Due to a long history of sexism in sports, women’s athletics aren’t usually given the credit they deserve. Sports have been male-dominated for over a century, but there have been recent initiatives to help change this.
Over the past few weeks the introduction of the three-on-three women’s competition during the National Hockey League All-Star weekend or greater appreciation and focus for competitive women’s national teams such as the past World Cup victory by the United States soccer and continued success by Canadian Hockey teams in the Olympics. With the increased wages in the Women’s National Basketball Association having just been announced in January 2020, we are slowly making progress in climbing to equal pay in comparison to male major league sports counterparts. The WNBA announcement comes at no better time as Feb. 6 marks U Sports’ celebration of 100 years of women’s Canadian Interuniversity Sports basketball.
On Feb. 6, 1920, the Queen’s Gael’s and the McGill Martlets played the first women’s varsity basketball game. With that U Sports has decided, starting on Feb. 6, to list off the top 100 players in the history of Canadian collegiate basketball with decisions being made by a panel of women’s basketball coaches and partners.
With this upcoming anniversary in mind, the Silhouette looked back at a few of the most successful and dominant players in the program’s recent history.
Hilary Hanaka
Hilary Hanaka was the leader of last year’s national championship team in. The five-year star played from 2014-2019 at McMaster, has a filled-to-the-brim stats sheet and a fully stocked trophy wall. Having won a national championship and a, Critelli Cup trophy, Hanaka also made the OUA All-Rookie team, was a two year Ontario University Athletics All-Star and an All-Canadian player. By the time she graduated there wasn’t much left for Hanaka to accomplish. Her individual accomplishments include the Sylvia Sweeney Award, the national award for academic/athletic excellence from U Sports and service to the community, and the Joy Bellinger Award presented by the OUA to a student-athlete who excels in academics, athletics and community service.
Hanaka had a great impact on the court, in the classroom and in the community. Having broken McMaster’s ten year losing streak in the Critelli Cup and bringing home the teams first ever national championship would be enough to be on the Marauders record books on its own. The addition of her off-the-court achievements is what makes her the first player to make our list.
Danielle Boiago
The second player who comes to mind is Danielle Boiago, who should need no introduction. In the five years that she played for McMaster from 2012 to 2017, she dominated Burridge. Since the first day she stepped on the court as a Marauder, she was a dominant guard averaging 15.5 points a game combined with 53 steals, 46 assists and a total of 340 points in her first season. She was only getting started. Impressive is a word that does not live up to her presence on the court and her importance to the team, being the first player in program history to win the Nan Copp Award as women’s U Sports player of the year in 2017. This year she averaged 25.5 points a game and she became McMaster’s all-time leading scorer with 1,719 points, which gives a better idea of her prowess. This is among the awards she gathered in addition to the four time All-Star and an All-Rookie team nod in the OUA.
After accepting a contract to play professional basketball in the Netherlands, Boiago played ten games for Holland’s Royal Eagles and averaged a staggering 16 points per game. She eventually returned to the Marauders as an assistant coach. She has given to the team on and off the court, but also for her country. She played five games on Team Canada in the 2018 CommonWealth Games, where they lost in the bronze medal game to New Zealand and finished fourth in the tournament overall.
Chiarra Rocca
The third player which led the Marauders in recent history is Chiarra Rocca. Now inducted into the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame, she played from 2004-2008 while racking in a mountain of achievements. She led the team to win two OUA championships in 2007 and 2008 and a CIS bronze in 2008, secured in part by her defensive prowess and soft touch shot. She was an all-star from the moment she dressed up in maroon and grey, as she made the OUA All-Star team in her first season as well as the CIS All-Rookie-team and was also lauded by the province, earning the OUA rookie of the year award. Later in her career, she made the OUA all-star team three more times, making her an OUA all-star in every season she played. As mentioned, she was quite the defensive force. This won her the OUA and CIS defensive player of the year in 2006 along with the team MVP. When she graduated she was the all-time leader for rebounds in the OUA at 760 total, a title which she still holds today.
As we look back at 100 years of women’s basketball we also look back at the greatness that has walked the halls of DBAC and occupied Burridge gym. The women’s basketball team has had many prominent players dress in maroon and grey and there are probably many more to come. Here’s to appreciating the women in sports who fight for equality and recognition. McMaster has had their fair share and all of them should get the recognition they deserve.
