Banner Season: Toronto hoping to continue impressive pool performances to extend OUA streaks
Burlington, Ont. – Toronto has been tough to beat in the provincial pool, a trend the Varsity Blues will hope continues at Brock’s Eleanor Misener Aquatic Centre from February 16th to 18th. With lengthy streaks on the line, the nine and 19-time defending champions, respectively, will be podium-topping favourites once again when they race the rest of the sensational swimmers from across the province at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Swimming Championships.
Championship Details:
When: Friday, February 16 to Sunday, February 18 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Eleanor Misener Aquatic Centre (Brock University)
Participating Schools (10): Brock Badgers (host), Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons, McMaster Marauders, Queen’s Gaels, Toronto Varsity Blues, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, York Lions
Watch: oua.tv / cbcsports.ca / CBC Gem
Defending Champions: Toronto Varsity Blues (W), Toronto Varsity Blues (M)
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Erin Anderson, McMaster Marauders | An experienced distance freestyler, Anderson has been a staple of the Marauders women’s swim team. The Hamilton, Ont. local is a three-time OUA medalist and will look to re-qualify for national competition this year in the 200, 400, and 800 freestyle, as well as the 200 backstroke. Anderson’s work ethic both in the pool and outside as the Field Therapist for the Nordic Ski team, lifeguard, and motionball participant has uplifted her team culture.
Kent Goni Avila, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | Having previously medaled at the OUA Championships, Goni Avila has certainly found success on the varsity stage for the Golden Hawks. The third-year business major already boasts multiple U SPORTS qualifying times and, in previously representing Laurier on the national stage last year, he alone scored enough points to place his squad in the top-15.
Cam Johnsen, McMaster Marauders | A fifth year arts and science student, Cam Johnsen is a three-time MVP for the McMaster team and repeat national qualifier. The veteran from Thunder Bay, Ont. is looking to carry his momentum from last year to this latest banner season outing, having previously won multiple medals at the OUA Championships. Johnsen hopes to have the most impressive performance of his career and lead his team to the top of the challenging conference mountain.
Julien Legault, Brock Badgers | A senior member of the Badgers team, Legault is ready to make waves at home and will do so as one of the St. Catharines squad’s most accomplished swimmers. The Oakville, Ont. native studying kinesiology holds the Brock record in both the 50 and 100 backstroke, having established the latter at the 2023 OUA finale. Legault will look for yet another record-setting weekend to thrill the home crowd at the Eleanor Misener Aquatic Centre.
Gabriel Mastromatteo, Toronto Varsity Blues | An Olympian in his third year of OUA competition, Mastromatteo will be looking to claim gold for a third consecutive season. Recently claiming a silver and bronze with the Canadian mixed and men’s 4x100 medley relays at the 2023 Pan American Games, the reigning OUA and U SPORTS athlete of the year is hoping history repeats itself en route to another award-winning weekend in the pool.
Ainsley McMurray, Toronto Varsity Blues | The fifth-year veteran McMurray will bring international experience to the OUA Championships this weekend, having competed at the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade and most recently with Team Ontario at the 2024 Euro Meet in Luxembourg. On the provincial stage, McMurray is looking to claim another OUA gold in the 100 free, 50 free, and 50 butterfly, feats she has accomplished numerous times already on the banner season stage.
Tatum O’Connor, Brock Badgers | In her first year competing as a Badger, the junior rookie has already set records for her squad. As the first Brock woman to qualify on the national stage since 2020 in two categories, the kinesiology major is ready to continue making her mark for the Badgers.
Ella Rennie, Western Mustangs | A senior from Barrie, Ont., Rennie has a well-documented track record against the province’s best. Since earning rookie of the year honours in her debut campaign, Rennie has gone on to be a nine-time individual OUA medalist, which includes titles as provincial champion in the 400 IM and 200m breaststroke. Rennie is assuredly ready to race to the finish line again in 2024 with the hopes of helping her Mustangs march onto the podium once again.
Kimberly Song, Queen’s Gaels | Coming all the way from the west coast, Song is a junior for the Gaels set to compete in her third OUA Championships. The junior health sciences major brings more than just experience to her team; however, as she also backs it up with the skill, having achieved a national qualification in the 50 breaststroke.
Kieran Stone, Western Mustangs | A six-time individual OUA medalist and 2023 national bronze medalist, Stone is well-equipped to be among the podium finishers this weekend once again. The Scarborough, Ont. native prepares to take center stage for his Mustangs in St. Catharines and he does so with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after finishing just shy of the banner a year ago.
