With the conclusion of fall semester, The Varsity presents the Blues’ first semester report card, subjectively grading each of the nine men’s and nine women’s Varsity fall teams, their season placement, and this season’s MVP.
Notable results include the men’s and women’s soccer programs, which swept both Ontario University Athletics (OUA) provincial titles, claiming double OUA gold medals on the same day. The baseball team also had a particularly impressive season as the only team to take home a national title. 13 teams competed at provincial playoffs or an equivalent, while eight competed at national championships. Overall, five teams won provincial titles and four teams placed second or third at the provincial level.
Cumulative GPA: 3.02
Men’s sports
Sessional GPA: 2.74
Baseball
The Varsity Blues men’s baseball team had a sensational 2025 season, which culminated in the elusive ‘three-peat’ — a third straight win at the OUA Championships, and the fourth in five years.
The Blues finished the regular season with a 14–6 overall record and closed out on a five-game win streak, including doubleheader wins over the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold and McMaster Marauders. They then proceeded to steamroll their competition in the playoffs, winning 10 straight en route to OUA Gold and the national championship.
The 4–2 win over the Carleton Ravens in the national championship was a thriller. The Blues were down 1–0 to start the game in the first inning, but in the fourth, the bats came alive. Finals Player of the Game Ryan Hsu nailed the go-ahead RBI double in the sixth inning to give the Blues the lead, and relief pitcher Tyson Espiritu Santo slammed the door on the potent Carleton batters to secure championship glory.
Second-year outfielder and pitcher Diego Fuentes had a superstar campaign, batting a scorching .536 while registering 27 RBI and four home runs in 23 total contests. He won Most Valuable Hitter honours and was named an OUA All-Star alongside infielder Spenser Ross. Pitcher Matthew Clarke won Rookie of the Year honours, while coach Andrew Needles won his third-straight Coach of the Year award. It was a season to remember for Blues baseball, and another notch in the belt of a dominant program.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions and Canadian National University Champions
Team MVP: Diego Fuentes
Cross country
The men’s cross country team saw slight improvements over last year, placing seventh at the OUA Championships and 18th at Nationals. The season began on September 20 in London, Ontario, at the Western Invitational, where they finished sixth out of 12 teams. They then competed at the Don Mills Open at Waterloo University and the 8-Kay Marauder Invitational at McMaster University, where they placed second out of 13 teams and seventh out of 14 teams, respectively.
Law student Nima Ashtari had a solid season leading the Blues, finishing in the highest place for the team at each meet. He achieved an impressive fourth-place finish at the Don Mills Open, and also tallied an individual 19th-place finish at the OUA Championship. Ashtari also led the Blues at the U SPORTS Championships, where he was followed by Parker Levac, Andrej Prekajski, Jack O’Connell, Jacob McLean, Oliver Tagalog, Jack Heintz, and Brandon Cidade.
Grade: B-
Season finish: Seventh at OUA Championships, 18th at U SPORTS Championships
Team MVP: Nima Ashtari
Football
The Blues football team had another disappointing season, recording a 1–7 record and placing 11th out of 11 teams in the OUA. Their one win came on August 23 against the Carleton University Ravens, where the Blues dominated with a final score of 42–23.
The Blues struggled both offensively and defensively. On the offensive front, they scored a total of 180 points, which was a notable improvement from last season’s 91. Meanwhile, the defence gave up 314 points. While this was also an improvement from last year, the team’s inability to capitalize on scoring attempts to add to their win column were evident throughout the season. Perhaps their biggest heartbreak came against the York University Lions, where they sustained a 32–33 overtime loss at the 55th annual Red and Blue Bowl.
Despite their team’s record, several players achieved impressive individual accolades. Most notably, fourth-year receiver Chris Joseph had a record-breaking season, setting an OUA, U SPORTS, and U of T record for single-season receptions with 77 catches across eight games played. He most recently became the first Varsity Blue since 2019 to receive second team all-Canadian Honours, and was designated as an OUA all-star alongside fellow Blues receiver Jake Oseen.
Grade: D
Season finish: 11th out of 11 in OUA Regular Season
Team MVP: Chris Joseph
Golf
The team kicked off their season at Western’s invitational, where Bryan Luo and Desmond White’s top-five individual finishes propelled the squad to a fifth-place tie. The team then went on their invitational slate, with Luo and White leading the way as they picked up fifth place in St. Catharines at the Brock Invitational. Last year’s second team all-star Jordan Hutchings then topped the Blues’ leaderboard at the Laurier-Waterloo Invitational in Kitchener, helping them snag the sixth spot. The team rounded out their provincials preparation at the Toronto Invitational, with Luo and Jason Yang placing third in a six-way tie for bronze, while the Blues earned a second-place team finish.
