Algoma set to host first OUA Wrestling Championship this Saturday

BURLINGTON, Ont. – The mats will soon be laid out across the George Leach Centre at Algoma University, for the first time ever, in anticipation of some of Ontario's best wrestlers meeting to compete in the 2016 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Wrestling Championships, Feb. 13.

The Brock Badgers will undoubtedly be the focal point of this year's championship, as both the men's and women's teams enter as No. 1 seeds in the CIS Top 10. Furthermore, both teams are coming off first-place finishes a season ago at the 2015 CIS Championships.

While 2014-15 was a rewarding season for the Badgers men's team, some avengement remains in their minds, as the lurking pain in their side is a second-place finish at last year's OUA Championship, where they narrowly missed out on a gold medal to the McMaster Marauders by a single point. It's a different story for the women's team, as they are looking to retain their title, which would be their eighth in a nine year span.

The men's side will showcase OUA champions Sam Jagas (Kitchener, Ont.) (54 kg), who also captured a CIS bronze last year, and brother of former OUA champion Nick Rowe, Tyler Rowe (Barrie, Ont.) (72 kg), whose resume also consists of a CIS silver and a first-place finish at the Ontario Seniors in the 70 kg weight class. In addition to the two former OUA gold medalists, their roster encompasses two OUA silver medalists: Brian Cowen (Dorchester, Ont.) (57 kg) and Zach Falcioni (Oakville, Ont.) (61 kg), who both have CIS bronze medals to their name. 

Meanwhile, the women's side, led by 2014-15 OUA Coach of the Year Marty Caldwell, Brock has no shortage of accolades, as the Badgers will send three OUA champions: 2014-15 Rookie of the Year Emily Schaefer (Sarnia, Ont.) (51 kg), 2014-15 Outstanding Female Wrestler Carlene Sluberski (Fredonia, N.Y.) (55 kg) and Olivia Di Bacco (Orillia, Ont.) (72 kg). The trio recorded second, first and third-place finishes at last year's CIS Championships, respectively, with Schaefer also capturing gold at the Ontario Juniors (59 kg) and Di Bacco netting the same hardware at the Ontario Seniors (69 kg). OUA silver medalist Indira Moores (Whitefish, Ont.) (59 kg) and bronze medalist Jessica Brouillette (Barrie, Ont.) (63 kg), who netted a first-place finish at the Ontario Seniors (63 kg), will also be representing the Badgers.

Last year's victors of the OUA Men's Championship and the No. 2 team in the nation, the McMaster Marauders, are set to defend their title, spearheaded by 2014-15 Coach of the Year Nick Cipriano. Last year's recipient of the Keegan Trophy for Outstanding Male Wrestler, Jason Buckle (Hamilton, Ont.), returns as an OUA champion (61 kg) and CIS silver medalist. The Marauders boast two more OUA champions in Chris Garneau (Stoney Creek, Ont.) (68 kg) and Joban Phulka (Abbotsford, B.C.) (82 kg), who were CIS gold and silver medalists, respectively, a year ago. Rounding out their star-studded roster is former CIS champion and last year's OUA silver medal beneficiary Ahmed Shamiya (Burlington, Ont.) (76 kg), 2014-15 Rookie of the Year, OUA silver medalist (65 kg) and first-place finisher at the Ontario Juniors (66 kg) Omar Ahmed (Burlington, Ont.) and the second-place finisher at last year's OUA Championship Kevin Barret (Hillsburgh, Ont.) (90 kg).

While not ranked, the Marauders women's team will still be looking to make some noise at this year's championships, sending two wrestlers with past OUA success: Monica Wood (Hamilton, Ont.) (48 kg) finished in fifth-place at last year's tournament and Nicole Roach (Coldwater, Ont.) (67 kg) secured bronze.

