairall was also
named the CIS Women's CIS Coach of the Year.
February 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Swimming
For the sixth consecutive year, the University of Toronto men's swimming team reigns supreme in OUA and were crowned champions at the 2008-09 OUA Swimming Championships, Feb. 6 to 8. The Varsity Blues men's swim team left no doubt that they deserved to be the OUA champions. The men crushed all competition, totalling 906 points with their nearest competitor, the Western Mustangs, 318 points behind them. Led by two first-year phenoms, swimmer of the meet and triple-gold medalist Curtis Samuel and record-breaking butterflier Zack Chetrat, coupled with the solid leadership of veterans Cam Cummings and Marco Monaco, the Blues dominated in almost every facet. Two weeks later, 2008 Olympian Colin Russell led the men's team to a fantastic third-place finish at the CIS championships at the University of British Columbia. Russell's performance - two national records, three individual gold medals, one individual silver and three relay medals (two silver, bronze) - along with a break-out meet for Blues rookie Chetrat, helped guide the Toronto men to a place on the CIS podium. As the top OUA finisher, Toronto captured the bronze medal with 404 total points, 33 points ahead of fourth-place Université de Laval. For his efforts Russell was named the 2009 CIS Male Swimmer of the Year and the winner of the Sprinter's Cup after sweeping the 50 and 100m freestyle events.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Windsor Lancers Women's Basketball
The Windsor Lancers women's basketball team made history in the
month of February. Not only did they finish first in the OUA (21-1)
for the first time ever in program history, they won the OUA West
Division title for the first time, and captured their very first
OUA Championship banner in front of a capacity crowd at the St.
Denis Centre on Feb. 28. After receiving a first-round bye in the
quarter-finals and earning home court advantage through out the
playoffs, the Lancers defeated the Laurier Golden Hawks 78-67 in
the West semi-final to advance to the OUA West Final for only the
second time in history. In the OUA West Final, the Lancers
dominated the Western Mustangs 81-62 to capture their first-ever
division championship and earn themselves a berth at the CIS
championship (also a program first). The Lancers then hosted the
Ottawa Gee-Gees in the OUA Women's Basketball Championship, and
took the crown with a 68-51 win to become league champions. On top
of all this, the Lancers also had two members (Alisa
Wulff and Dranadia Roc) named
to the first team OUA West All-Star team, Bojana
Kovacevic named to the OUA West All-Rookie team, and
head coach Chantal Vallee named the OUA
West Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
January 2009
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Carleton Ravens Men's Basketball
The Carleton Ravens men's basketball program went 12-0 (9-0 OUA and
3-0 non-conference) during the month of January. Carleton extended
its unbeaten streak at home to nine straight games (by going 5-0 at
home in January) and 4-0 on the road against their OUA East
opponents, to continue its No. 1 ranking in CIS and OUA with a 16-1
regular season record. The highlight of the month was defeating
their cross-town rivals, the Ottawa Gee-Gees, 87-72 in the 3rd
Annual MBNA Capital Hoops Classic which drew a new CIS regular
season basketball record crowd of 10,532. Carleton won five
different games by scoring 100 or more points and won four games by
more than 40 points, showing their dominance in the OUA East
Division. In addition, the Ravens started off the month
participating in Dalhousie's Rod Shoveller Memorial Tournament by
winning the three-day event by a total of 47 points, including a
22-point victory over St. Francis Xavier in a battle of the CIS No.
1 and No. 3 nationally-ranked schools at the time.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Toronto Varsity Blues Women's Basketball
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team has
put together an incredible eight-game win streak in the month of
January, pushing their regular season record to 13-5 and moving
them into sole possession of first place in the OUA East Division.
With a solid mix of veteran leadership and young talent, the Blues
are third in OUA scoring offence, tallying an average of 69.3
points per game. They are second in team free-throw percentage
(73.5), and they are fourth in team rebounding. Fourth-year veteran
guard Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) and
first-year Varsity Blues forwards Nicki
Schutz (Toronto, Ont.) and Tara
Kinnear (Kemptville, Ont.) have led the way for the
Blues who have not lost a game, 8-0, since returning from the
winter break. Hutton is tied for second in the OUA scoring race
(18.2 PPG), while Schutz is fourth with 16.7 points per game.