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Photo by Cindy Cui / Photo Editor
The McMaster 2019-2020 women’s basketball team is halfway through their current season, sitting at a record of seven wins and seven losses, a stark difference from last year where they acheived a record of 11 wins and three losses by the midway point.
They achieved a big win against the extremely challenging University of Windsor Lancers on Jan. 15. Third-year guard, Sarah Gates led the team with 30 points en route to their 70-52 victory. The game mostly came down to the second quarter, where the Marauders outscored the Lancers 27-9. This run came mostly from the incredible second-quarter outburst from Christina Buttenham, who knocked down four three-pointers, on the way to 18 points for the quarter. This was an impressive effort leading the Marauders to victory as the Lancers lose their second game of the season and take their record to 11 wins and two losses.
One of the key factors that led to the Marauders’ win over the highly ranked Lancers was bringing what they do in practice to the court.
“I feel like our team really stepped up big in the Windsor game. We have been having great practices, and struggled to bring it to games, but we took a huge step this past Wednesday [Jan15]. We have a solid team, and I hope that win gives us some confidence. It’s very important for us to stay together like we did against Windsor,” Buttenham said.
Third-year guard Mia Spadafora shared a similar perspective on the importance of that game and how it will influence the team going forward.
“I feel as though our team has been making great strides in the past couple of games. There is a fight that has been so visible and very needed in order for our team to become successful. It is so important for us to be playing in unison and for each other,” Spadafora said.
“I feel that this needs to be ramped up even more in order for this success to continue from the Windsor game we played on Wednesday [January 15], especially because of the toughness of this semester’s schedule. We beat a top ten team, and that’s something we need to hold onto and grow from.”
The 18 point win against the strong Lancers is a reflection of the women’s basketball team’s capabilities. Even though a record of seven wins and seven losses might not show it, the team is capable of more wins if they strategically harness their newfound momentum. Due to a large graduating class last year, star forward Buttenham had to step into a more demanding role this season.
“My biggest focus this season is to become more of a leader. With losing [veteran teammates] Hilary, Linnaea, Erin and Evie, we lost some big voices on and off the court. I think I have come a long way, but there is definitely more I can do to be vocal on the court,” said Butternham.
Buttenham’s progression as a player has seen her focus on being an effective two-way player.
“When I was younger, I put so much focus on scoring. As I continued playing, I turned my focus to defence and noticed that allowed me the chance to let the game come to me instead of trying to force things. There are so many important pieces to a game, so when one may not be working for me I shift my focus to the other aspects of the game,” Buttenham said.
“When I was younger, I put so much focus on scoring. As I continued playing, I turned my focus to defence and noticed that allowed me the chance to let the game come to me instead of trying to force things."
Clearly, defense has become a priority when training, as it is crucial for the team’s success to have players that can maintain high levels of play at both ends of the court. As shown in the last game, Buttenham is becoming a three and D type player, after showing high levels of defensive play, as well as four threes in the game. Three-point shooting is becoming a much needed skill as well to adjust to modern day basketball. As proven by the Golden State Warriors dynasty in the National Basketball Association, the ability to shoot the long ball is a significant advantage.
Spadafora had some similar thoughts when asked about her three-point shooting ability.
“A three-point shot has always been a huge weapon for myself, and the style of play that we inhibit and exhibit at Mac. Our team is known for a fast pace, so it becomes extremely difficult to try to defend everything. Three-point play is dangerous, daggers like that can change the game through one shot,” Spadafora said.
“Being able to have the range opens up your offence, not only for yourself but for your teammates. When I think of Sarah Gates, she is extremely difficult to guard, if you give her room, that shot is going up. If you overplay, it’s a hard contested drive with a perfect finish. As long as they get twos and you get threes, the game is yours.”
With a playstyle developing a modern touch, the Marauders look poised to finish strong. They remain confident that they have the ability to go on a strong run to close out the season and if they maintain the aggression and balance in their play, they look likely to do it. The team is hopeful to make a playoff run this year, and they look as ready as ever to do it.
