By the Numbers: Coaching achievements, national qualifiers, and top-10 talent

By the Numbers: Coaching achievements, national qualifiers, and top-10 talent
December 5, 2018

202 – The Waterloo Warriors wrapped up the 2018 portion of their men’s hockey schedule with a 1-0 win over the Toronto Varsity Blues at Varsity Arena on Saturday night. And with help from a first-period goal from Nick Chyzowski and the first career OUA shutout from Julian Sime, the black and gold helped bench boss Brian Bourque earn his 202nd win as the team’s coach. With the victory, Bourque surpassed the program’s previous high mark of 201 held by Don McKee, who helmed the team from 1985 to 1998.

47 – Mike Robinson maintained his status as one of the conference’s top scorers this weekend, picking up two goals in two games for the UOIT Ridgebacks during that span. With his season mark now at 12 goals through 17 games, Robinson not only sits tied for fourth on the season across the OUA, but he also moved into third place on the Ridgebacks’ all-time scoring list with 47. The fifth-year player is now just one goal back of second and eight behind the program’s all-time mark.

33.72 – Philip Osei is a name already familiar to those in the international track and field communities. And now, the talented 28-year-old from Toronto, has officially started his promising journey at the Canadian collegiate level. Competing for the first time at the collegiate level this past Saturday (Dec. 2) at the York Christmas Classic. Osei, a rookie on the Guelph Gryphons Track and Field team, impressed in his debut event, setting a school record in the men’s 300m with a time of 33.72 seconds.

24 – Now that the dust has settled on the fall semester’s schedule, the top of the OUA women’s hockey standings are left quite crowded to say the least. While the Ryerson Rams sit alone in first with 25 points, there are five teams nipping at their heels. With a total of 24 points apiece, the Nipissing Lakers, Guelph Gryphons, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, and Queen’s Gaels are tied for second, suggesting that the push for the playoffs will head down to the wire.     

14.80 – It was a successful start to the season for Western’s Sara Villani, who opened up her track and field campaign with a monster throw of 14.80m in the shot put. This result, which well eclipses her previous best of 12.77m, automatically qualifies her for the U SPORTS Championships. Not only that, but it is a throw that would have placed her second at the national finale last year.

5 – The final U SPORTS Top 10 rankings of the fall have plenty of OUA representatives, but none more so than the Ryerson Rams, who led the way amongst the conference’s top-ranked squads. Within the country’s best of the best, the Rams have five teams sitting pretty, including their highest ranked of the bunch – their No. 2 men’s basketball team. Joining them are the No. 4 women’s basketball and women’s volleyball, the No. 5 women’s hockey, and the No. 6 men’s hockey teams, who have all done the Rams proud this semester.

4 – The fall semester banner season came to a close with the men’s water polo championship this weekend, but it did so in fine form for the McMaster Marauders. Even though they didn’t claim top spot, the Hamilton squad finished with a third-place result after taking down perennial powerhouse Carleton in the bronze medal match. Thanks to their efforts, McMaster’s head coach Quinn Fairley claimed OUA Coach of the Year honours, the fourth win of his career and first since 2006.

2 – Toronto Varsity Blues swimming sensation Kylie Masse won two gold medals at the 2018 U.S. winter national championships this past weekend at the Greensboro Aquatic Centre in North Carolina. Masse led the Canadian contingent, winning the 100 and 200 backstroke events over the weekend. She won gold in the 100 backstroke in 59.27 seconds on Friday night, finishing 0.75 ahead of second-place Phoebe Bacon, while following that up with a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke on Saturday night, touching the wall in 2:09.92.