October 14, 2022
Banner Season: Golfing greats get together for championship finale on the links
Burlington, Ont. - The golfing greats from across the conference are set to converge in the nation's capital, as Ontario University Athletics (OUA) teams come together for championship weekend. Housed at the Hylands Golf Course in Ottawa, two rounds of play from Saturday, October 15 to Sunday, October 16 will determine which individuals and teams finish atop the leaderboard on the banner season links at the 2022 OUA Golf Championships.
Championship Details
When: Saturday, October 15 to Sunday, October 16 | FULL SCHEDULE | RESULTS
Where: Hylands Golf Club
Participating Schools (15): Brock Badgers, Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons, Laurentian Voyageurs, McMaster Marauders, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, Ottawa Gee-Gees (host), Queen's Gaels, Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Windsor Lancers, York Lions
Defending Champions: W: Western Mustangs; M: Queen's Gaels | ALL PAST CHAMPIONS
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Justin Allen, Guelph Gryphons | A bronze medalist and first team OUA all-star in 2021, the senior from Etobicoke, Ont. has been in fine form for the Gryphons thus far, producing a slew of top-three finishes in the lead up to this weekend's conference finale. Having already shown he can perform on the OUA's biggest stage, not to mention among the country's best after a sixth-place result at nationals in Quebec this past June, Allen will rely on his experience on the links to leap to the top of the leaderboard this weekend.
Sam Coons, McMaster Marauders | Coons is a fifth-year member of the Marauders and will be suiting up for his fourth OUA Championships appearance. A part-time YouTuber, having amassed over two million views on his hockey-based channel, Coons has been showcasing his talent on the links as well. He secured a silver medal from the first competition of the season at Western and picked up an individual gold medal from the Waterloo/Laurier Invitational later this fall.
Mackenzie Deveau, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Deveau, a native of Moncton, N.B., is no stranger to the championship stage, but she will enter this weekend's competition as the only Gee-Gee who can say that. The lone returning member of the Garnet and Grey's bronze medal winning team, who also participated in the national championship with Ottawa over the summer, finished tied for 15th a year ago with a round of 88.
Jacqueline Giles, Guelph Gryphons | It was an impressive start for Giles' banner season career in 2021, as she became the first Gryphon golfer to be crowned OUA individual champion. The second-year native of Georgetown, Ont. will now look to defend that crown in her encore championship outing.
Vanessa Lin, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | Lin will be making her championship debut this weekend, but she has made herself right at home on the links in the lead up to the banner season festivities. The Ancaster, Ont. native has two tournament wins to her name already at the McMaster Invitational and Brock Invitational, respectively, and she'll rely on her strong ball-striking ability to continue to produce those consistent results once again in Ottawa.
Lexie McCay, Western Mustangs | McCay has been on fire this fall. The runner up from the 2021 OUA Championships has been a mainstay atop the leaderboard heading into her second go-around at the conference finale, with the Aurora, Ont. native having claimed individual gold at four tournaments this season. A fifth gold medal result is surely in her sights, as she looks to lead her team to back-to-back titles overall this weekend as well.
Noah McMullin, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks | A two-sport standout for the Ridgebacks, McMullin will trade his hockey sticks for golf clubs this weekend to help his Ontario Tech crew improve on their previous results. In his second go-around at championship play on the links, the men's hockey assistant captain is focused on building on that previous experience and rising up the leaderboard among the rest of his conference competitors.
Matt McRae, TMU Bold | McCrae, a third-year player from Aurora, Ont., has led the Bold at every event so far this season and is entering championship weekend fresh off a win at the Guelph Invitational on October 3rd. He shot a round of 69 to win the event by a single stroke, and will look to bring that same skill and high level of confidence to the banner season backdrop this weekend to better his 19th-place result from a year ago.
Michael Reilly, Queen's Gaels | The native of Toronto, Ont. is making his golf debut with the Gaels this season, but he is no stranger to the competitive environment. Prior to joining Queen's on the links, Reilly spent three seasons on the school's lacrosse team, but as he ventures down this new path of varsity action, he has proven to be a strong player with the ability to compete among the conference's best.
Jarrod Smith, Windsor Lancers | A co-silver medalist in 2019, the senior from LaSalle, Ont. is playing some of his best golf heading into this final weekend of play. Smith won the Lancer Invitational this past weekend, and combining that recent success with his experience on the championship stage means Smith will surely be poised for another podium-worthy performance when he tees off on Saturday.