Like the Badgers, the Guelph Gryphons will be sending two teams ranked inside the CIS Top 10. Their men's team enters Saturday in the No. 6 spot and will have three 2014-15 OUA medalists sporting the Gryphon logo: Elvir Uzonovic (Guelph, Ont.) (57 kg) captured bronze, Ben Bradford (St. Catharines, Ont.) (76 kg) locked down the gold and Dan Humphrey (Elora, Ont.) (82 kg) won bronze, but with last year's gold and silver medalists not returning, he will be looking to jump into the top spot.

The women's team ranks one spot higher than their male counterparts, at No. 5 in the CIS Top 10, fronted by reigning OUA and CIS champion Alison Carrow (Brampton, Ont.) (67 kg), who also collected silver at the Ontario Seniors (63 kg). Also carrying an impressive sheet of accolades is Gracelynn Doogan (Elliot Lake, Ont.) (76 kg), who is hoping to continue making her early mark on OUA, coming off OUA and CIS silver medals in her rookie season, as well as first-place finishes in both the Ontario Seniors (75 kg) and the Ontario Juniors (72 kg). Natassya Lu (Brampton, Ont.) (48 kg) also netted a first-place finish at the Ontario Juniors.

The final school with both men's and women's representatives in the CIS Top 10 is Western, boasting No. 10 and No. 9 seeds, respectively. The Mustangs women's team's Julie Steffler (Tottenham, Ont.) (55 kg) is a four-time gold medal recipient, garnering top spot in the Ontario Juniors and Seniors, the Western Open and the SFU International, while also securing silver at the Brock Open. Another gold medal winner from the Western Open will be representing the Mustangs in the championships, as U24 National Team member Madi Parks (Brantford, Ont.) (55 kg) was an OUA and CIS silver medalist from a year ago. On the men's side, Ligrit Sadiku (Summerside, P.E.I.) (57 kg), has placed in every tournament he's competed in during his rookie year, including a silver medal at the York Open.

Last of the participating schools that have a CIS ranked team is the Lakehead Thunderwolves, who hold the No. 10 spot on the women's side of the CIS Top 10. Their medal hopefuls are former OUA (59 kg) and Ontario Junior (58 kg) champion Emma Horner (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) and rookie Dana Campbell (Thunder Bay, Ont.) (82 kg), who put forth a silver medal winning performance at the Ontario Seniors (75 kg). The men's side is led by Chris Waltner (Kingston, Ont.) (57 kg), who earned a silver medal at the 2015 OUA Championships (54 kg).

With this being the first time Algoma has hosted an OUA Wrestling Championship, they will be looking to use the home crowd to their advantage. Logan McKinnon (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) (54 kg), who debuted with the men's team as an assistant coach, will be looking to build upon an already successful year, in which he captured three tournament medals: two silvers and one bronze. Vying to put on a strong showing for the home crowd on the women's side will be Lauren Towell (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) (51 kg), who finished in sixth-place in last year's OUA Championships.

The York Lions men's squad is looking to better their fifth-place OUA finish of a year ago, with rookie Sebastian Galzote (Thornhill, Ont.) (61 kg), leading the charge in doing so. On the women's side, Alexandria Town (Scarborough, Ont.) (55 kg) is coming off a season in which she was the first ever York female to compete at the CIS Championships, where she landed in fifth-place. She has also captured silver medals in the OUA Championship and the Ontario Seniors.

Led by Ryan Karn (Fergus, Ont.) (82 kg), who missed out on placing by one spot in last year's OUA Championships and Taylor Richard (Acton, Ont.) (55 kg), who was a bronze medalist at the Ontario Juniors, the Laurentian men's and women's Voyageurs are hoping to improve their seventh and six place finishes, respectively, from last year.

Also participating are the Toronto Varsity Blues, whose medal hopeful is Grace Bannerman (Niagara on the Lake, Ont.) (72 kg), who is coming off a bronze medal finish in last year's edition of the tournament and the Queen's Gaels, who finished eighth last year on the men's side and tenth on the women's.

Action will commence and conclude on Saturday, Feb. 13, with preliminary matches beginning at 10 a.m. and championship matches slated for a 3:15 p.m start.