The men’s golf team just fell a stroke short of a top-10 finish at the OUA Gold Championships. They tallied 315 points on day one, and concluded their second round campaign with a score of 303. Luo spearheaded the team in individual scoring after recording 149 total strokes, settling for the 14th spot in a five-way tie. Meanwhile, Blues veteran Sai Kaja’s 153-stroke finish proved good enough for 27th place in the leaderboard.
Grade: C
Season finish: 11th of 15 at OUA Championships
Team MVP: Bryan Luo
Lacrosse
The Blues men’s lacrosse team had a solid season this past fall. They finished their regular season with a 5–5 record, good for fifth in the West Division, and secured a spot in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) playoffs. Highlight wins included a statement overtime win over the Western Mustangs and a 21–5 beatdown of the Laurentian Voyageurs on the road. Unfortunately, the team was unable to progress in the playoffs, losing in the first round to Nipissing in a 19–8 contest.
Rookie midfielder Zach Abu-Ali had a brilliant first year with the Blues, pacing the team with 35 goals and 16 assists in nine games. He finished second in CUFLA goals scored and fourth in total points during the regular season. His efforts earned him Rookie of the Year and all-Canadian honours. Attacks Scott Del Zotto and Daniel Clarke also enjoyed strong seasons, scoring 24 and 20 goals apiece.
Meanwhile, U of T won the CUFLA Stadium of the Year award thanks to the brilliant Varsity Stadium, for combining “history, atmosphere, and top-tier facilities in one iconic venue.” Overall, men’s lacrosse took a step in the right direction after a losing season last year. With a potential gem on their hands in Abu-Ali, look out for these Blues to make noise next season.
Grade: B
Season finish: 5–5 in CUFLA
Team MVP: Zach Abu-Ali
Rowing
The men’s rowing team had another productive season in 2025. The team participated in three invitational competitions in the fall. The Guelph Invitational in September saw the Men’s Open 8+ crew capture second place, while four men’s crews finished in third place. At the Head of the Trent, the lightweight 4+ placed fourth, while the JV crew nabbed a first-place finish in the JV 4+ race. Finally, the Blues secured two third-place finishes in the lightweight coxed four and lightweight double at the Brock Invitational.
In the OUA Championships, men’s rowing placed fifth overall in the 14-team field. Veteran duo Lysander Weeks and Youssef El Mays brought home silverware for Toronto, finishing third in the men’s lightweight double. The team also notched two fourth-place and three fifth-place finishes. In the Canadian University Rowing Championships, men’s rowing placed seventh overall out of 28 teams in the competition. Jack Bon made an appearance in the A-Final, placing sixth in the men’s 1X event.
Overall, it was a satisfactory set of results for Blues rowing. They will look to regroup and collect more medals, starting with the Toronto-McGill Challenge in May before preparing for next season.
Grade: B
Season finish: Fifth in OUA Championships; seventh in Canadian University Rowing Championships
Team MVP: Lysander Weeks and Youssef El Mays
Rugby
After taming the York Lions in a dominant season opener, the men’s rugby team suffered five straight losses, finishing the season second-to-last place in the OUA. This year’s record marks a three-place drop from last year’s campaign. Despite regressing as a team, Liam Marshall emerged as an all-star this season, snagging second team honours, proving to be this team’s silver lining.
The team’s trajectory seemed promising after seeing improvements from last season, where they placed seventh in the league with a .500 record. Surely that was the hope after bombarding the Lions at Varsity Stadium; however, after dropping a tight contest in Kingston, the team never found its footing to give itself a chance to compete for a playoff spot.
After bowing to the Royal Military College Paladins in a 31–22 defeat, the Blues incurred losses by an average margin of 36 points. Overall, this season is one to forget for the Blues, especially after comparing it to last year’s campaign, where they secured their best finish since 2002.
Grade: D
Season finish: 10th of 11 in OUA Regular Season
Team MVP: Liam Marshall
Soccer
The men’s soccer team has finally arrived. The Blues had a fantastic regular season, finishing first in the OUA East with a 10-1-1 record (W-L-T). Then, entering the provincial tournament as a first seed, the Blues shut out the York Lions 2–0 at Varsity Stadium in the OUA final, claiming their first OUA title since 2010 and 51st in program history.