Photo by Cindy Cui / Photo Editor
Breast cancer awareness campaigns are common throughout many North American professional and collegiate sports. Joining the ranks of the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and National Collegiate Athletic Association, McMaster Athletes Cares hosts an annual Think Pink initiative. The student group is made up of current athletes and regularly participates in community service and fundraising initiatives within campus and the greater Hamilton community.
McMaster Athletes Care runs several campaigns during the year such as clothing drives, McMaster Children’s hospital visits, Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton and Think Pink, a week-long breast cancer awareness campaign. Highlights from last week’s events include a range of events, from raffle fundraisers giving away McMaster branded gear and exercise classes, to competitions like Spike Ball tournaments.
Think Pink, with support from the Royal Bank of Canada, aims to raise awareness while also raising funds for the Juravinski Cancer Centre and Bright Run, an annual non-competitive walk or run fundraiser supporting breast cancer research at the JCC.
By participating in charitable efforts, McMaster Athletes Cares has shown a soft side complementary to the competitive edge of McMaster athletics. This is a step in the right direction as McMaster’s athletes prioritize creating an impact both on and off the courts.
This grassroots effort was specifically chosen to financially support local causes. McMaster Athletes Care felt it would be more effective to donate to local institutions that would invest the funds back into the Hamilton community.
McMaster Athletes Care felt it would be more effective to donate to local institutions that would invest the funds back into the Hamilton community.
Claudia Continenza, a fifth year defenceman for the women’s soccer team and Think Pink organizer, noted that the group’s decision to support JCC and Bright Run was made to ensure that there was transparency regarding where funds are allocated.
Continenza’s vision for Think Pink goes further than just how the initiative went this year. She would like to see Think Pink include not only the promotion of breast cancer awareness and research but to support other causes, such as other types of cancer.
This past April, McMaster Athletics faced the realities of cancer when Joe Valvasori, the head coach of the women’s soccer team passed away following a long battle with stomach cancer. Following this loss, McMaster Athletes Care reflects on expanding on its initiatives and fundraising efforts to include other areas of cancer research to widen its support to the Hamilton community.
“I think actually one of my hopes, and it might not be the hope of whoever takes over for me next year, but one of my hopes would be that we can expand our horizons beyond just breast cancer research and awareness. Our former head coach Joe [Valvasori] passed from stomach cancer so it’s something that’s really close to our team and we’re putting all this into supporting breast cancer but any progress in cancer is great and a goal of mine is to expand this initiative past just breast cancer,” Continenza said.
In the experience of participating students and community members, Think Pink is a valuable initiative that creates an opportunity for athletes to actively engage in supporting healthcare and charitable causes in the Hamilton community. While breast cancer researcher remained a focus of this year’s Think Pink campaign, there’s interest in expanding the initiative in the coming year to reflect the evolving needs of our local community.
Top 5 things to look forward to in the new year in McMaster Athletics
1. Nordic Skiing
Possibly one of the more interesting stories of the year is the addition of the Nordic Skiing Program to McMaster Athletics’ arsenal of contenders for the Ontario University Athletics championship. This will be the 37th program brought to competition by McMaster and nordic skiing will have a new provincial championship introduced in February 2020. With the introduction of this program, McMaster Athletics is looking to the future and the expansion of its trophy case. It was a bold move to introduce a new sport while the David Braley Athletic centre is undergoing expansion, but McMaster Athletics has shown that they are not letting any physical barriers in facilities, or lack of snow this year, to stop them from progressing.
The Men’s Volleyball team is coming off a busy winter break. They faced top-notch competition from several teams in the United States including Ohio State University, Long Beach State University and Lewis State University. Even though they lost to their American competitors, squaring off against fierce competition will help them improve their game as they enter 2020. On the Northern side of things, McMaster took down National Championship contender Trinity Western University two days in a row. These two wins against a Canadian powerhouse is great news for the Marauders and casts the rest of the season in a bright light.
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The Women’s volleyball squad is looking for another shot at a playoffs run. After falling short in the 2018-2019 season and missing the playoffs, the Marauders are looking for redemption. Currently ranked fourth in the Western division of the OUA, the race to make playoffs will come down to the wire as three teams have already clinched their berths, leaving only one spot available. On a positive note to start the second half of the season was the two blow out wins the Marauders pulled off against the Lakehead University Thunderwolves. This is a great start to January as the Women’s team gears up to play the Ryerson University Rams, who are ranked first in the OUA east, and the Brock University Badgers, ranked third in the OUA west, later this month.