Schutz also tops the OUA charts in rebounding, averaging 11.9
boards per game. Kinnear, for her part, sits fourth in the
conference with 8.9 RPG.
November 2008
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
York Lions Men's Soccer
The York Lions men's soccer team capped off a near-perfect season
with a national championship, the program's first in 31 years and
York's first in any sport since 1990. The squad was dominant at the
CIS Men's Soccer Championship, posting three shutouts to become
just the third team to end the tournament without allowing a single
goal since 1991, the first year teams had to win three games to
capture the national title. One week after a heartbreaking 1-0
overtime defeat to the Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA championship
game, the men went into Ottawa and proved they were the best in
Canada. The Lions blanked the Canada West champion Victoria Vikes
3-0 in the opening contest, defeated the Quebec champion Montreal
Carabins 1-0 in the semifinal and then knocked off the Trinity
Western Spartans 1-0 in the gold medal game to claim the national
title.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Laurier Golden Hawks Women's Hockey
The Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team was perfect for the
month of November, posting a 9-0 record against OUA competition.
Their last victory in November came against the No. 7
nationally-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues, a 6-3 win. The Golden
Hawks end the month ranked No. 2 in CIS, outscoring the competition
36-9 in nine games and posting four shutouts. Laurier's only near
miss was a 4-3 overtime victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 2.
The Golden Hawks finish the first half of the season with a 15-0
record as they gear up for a run at their sixth-straight OUA
championship.
October 2008
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
McMaster Marauders Baseball
The McMaster Marauders won their first OUA baseball championship in
school history defeating the Brock Badgers 2-1 in Game 2 at Bernie
Arbour Stadium in Hamilton and sweeping the best-of-three OUA
Baseball Championship series. The underdog Marauders finished the
regular season with a 10-8 record and proceeded to knock off the
top-two regular season teams in the playoffs. McMaster swept the
11-7 Western Mustangs in two games in the semi-finals, and then
defeated the 14-4 Badgers in the championship. Matt
Piccini (Mississauga, Ont.) was named the Pizza Pizza
Player of the Game in the opener at Brock while Sean
Lemon (Mississauga, Ont.) was named the Pizza Pizza
Player of the Game in the series clincher game in
Hamilton. Chris Piccini (Mississauga,
Ont.) was named the MVP of the OUA Baseball Championship
Series.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Queen's Gaels Rowing
Queen's captured its fifth OUA Rowing banner in six years and is
now a two time defending champion. The Gaels were dominate on the
water taking six of eight races and earning seven medals.
Highlights included Jenny Hogsden of
Waterdown, Ont. and Katya Herman of
Sudbury, Ont. claiming two gold medals at the regatta. Hogsden and
Herman teamed up in the Women's Heavyweight double while Hogsden
earned the women's lightweight single and Hermand took gold in the
women's heavyweight single.
September 2008
MEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Rugby
The Guelph Gryphons men’s rugby team burst out of the gate
this year, cruising their way to a 4-0 record throughout September
and sit atop the West Region standings. The Gryphons kicked off the
season with 15-10 win over the Waterloo Warriors in their opening
match and followed that up with a 24-8 over the Laurier Golden
Hawks. Guelph then traveled to Kingston and defeated RMC 46-21 and
finished off the first half of the season blanking Trent with a
convincing 75-0 victory. The team has two of the top four scorers
in the league including third-year player Sean
Gowland(Toronto, Ont.) who leads the OUA in scoring with
45 points already this season. After making a huge leap up the OUA
standings last year the Gryphons are riding the momentum into this
season and with all 15 starters from last year back, the team has
plenty of reason for optimism that their winning ways are going to
carry them to the Championships this year.
WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE MONTH
Guelph Gryphons Rugby
The Guelph Gryphon women’s rugby team has dominated the 2008
season so far with a perfect 4-0 record and sits atop the Russell
Division. Outscoring their opposition 192-7 so far this season, the
Gryphons have proved their offensive scoring touch. Even more
important, the Gryphons have demonstrated their defensive
supremacy, allowing only one try scored against them in four games.
Individually, five Gryphons sit in the Top 10 scoring
leaders. Brittany Benn (Napanee, Ont.)
and Brittany Sammut (Belleville, Ont.)
are the number one and two scorers in the league with 45 and 35
points respectively.
*All Pizza Pizza Teams of the Month receive a pizza party for their team*