Alex Turchan, Waterloo Warriors | Being from the Waterloo area, playing for the Warriors was something Turchan was very interested in before he got to the school. Having enjoyed his time on the team throughout his five years, including everything from Pinehurst trips to spending time in the similar, the captain is thankful for everything the team has given him, and will hope to cap off his varsity career by bringing an OUA championship home for the Warriors this weekend.
Hannah Yoshida, Waterloo Warriors | Another player who enters the OUA Championships on a roll is Yoshida. Her recent rounds of 82 and 79 at the Windsor Invitational helped her capture the individual title at the event, while also leading her team to bronze. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native will be eyeing more of the same at what will be her second banner season appearance for the black and gold.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
After claiming a program best fifth-place finish at the OUA Championships a year ago, the Brock Badgers women will be led by a pair of veteran golfers in Melanie Burgess (LaSalle, Ont.) and Emily White (St. Catharines, Ont.). The duo has been standout performers to date, delivering several top-10 results thus far, and will hope to ride those strong results into continued success on the provincial stage.
It has been a resurgent year for the Laurentian men's team, and they'll look to carry that momentum into championship weekend. The Voyageurs, led by Alex Fowke (Sudbury, Ont.) and Jacob Lacko (Sudbury, Ont.) began the fall with a win at the McMaster Invitational, the team's first tournament win since 2018, while also earning a second-place finish just a week ago at Windsor with a pair of fourth-place results woven in as well.
The McMaster men's team has their eyes and hearts set on the 2022 OUA title. The team has finished on the podium in each provincial tournament this fall when its top five players were available to compete. Among those results are a pair of wins - one at the Western Invitational and one at the Windsor Invitational - to bookend the season with team gold. The title is within reach for the Marauders and the Hamilton squad will aim to bring the OUA banner back to the hammer for the first time since 2004.
With a new-look team from last year's bronze medal squad, the Gee-Gees women's team will be looking to take the next step towards contention at the OUA level. Last year's podium finish, combined with a trip the University/College Championship in June, has shown that the program has potential to be one to watch at the OUA level for years to come, and they'll look to showcase that to their fellow golfers once again this weekend when they compete in their own backyard in Ottawa.
The defending champions on the men's side are looking to do just that - defend. The Gaels squad have big shoes to fill with seven players on the team being new to the roster. Led by lone returnee John Stewart, Queen's will need to have their 'A' game this weekend to be able to come away as champions for a second straight year, and while it hasn't been the smoothest of sailing in their ability to put two strong rounds together to this point in the campaign, there is no time like the present to make their mark.
Momentum is the name of the game for the Toronto women's group, as they enter the final weekend of play on a hot streak. The Blues have placed top-three in all of their tournaments this year, including first-place showings in their most recent two events. If they want to come away with their first OUA banner since 2014 - and ninth overall - they'll look for continued individual success from veteran Sara Cumby (Canaan, N.S.), who, like her team as a whole, has been a mainstay among the leaderboards this fall.
The reigning champion Western Mustangs have been playing as well as anyone in the lead up to the OUA Championships. The women's group collected a pair of team wins along the way, and coming off an identical result at the 2021 finale, the London squad is focused on much more of the same when they take on the rest of the OUA field at the Hylands Golf Club.
Wilfrid Laurier has seen team success from both squads this season, as the Hawks have been mainstays amongst the conference's top three teams in their tune-up events. With two team titles apiece and a flurry of additional podium positions to boot, the purple and gold contingent is well-positioned for another big showing at the OUA Championships.