[pjc_slideshow slide_type="basketball-jan-16-2020"]
The Women’s team is looking to defend their National Championship as they gear up for a tough second half of the season. They just lost to the fifth overall team in the nation according to U sports, in the Ryerson University Rams, the Marauders look to take down other strong contender in the Western University Mustangs and Windsor University Lancers. These games will test the Marauders during this cold January streak.
The Rams have a sharpshooting starting lineup, and they averaged 46.5 per cent from the field in the matchup against the Marauders. The Rams’ recruiting program has led to a decade of success, where exceptional shooting has consistently remained one of the team’s strengths. That being said, the main issues for McMaster was that they were outrebounded 51 to 30 and had five more turnovers than the Rams. Cleaning up these two areas could lead to far fewer issues in the future.
U Sports ranks the McMaster Men’s Basketball team eighth overall in the country. Currently sitting in playoff contention with a record of nine wins and three losses, they look to stay strong and head to the playoffs again this year. That being said, they have a hard January in front of them, where they will be playing many top schools including the Windsor University Lancers, Western University Mustangs, Queens University Gaels and the Ryerson University Rams, with one easier matchup against Ontario Tech. Queens, Windsor, Western and Ryerson are top teams in the OUA who are looking for something to prove. In order to get by these opponents, the Marauders will have to stay consistent throughout every quarter, something they were not able to do in the last matchup against Ryerson. While the Marauders are staying strong with low turnover rates combined with a high number of takeaways, they need to clean up shot selection to make sure they stay on the high scoring streaks they are known for.
In case you haven’t noticed, David Braley Athletic Centre is under expansion! The renovations mark just one of many additions to accommodate for the ever-growing student body of McMaster. DBAC’s expansion is set to create more exercise space and athletic opportunities in order to allow a greater number of students to use the facilities. If you have travelled into the depths of DBAC and the Ivor Wynne Center, then you are familiar with the out-of-date, overrun and sometimes run-down squash, basketball and Pop-up Pulse. The construction, which started this year, meant to create a happier, healthier and more active campus.
The athletic year is only halfway through, and surely you remember the Yates Cup stunner, but there are so many tournaments left in the year for you to enjoy! The OUA is a vast and expansive association covering more sports than you can probably name, which means there is no shortage of exciting championships to come in 2020. Some of my favourites that you should keep an eye out for include the Critelli and Wilson Cup, both taking place on Feb. 29. The Critelli Cup, the women’s basketball championship, is looking like it will be another exciting year with many top programs performing at a high level. The path to the Wilson Cup, which is awarded to the OUA men’s basketball championship winner, is looking like it could be exciting. With several underdog contenders putting up a fight in the regular season, the cup is up for grabs to whoever wants it most. Get ready for the madness of Cup season — who knows who will be the Cinderella story this year.
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If you’ve been following the men’s basketball team this year, you’ll know they’ve been on a hot streak so far with a winning percentage of .750. This can in large part be attributed to Jordan Henry’s monstrous season so far.
Henry’s second-year leap resembles that of Luka Dončić’s, the latter going from All-Rookie player in the National Basketball Association and the former going from All-Rookie in the country, to doing it all and scoring at will on the court in their sophomore seasons. Henry is averaging 21.7 points per game, achieving the fourth-most PPG in the province. Even more astonishing is that Henry is only 0.2 points away from being third for PPG in the OUA. Usually, veteran players hold the top spots for PPG in the OUA. Henry is one of two players in the top five in PPG that is in their second year or below.
He may play for U sports in Canada at the moment, but Henry also has loose ties to the NBA. He played on the same team as RJ Barrett during the 2017 U19 Fédération internationale de basket World Cup, where Canada took home the gold medal.
Henry also ranks first among the Marauders in points, assists, steals and minutes played, while also ranking in the top five for the maroon and grey in rebounds, three-point percentage, free throw percentage and field goal percentage with players who have attempted over 10 field goals.