Finn Tuck, Carleton Ravens | When looking at all that Tuck has accomplished during his time with the Ravens, the words ‘record setting’ are frequently found. The third-year aerospace engineering major has set program marks in seven categories for Carleton and is ready to take on the challenge of his third championship weekend. In addition to his leading marks, Tuck has also put up a second and third all-time performance in two other categories.
Katherine Ye, Waterloo Warriors | In her third-year swimming for the black and gold, Ye has made her mark as a standout competitor. The team captain not only leads by example, but also creates an incredible swimming culture in and out of the pool. She has qualified for the U SPORTS finale each year, while also boasting a top-five finish at the OUA Championships last year. Ye has also led relays to notable finishes, including setting a new Warrior record in the 4x200 freestyle relay.
Kevin Zhang, Waterloo Warriors | Rookie Kevin Zhang is no stranger to swimming fast against stiff competition. While this will be his first appearance at the OUA Championships, Zhang already has performed internationally at the World Junior Swimming Championships, the Pan American Games, and Euro Meet. In his first season with the Warriors, the computer science student from Mississauga, Ont. has made a big impact on the team, breaking the program record in the 200m butterfly.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
Hosting this year’s OUA Swimming Championships, the Brock Badgers are eager to take a podium finish at home. Seeing much improvement on the women’s squad, the Badgers will look to their veteran student-athletes ready to compete to be at the top. The Badger men are relying on the depth of their team to make a splash this weekend, adding strength in the relay competition to their banner season aspirations.
The key to success for the Carleton Ravens this year rests largely on the relay races, where both the women’s and men’s groups are looking to thrive. It will be a group effort for the former, as they look to move a few places up the rankings in 2024, while the men are relying on their top student-athletes to bring home the points for their team.
Coming back with vengeance, the McMaster Marauders are stronger and more ready than ever to compete for the 2024 OUA title. Hitting the water with a veteran team, the women have multiple athletes ready to place at the individual level and at the relays. On the other side, the men’s squad has a large rookie contribution across all events. Led by veteran captains, both the men’s and women’s squads are ready to take their place on the podium for the maroon and grey.
The Queen’s Gaels are entering the championship with a higher level of fitness, something that the team hopes can spark even stronger results this time around. The Tricolour are ready to build on their team rankings from 2023, as they look to make the most of their momentum from the lead-up events at this year’s OUA Swimming Championships.
After decades of dynasty-like dominance, the Toronto Varsity Blues are looking dangerous as always as they set their sights on bringing home another banner sweep. Should they be successful in topping their conference competitors this weekend, it would mark the 10th straight result for the women’s side and 20th consecutive for the men. And with plenty of depth in both lanes that features medal-favourites up and down the lineup, the Blues will have nothing short of golden aspirations in St. Catharines.
In their reputation era, the Waterloo Warriors are back and better than ever. Since adding former Olympic head coach Jacqueline Beckford-Henriques, the Warriors have seen impressive results. The women’s team produced their highest podium finish and a top five spot at last year’s OUA Championships and are looking forward to fighting for a place in the top four this weekend. The men’s squad claimed a bronze at last year’s provincial finale, and with a largely returning squad, they have their sights set on redemption to reclaim an even higher finish this year.
Coming back after finishing just shy of the banner, the Western Mustangs will be fighting for a top three team spot in both the men’s and women’s competitions, while also preparing for the upcoming national spotlight. With momentum on their side heading into this conference competition, the London squad is ready to leave with some hardware.
In the process of building out full rosters, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks are slowly but surely adding star student-athletes to their competition roster. With the women’s team not fully complete, they’re ready to add some valuable championship experience to their resumes, while the men are set to compete with their first full roster and are poised to leave their mark at the OUA Championships.
What They’re Saying:
“Our women’s team is much improved, and we’re going to move up in the team standings this year. Tatum O’Connor is a legitimate A finalist level at the OUAs, and we plan to have a whole host of other athletes score points to push the team forward. Our men’s team strength is our depth. We have a full roster capable of scoring points at the OUA level. We plan to be strong in the relays and we hope that will translate to the individual events.” – Dave Ling, Head Coach, Brock Badgers
“After holding eight weekly training sessions in the pool and two in the gym since September, I am very excited to see what the swim team can do at the OUA Championships in St. Catharines this weekend.” – Nico Belisle, Head Coach, Carleton Ravens
“The energy is high throughout the team. We are swimming fast and are healthy. There are going to be some incredible results at OUAs this year.” – Grey Fairley, Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"We’ve had a great season so far, now in the part where it really counts. Team has done the necessary work, I am expecting quality results." – Paul Midgley, Head Coach, Western Mustangs