What They're Saying:
"I'm very proud of our Marauder golfers who always exhibit great sportsmanship and class in representing McMaster University. Our women's team is showing steady improvement in their performances [] and the men's team is primed for an OUA Championship crown." - John Najev, Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"The team has been striving in the right direction all season. We have struggled to put it all together in the same weekend, but I am optimistic about the OUA Championships." - Gavin MacIver, Head Coach, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
"As a team, we are feeling really good as we are one of the few teams with multiple wins. I really believe in the girls and our ability to pick up our second OUA banner this year." - Lexie McCay, Student-Athlete, Western Mustangs
"We're looking forward to competing at the OUA Championships this year to try and cap off strong seasons from both our men's and women's golf programs. There is a lot of very good teams this season in both divisions, but I think our Golden Hawk athletes are up for the challenge." - Jeff Colley, Head Coach, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
"I am excited to get back to post COVID-19 play and to see our athletes compete in the traditional format. We have a deep field on both the men's and women's side, and I look forward to seeing how the weekend plays out." - Adam Wagner, Head Coach, Windsor Lancers
Championship Details
When: Saturday, October 15 to Sunday, October 16 | FULL SCHEDULE | RESULTS
Where: Hylands Golf Club
Participating Schools (15): Brock Badgers, Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons, Laurentian Voyageurs, McMaster Marauders, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, Ottawa Gee-Gees (host), Queen's Gaels, Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Windsor Lancers, York Lions
Defending Champions: W: Western Mustangs; M: Queen's Gaels | ALL PAST CHAMPIONS
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Justin Allen, Guelph Gryphons | A bronze medalist and first team OUA all-star in 2021, the senior from Etobicoke, Ont. has been in fine form for the Gryphons thus far, producing a slew of top-three finishes in the lead up to this weekend's conference finale. Having already shown he can perform on the OUA's biggest stage, not to mention among the country's best after a sixth-place result at nationals in Quebec this past June, Allen will rely on his experience on the links to leap to the top of the leaderboard this weekend.
Sam Coons, McMaster Marauders | Coons is a fifth-year member of the Marauders and will be suiting up for his fourth OUA Championships appearance. A part-time YouTuber, having amassed over two million views on his hockey-based channel, Coons has been showcasing his talent on the links as well. He secured a silver medal from the first competition of the season at Western and picked up an individual gold medal from the Waterloo/Laurier Invitational later this fall.
Mackenzie Deveau, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Deveau, a native of Moncton, N.B., is no stranger to the championship stage, but she will enter this weekend's competition as the only Gee-Gee who can say that. The lone returning member of the Garnet and Grey's bronze medal winning team, who also participated in the national championship with Ottawa over the summer, finished tied for 15th a year ago with a round of 88.
Jacqueline Giles, Guelph Gryphons | It was an impressive start for Giles' banner season career in 2021, as she became the first Gryphon golfer to be crowned OUA individual champion. The second-year native of Georgetown, Ont. will now look to defend that crown in her encore championship outing.
Vanessa Lin, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | Lin will be making her championship debut this weekend, but she has made herself right at home on the links in the lead up to the banner season festivities. The Ancaster, Ont. native has two tournament wins to her name already at the McMaster Invitational and Brock Invitational, respectively, and she'll rely on her strong ball-striking ability to continue to produce those consistent results once again in Ottawa.
Lexie McCay, Western Mustangs | McCay has been on fire this fall. The runner up from the 2021 OUA Championships has been a mainstay atop the leaderboard heading into her second go-around at the conference finale, with the Aurora, Ont. native having claimed individual gold at four tournaments this season. A fifth gold medal result is surely in her sights, as she looks to lead her team to back-to-back titles overall this weekend as well.
Noah McMullin, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks | A two-sport standout for the Ridgebacks, McMullin will trade his hockey sticks for golf clubs this weekend to help his Ontario Tech crew improve on their previous results. In his second go-around at championship play on the links, the men's hockey assistant captain is focused on building on that previous experience and rising up the leaderboard among the rest of his conference competitors.
Matt McRae, TMU Bold | McCrae, a third-year player from Aurora, Ont., has led the Bold at every event so far this season and is entering championship weekend fresh off a win at the Guelph Invitational on October 3rd. He shot a round of 69 to win the event by a single stroke, and will look to bring that same skill and high level of confidence to the banner season backdrop this weekend to better his 19th-place result from a year ago.
Michael Reilly, Queen's Gaels | The native of Toronto, Ont. is making his golf debut with the Gaels this season, but he is no stranger to the competitive environment. Prior to joining Queen's on the links, Reilly spent three seasons on the school's lacrosse team, but as he ventures down this new path of varsity action, he has proven to be a strong player with the ability to compete among the conference's best.
Jarrod Smith, Windsor Lancers | A co-silver medalist in 2019, the senior from LaSalle, Ont. is playing some of his best golf heading into this final weekend of play. Smith won the Lancer Invitational this past weekend, and combining that recent success with his experience on the championship stage means Smith will surely be poised for another podium-worthy performance when he tees off on Saturday.
Alex Turchan, Waterloo Warriors | Being from the Waterloo area, playing for the Warriors was something Turchan was very interested in before he got to the school. Having enjoyed his time on the team throughout his five years, including everything from Pinehurst trips to spending time in the similar, the captain is thankful for everything the team has given him, and will hope to cap off his varsity career by bringing an OUA championship home for the Warriors this weekend.