Unfortunately, the Blues could not carry this momentum into the U SPORTS National Championships. The first-seeded Blues were upset by the eighth-seeded Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes in the first round, ending U of T’s chance for a national title in a heartbreaking 3–2 extra-time defeat. In the consolation bracket, the Blues defeated the Cape Breton Capers 5–0, then lost 2–1 against the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds to end the tournament with a relatively disappointing sixth-place finish.
However, the fact that this national exit was a letdown is a testament to the steady progress the Blues have made over the past few seasons. Midfielder Michael Osorio was named to the Championship all-star team for his two-goal heroics at the tournament.
Rookie forward Jordan Grey claimed OUA East rookie of the year. This marks the fourth consecutive year that a Varsity Blue has won the award, proving U of T’s continued dominance as a powerhouse talent producer in the OUA. Fourth-year goalkeeper Alex Lin received the OUA East Champion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award — becoming the first Blue to win the recently introduced award — for his work as Chair of the U of T’s BIPOC Varsity Association (BVA).
Midfielder Mehdi Essoussi earned prestigious second team all-Canadian honours for the first time in his career, while Grey added to his phenomenal debut season with a place on the national all-rookie team. Defender Anthony White and Essoussi took home OUA first team all-star honours while goalkeeper Filip Zendelek, Micah Joseph, and Grey were named as second team all-stars, rounding out a hefty haul for the Blues.
Grade: A
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Mehdi Essoussi
Tennis
Return to glory. The men’s tennis team recovered from a winless doubles slate as they fought off the Ottawa GeeGees with an outstanding singles run to bag their second OUA banner in the last three years. Lukas Mock garnered double honours after winning Rookie of the Year and earning an All-Star nod. His running mate, Rassam Yazdi, was also named an All-Star for the fifth time in his collegiate career.
However, the Blues failed to secure a win in the doubles round, with their best chance coming from the duo of Yazdi and Mock in a match where they lost 8–5. Despite the setback, the Blues managed to clinch the title after success in the singles round. After Yazdi dropped the first singles match in a tiebreaker second set, Mock took care of business as he swept the second match.
Alex Zhang, Luka Kirigin, and Ben Whitley also took individual wins to seal the victory 4–3, and bring the provincial title back to U of T. Before their successful return to the top of the podium, the Blues first knocked off the Brock Badgers, 5–2, in the quarterfinals before dispatching the Queen’s Gaels, 6–1, in the semifinals.
Grade: A
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Lukas Mock
Women’s sports
Sessional GPA: 3.3
Cross country
The women’s cross country team matched last season’s OUA sixth-place finish, but fell five places behind last season’s U SPORTS result, finishing 17th in the country.
Their season debuted on September 20 at the Western Invitational, where they recorded a sixth-place finish out of 13 teams. There, Julia Agostinelli recorded a strong individual fourth-place finish out of 100 runners.
The following weekend at the Don Mills Open, the Blues placed third overall out of nine teams. Agostinelli had yet another strong performance, where she won the six-kilometre race in 21:20 minutes, while fourth-year Sarah White finished in third place with a time of 22:24 minutes. The team finished sixth at the 8-Kay Marauder Invitational, where Agostinelli recorded a second-place finish.
Agostinelli once again stood out at the OUA Championships and at U SPORTS, claiming an individual silver medal and fourth place, respectively. With her performance, she earned U SPORTS first team all-Canadian honours. White, Madelyn Bullock, Shelby Spencer, Madison Sparkman, Claire Nolet, and Kaitlyn Koyanagi also represented the Blues at nationals. White took home the U SPORTS Community Service Award.
Grade: B+
Season finish: Sixth at OUA Championship, 17th and U SPORTS Championship
Team MVP: Julia Agostinelli
Field Hockey
The Blues field hockey team had yet another solid season on the pitch. While they had a bit of a rocky start with three consecutive 0–1 losses against McMaster, Guelph, and Waterloo at the beginning of their season, they quickly recovered and ended their season with a solid 4-4-2 record.
In contrast to last year, where they maintained a 9-0-1 regular season record but were unable to carry their momentum into the postseason –– falling to the Waterloo Warriors in the OUA semi-final –– the Blues defeated the Warriors in a 1–0 shootout win in a rematch semi-final game. They advanced to the OUA gold medal game against the York Lions, but tragically lost 1–3 and had to settle for silver. This result is an improvement from last season’s playoffs fourth place, and the Blues field hockey program is on a clear upward trajectory.
