This past semester marked what by many standards would be considered a successful year in university sports programs. Four OUA titles and three national championship appearances highlighted a strong start to the 2001-2002 athletic year.
Our baseball team took down a Brock Badgers squad stacked with offensive punch in the OUA finals, then missed the National Championship round by the slimmest of margins. A couple of one-run losses at the final tournament in Ottawa kept them from advancing to university baseball’s latest rounds. Nonetheless, the right arms of OUA Most Valuable pitcher Brian Dikdan, Julian Weinrib and Joe Callaghan led a talented group of players to an 11-3 OUA record in the regular season and an impressive 21-8 mark overall.
Mountain Biking won the University Cup Series with Expert riders Walt Bayless (also coach) and Celine Foreht leading the way. The team was so dominant (winning the title by over 500 points) that more often than not a winning Blues rider was flanked by teammates on the medal stand.
In a stunning turn of events, the women’s cross country team brought back a silver medal from nationals. The strong finish by the Blues (OUA silver) helped pay back the OUA champion Guelph Gryphons for their title at the conference championships a week earlier. The running corps was led by Suzanne Garrett, Sasha Gollish and Liz Ben-Ishai.
Both tennis teams won medals at team championships in October as the men took home gold for the second straight year and the women boasted silver for the third year in a row.
Top players Jordan Bohnen and Alice Ridout both had outstanding individual seasons. Bohnen had a 41-match winning streak snapped at individuals en route to silver, but that was the only hiccup in the entire 2001 season. Likewise, Ridout grabbed silver in the women’s individual event.
The women’s lacrosse team took a first place tournament finish after a second place standing in league play. In the fourth year of existence for OUA women’s lacrosse they claimed the Patterson Cup for the first time behind strong play from All-Conference goalie Deanna Merkeley and her teammates.
The field hockey team continued their dominance of the OUA by winning a fifth straight division title. In 2002 they will return all of their players (including three All-Canadians) for a chance to continue their dynasty and improve on a fourth place finish at Nationals this year.
Men’s soccer (8-2-2) took home another OUA regular season first place finish and barely missed qualifying for nationals with an overtime golden goal loss. The were led by the strong play of CIS first teamer Anthony Capotosto (D) and OUA Final Four MVP Yuri Elkaim (GK).
In 2002 students can look forward to the women’s hockey team continuing their dominance of the ice, as well as a nip and tuck race in the men’s Mid-East division. Two strong volleyball teams and a couple of exciting basketball teams give sports fans plenty to get excited about.