Hannah Yoshida, Waterloo Warriors | Another player who enters the OUA Championships on a roll is Yoshida. Her recent rounds of 82 and 79 at the Windsor Invitational helped her capture the individual title at the event, while also leading her team to bronze. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native will be eyeing more of the same at what will be her second banner season appearance for the black and gold.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
After claiming a program best fifth-place finish at the OUA Championships a year ago, the Brock Badgers women will be led by a pair of veteran golfers in Melanie Burgess (LaSalle, Ont.) and Emily White (St. Catharines, Ont.). The duo has been standout performers to date, delivering several top-10 results thus far, and will hope to ride those strong results into continued success on the provincial stage.
It has been a resurgent year for the Laurentian men's team, and they'll look to carry that momentum into championship weekend. The Voyageurs, led by Alex Fowke (Sudbury, Ont.) and Jacob Lacko (Sudbury, Ont.) began the fall with a win at the McMaster Invitational, the team's first tournament win since 2018, while also earning a second-place finish just a week ago at Windsor with a pair of fourth-place results woven in as well.
The McMaster men's team has their eyes and hearts set on the 2022 OUA title. The team has finished on the podium in each provincial tournament this fall when its top five players were available to compete. Among those results are a pair of wins - one at the Western Invitational and one at the Windsor Invitational - to bookend the season with team gold. The title is within reach for the Marauders and the Hamilton squad will aim to bring the OUA banner back to the hammer for the first time since 2004.
With a new-look team from last year's bronze medal squad, the Gee-Gees women's team will be looking to take the next step towards contention at the OUA level. Last year's podium finish, combined with a trip the University/College Championship in June, has shown that the program has potential to be one to watch at the OUA level for years to come, and they'll look to showcase that to their fellow golfers once again this weekend when they compete in their own backyard in Ottawa.
The defending champions on the men's side are looking to do just that - defend. The Gaels squad have big shoes to fill with seven players on the team being new to the roster. Led by lone returnee John Stewart, Queen's will need to have their 'A' game this weekend to be able to come away as champions for a second straight year, and while it hasn't been the smoothest of sailing in their ability to put two strong rounds together to this point in the campaign, there is no time like the present to make their mark.
Momentum is the name of the game for the Toronto women's group, as they enter the final weekend of play on a hot streak. The Blues have placed top-three in all of their tournaments this year, including first-place showings in their most recent two events. If they want to come away with their first OUA banner since 2014 - and ninth overall - they'll look for continued individual success from veteran Sara Cumby (Canaan, N.S.), who, like her team as a whole, has been a mainstay among the leaderboards this fall.
The reigning champion Western Mustangs have been playing as well as anyone in the lead up to the OUA Championships. The women's group collected a pair of team wins along the way, and coming off an identical result at the 2021 finale, the London squad is focused on much more of the same when they take on the rest of the OUA field at the Hylands Golf Club.
Wilfrid Laurier has seen team success from both squads this season, as the Hawks have been mainstays amongst the conference's top three teams in their tune-up events. With two team titles apiece and a flurry of additional podium positions to boot, the purple and gold contingent is well-positioned for another big showing at the OUA Championships.
What They're Saying:
"I'm very proud of our Marauder golfers who always exhibit great sportsmanship and class in representing McMaster University. Our women's team is showing steady improvement in their performances [] and the men's team is primed for an OUA Championship crown." - John Najev, Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"The team has been striving in the right direction all season. We have struggled to put it all together in the same weekend, but I am optimistic about the OUA Championships." - Gavin MacIver, Head Coach, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
"As a team, we are feeling really good as we are one of the few teams with multiple wins. I really believe in the girls and our ability to pick up our second OUA banner this year." - Lexie McCay, Student-Athlete, Western Mustangs
"We're looking forward to competing at the OUA Championships this year to try and cap off strong seasons from both our men's and women's golf programs. There is a lot of very good teams this season in both divisions, but I think our Golden Hawk athletes are up for the challenge." - Jeff Colley, Head Coach, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
"I am excited to get back to post COVID-19 play and to see our athletes compete in the traditional format. We have a deep field on both the men's and women's side, and I look forward to seeing how the weekend plays out." - Adam Wagner, Head Coach, Windsor Lancers