The Blues boast incredible depth both offensively and defensively. Defenders Maggie Mullins and Midfielder Alicia Lung were designated as OUA All-Stars alongside rookie Goalkeeper Mary Yang. Yang was also named Goalkeeper of the Year for her outstanding performance this season, where she earned six clean sheets and allowed only three goals through eight regular-season starts.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Silver at OUA Championships
Team MVP: Mary Yang
Golf
It was another solid season for the women’s golf team. After finishing eighth overall in the Canadian University College Championships over the summer, the Blues carried their OUA dominance into the 2025 regular season, scoring a podium finish in every single tournament they participated in for the second straight year. The team grabbed team silver at the season-opening Western Invitational, team bronze at the Brock Invitational, team gold at the Waterloo Invitational, before rounding out regular season tournaments at the Toronto Invitational with a split squad earning gold and bronze.
Entering the provincial tournament as reigning OUA champions, the Blues fell just short of back-to-back gold, finishing five strokes behind Waterloo for a silver medal finish. Second-year sensation Mia Wong dominated the OUA tournament, claiming the Judy McCrae Trophy as individual champion and receiving OUA all-star honours. Strong participation throughout the season, and a solid final exam to boot, but the fact that the team took a step back this year leaves them just shy of a perfect grade.
Grade: A
Season finish: Silver at OUA Championships
Team MVP: Mia Wong
Lacrosse
Unfortunately, 2025 was a mediocre season for the Blues women’s lacrosse team. They finished with a 3-5-1 record in the regular season, securing the sixth seed in the 2025 OUA Championship. Just a year ago, Toronto had a 2–7 regular season record but went on a magical playoff run to secure an unlikely OUA bronze medal. Sadly, Toronto was unable to bring home silverware this time around.
In the first match of the postseason, the Blues fell to the Queen’s Gaels in a 13–3 contest. It was a loss that mirrored much of the team’s low points this season, where the team allowed an average of over 12 goals in their defeats. The team finished off the season with two more losses to Western and Ontario Tech.
Attack Rheanna Swanson had an excellent year serving as the primary goalscorer for the Toronto offence. She finished top five in the OUA in goals this season with 22 goals and 27 points in eight games. Swanson earned OUA All-Star recognition for her performances. Attack Isabella Ward also had a strong season in the playmaking department, putting up 13 goals and seven assists.
The Blues demonstrated their immense offensive potential in the season opener when they blew out McGill 15–4, but since then, they only managed an average of 6.6 goals per game in the remaining eight regular-season games. Looking toward next season, the women’s lacrosse team will look to develop more consistency in order to win games early and often.
Grade: C+
Season finish: Eighth place at OUA Championships
Team MVP: Rheanna Swanson “the Tasmanian Devil”
Rowing
It was a strong season for the women’s rowing team. At the OUA Rowing Championships, the Blues grabbed a remarkable team bronze medal, marking their best team result since their provincial championship in 2000. Especially impressive was the Lightweight 8 crew of Elizabeth Yeoh, Olivia Ruffolo, Marina Sobotka, Caitlin Terry, Emily Thompson, Sophie Corradini, Dayun Kong, Guinevere Reaume, and Jamie Blunt, who grabbed a first-place finish and the only medal finish of the team at the OUA’s.
At the national Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURC), the Blues finished with a strong sixth place in a 28-team field. Improving on last year’s results of sixth of 16 at nationals and fourth of 14 at provincials, the Blues took a clear step forward this year and have established themselves as an OUA dark horse.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Third at OUA Championships, sixth at Canadian University Rowing Championships
Team MVP: Lightweight 8 Crew (Elizabeth Yeoh, Olivia Ruffolo, Marina Sobotka, Caitlin Terry, Emily Thompson, Sophie Corradini, Dayun Kong, Guinevere Reaume, and Jamie Blunt)
Rugby
The women’s rugby team had a difficult season, ending the year with a 1–5 record. They opened their season with a tough start against Queen’s University, where they suffered a 0–20 loss. Their only win came against Trent University, where they took home a 52–43 win against the Excalibur on September 13. Chioma Duru and Adele Church had standout performances, recording two and three tries respectively, while Sydney Heighington had six conversions.
Despite the bright spot in their season, the Blues were unfortunately not able to carry their momentum to their following games and recorded three consecutive losses to close out the season. Their biggest loss was their game against the Guelph Gryphons, where they were dominated 0–137. Sydney Heighington led the Blues in tries and conversions through the six games, with three tries and 12 conversions. While there is room for improvement, the team will try to bounce back in the offseason as they set their eyes on a return to the OUA playoffs.