The Marauders have nearly matched their win total from the previous season — and it’s not even halfway through the year yet. Mcmaster currently has nine wins and three losses while last year they had a sub .500 win percentage with 12 wins and 14 losses by the end of the season.
Perhaps what is most remarkable is Henry has accounted for nearly 25 per cent of the maroon and grey’s points so far, having scored 260 points out of the team’s total of 1038. After making not only the OUA first-team All-Rookie but also the U sports first-team All-Rookie last year, it would surprise no one if our star guard made the overall U sports first team this year.
However, RJ Barrett’s former teammate is definitely not the only thing this team has going for it. Head coach Patrick Tatham and his staff have assembled a team that is not only performing at the moment, but will also blow the competition away for years to come. Looking at the roster, it’s hard not to notice that eight out of the 17 players on the team are in their second year and four are in their first year, leaving years of greatness ahead for the team.
This could be the year the Marauders finally take home the W.P. McGee trophy. First introduced in 1963, the trophy is awarded to the top ball team across Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. However, even though it’s been around for nearly 60 years, McMaster has never been able to bring it home, even though they’ve come second five times. Our last appearance in the final game of the season was in 1998.
Will this year be the first time in school history we take the W.P. McGee trophy? Who knows. But it’s definitely possible. Catch the team at their next game against the Western University Mustangs on Jan. 18, right at home in Burridge.
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Photo by Matty Flader / Photo Reporter
The 2019-2020 McMaster men’s volleyball team kicked off their season on Oct. 5. Currently, the team holds a record of seven wins and one loss. In four of these wins, they managed to sweep the other teams, winning three sets to zero. The team this year looks to be extremely promising and ready to continue to build on their winning history.
McMaster has had an incredibly strong volleyball program for the past few years, with significant credit given to their head coach, Dave Preston. Preston has been McMaster’s head coach since 2002. Over his time with the Marauders, he has led the team to 12 U sports championship games and nine Ontario University Athletics titles, the team also won two silver and four bronze medals at the national championship from 2013-2018. Preston has been awarded the Canadian University Coach of the year for men’s volleyball three times during his tenure with McMaster. He is highly credited for the team’s success over the years, not only because of his ability to guide the team, but also because of his ability to effectively recruit new students.
Over his time with the Marauders, [Preston] has led the team to 12 U sports championship games and nine Ontario University Athletics titles.
Outside of university coaching, Preston has led other teams to success. In 2012, Preston was named the head coach of the junior men’s under 21 national team for the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Volleyball championship. The NORCECA is a non profit organization that holds volleyball tournaments where 42 nations take part. Preston guided the junior men’s under 21 Canadian team to the finals, where they lost to Cuba.
Coach Preston’s history of success greatly contributes to the men’s volleyball team at Mac. It creates a winning atmosphere that continues to this day.
“Our team culture doesn’t change. That comes from the top, and our coaches are some of the best in the country. They recruit very well, and allow us to become the team that we have been in the past, and to this day,” Delguidice said.
Because of the team’s success in the past and their strong start to the 2019-2020 season, Delguidice noted that they had high expectations for the year ahead.
“I think it’s every team’s goal to compete at the highest level they could achieve, ours is to compete for a gold medal at provincials and further, nationals. These guys know it’s a long process from early September to March, so we’re playing one game at a time,” Delguidice said.
The team is looking forward to another strong season from their players. Based on their hot start to the 2019-2020 season, an OUA championship seems like a plausible finish, which the team is hoping to secure. McMaster is currently first in the OUA West men’s standings and tied with the University of Toronto Blues for the best record in the league. They also hold the longest win streak, at five straight games. Their win streak alone is as many wins as the next placed team in the OUA West, The University of Guelph Gryphons, who sit at second place in the OUA West with five wins.
McMaster is currently first in the OUA West men’s standings and tied with the University of Toronto Blues for the best record in the league.
With coach Preston by their side, the team is in a favourable position to take the OUA title. The men’s volleyball season will span from October through February, followed by playoffs. It will undoubtedly be an exciting team to follow this season.
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Photo by Matty Flader / Photo Reporter
By: Kyle West, Contributor
The Marauders were looking to spark some momentum after a tough loss to York on Nov. 15, who stopped their chances at a four-game winning streak. With a return home on Nov. 16, they faced University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues, one of the nation’s leading forces on the court. The match lasted five sets: after a strong fourth set resurgence by the Blues, Mac’s return home was ultimately spoiled.