Grade: D
Season finish: Ninth out of 10 teams in Regular Season
Team MVP: Sydney Heighington
Soccer
It was a historic season for the women’s soccer team. Their 9-2-1 regular season record was the best in the OUA East, and gave the Blues an advantageous first-seed heading into provincials at the Varsity Stadium. There, U of T dispatched the Ottawa Gee Gees 1–0 in the quarterfinals, before showcasing gritty defence once again to beat the Western Mustangs 1–0 in the semis. In the finals, the Blues shut down the Guelph Gryphons 1–0 to capture the program’s first-ever provincial title in the team’s 40-year history.
Unfortunately, at nationals, the Blues were defeated in a heartbreaking 3–1 decider in the quarterfinals against the Trinity Western Spartans to crash out of U SPORTS gold contention. In the consolation bracket, U of T took down both McMaster and Cape Breton in two consecutive 2–0 victories to finish their U SPORTS championship campaign in fifth place.
The veteran defence captain Hannah Chown had another superb individual season, sweeping up OUA East MVP, OUA East Community Service Award, and a fifth consecutive OUA all-star nomination with a place on the first all-star team. Chown was also named a first team all-Canadian for the first time in her career, capping off an illustrious Blues career with national recognition and bringing home the ever-elusive provincial title — The Varsity would like to congratulate the career of a true Varsity Blues legend, who has been the heartbeat of the team for the past five years.
In addition, seventh-year Head Coach Angelo Cavalluzzo received OUA East Coach of the Year for leading the Blues to OUA glory, while defender Bryanna Campbell, midfielder Emilija Lucic and forward Anne Yeomans were all recognized as OUA East second team all-stars.
With the departure of Chown and eight graduating senior players, Cavalluzzo will have his work cut out to rebuild the team in the off-season. While a first-round national exit was disappointing, it’s hard to give anything but full marks for a remarkable women’s soccer season for the ages.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Hannah Chown
Softball
Coming into the 2025 season, the Blues women’s softball team had one goal in mind: a three-peat in the Ontario University Softball (OUS) championships. And after an electric 19–1 regular season to win the OUS East division, the team looked well on its way to a third straight trophy. The Blues offence fired on all cylinders, scoring a whopping 209 total runs, 34 more than the next highest scoring team in the OUS. The defence was also stout, allowing only 90 runs, the third-fewest in the OUS.
In the postseason, however, the Blues ran into a few speed bumps. The team qualified for the quarterfinals in the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association National Championship, and while unable to secure a podium finish, the tournament served as good preparation for the three-peat quest that awaited them in the OUS Championship.
Things got off to a rocky start when the Blues lost 4–13 to McMaster in the first match of tournament play. The loss relegated U of T to the elimination side of the bracket, given the tournament’s double-elimination format. The team demonstrated incredible resilience, however, proving their championship mettle by rattling off three straight wins to advance to the semifinals.
Unfortunately, the Blues’ run came to an end with an 11–0 loss to Laurier, the eventual tournament winners. Although they fell short of the ultimate goal, this was still a team that demonstrated the heart of a champion. Shirley Chan and Tala Rennie earned All-Star recognition for brilliant individual seasons. Pitcher Alexa Aquanno also deserves recognition for a strong season. Women’s softball didn’t quite stick the landing, but they deserve all the flowers for a dominant three-year run.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Third place in OUS Championships
Team MVP: Shirley Chan and Tala Rennie
Tennis
Dominance personified — the women’s tennis team capped off an immaculate run at the OUA Tennis Championships to secure their third consecutive banner and their 41st in program history.
En route to their provincial title, the team first swept the Ottawa GeeGees 7–0 in the quarterfinals before trouncing the York Lions 6–1 in the semifinals. In the final against the Queen’s Gaels, the Blues took a commanding 5–1 win. Despite conceding a loss in the first singles match in a three-set marathon, the team left no stone unturned as they swept through the remainder of the singles fixtures, losing just one set in the process. With the win, the most decorated program in OUA women’s tennis continued their dominance.
The team also amassed a haul of awards in individual categories. Anastaysia Dyadchenko won player of the year, along with an all-star selection. Meanwhile, Katherine Zhang was named rookie of the year, and coach Nabil Tadros was hailed as the coach of the year. To round out the list, Veronika Poboded was the second Varsity Blue, alongside Dyadchenko, to earn an all-star honour this year.
Grade: A
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Anastaysia Dyadchenko