Burridge gym was on the edge of their seats as they saw Mac take a strong 2-1 lead in the first three sets. But the force of the number four ranked offence, the Varsity Blues, was ultimately too strong to curtail. The Marauders defended admirably to lead to a close final tiebreaker where the Blues were able to capture the win.
There were many familiar faces putting up points for McMaster, spreading the offence through Hailey Kranics, Jessie Nairn and Marina Vesovic. Kranics lead the Marauders fight with 16 points and added two aces and five solo blocks to her already impressive record. Along with the familiar names in the box score against U of T, this match saw rookie setter Nikolina Malic at the helm for her first full game, who reached 34 assists.
Kranics lead the Marauders fight with 16 points and added two aces and five solo blocks to her already impressive record.
With the way the teams were delivering spikes, the match closely resembled blows exchanged in a boxing match. A series of runs for each side led to a gripping back and forth, giving those in attendance an exciting game from start to finish.
The Varsity Blues are one of the toughest opponents in all of U Sports. They are currently ranked second in the Ontario University Athletics East standings, with a blazing seven-game win streak. With that being said, McMaster made them work hard for the win. Taking the match to five sets proved that the Marauders can play at a high level of competition. They will be looking to continue this style of play as they approach the new year, as they are tied for third place in OUA West standings with the University of Waterloo Warriors, who they just beat on Nov. 23.
The women’s volleyball team, who was just shy of the playoffs last year, is looking forward to ending the fall portion of their season on a high note. It is important for them to regain some momentum as they approach a well-deserved month long break. The team heads out west in late December where they will be playing at the University of Winnipeg for a three-day tournament, where they should be able to secure a few more wins.
It can be tough playing out west, especially due to how cruel the winters can be. But hopefully, a hot streak will make the cold more bearable. Securing wins at the tournament would be a good way to close out 2019 and propel the women’s volleyball team for a strong playoff push during the second half of the 2019-2020 season.
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Photo C/O David Moll
On Nov. 16, the University of Calgary Dinos crushed the Marauders’ Vanier Cup aspirations in a crushing 30-17 loss. However, all hope is not lost. This was quarterback Andreas Dueck’s first full year as a starter and the fact that he was able to lead the team this far is a promising sign for the future.
While the Marauders will lose some key pieces to their team next year, they may be able to tap into the skills of younger players to repeat their success of this season. For example, long-time starting running back Jordan Lyons will be graduating next year. However, the men’s team also has third-year running back Justice Allin, who averaged an astounding 7.2 yards per carry over the season on 48 attempts. Allin’s stats jump off the sheet, indicating that he may be more than capable if tasked with taking over Lyons’ lead-back duties.
“I feel like I’m ready for it, I just have to get back in the gym and build up the body for it. He’s [Lyons] taught me a lot since he’s been here. I’ve been here for three years, and he’s more of the inside runner kind of guy and I was less of that my first two years, but with him being the leader that he is he’s kind of showed me the ropes of it. He’s helped me create a better inside run game for myself, so I see myself definitely taking over that role hopefully,” said Allin.
Allin is a do-it-all type back. In the three games that Allin played in for the 2018-2019 season, he averaged four receptions per game. In the 2019-2020 season, Allin was also the kick returner on 17 out of the 22 kickoffs returned by the Marauders.
While these stats are important, they do not match the valuable relationships he has with his teammates, including the Marauders’ leading receiver Tommy Nield and quarterback Dueck, who Allin immediately suggested come along when we reached out to get an interview from Allin. Along with Allin, Dueck and Nield are, individually and collectively, key strengths of the Marauders’ team.
Along with Allin, Dueck and Nield are, individually and collectively, key strengths of the Marauders’ team.
“We all came in as strangers. We knew of each other coming in through social media and football out of school. Coming into first year we hit it off and since, we’ve been good buds and we spend a lot of time together outside of football which has definitely contributed to our success on the field, and I can see that continuing to grow throughout the years,” Allin said.
Dueck competed with another quarterback Jackson White for the starting position last year, but this year Dueck won the starting job. After he earned the starting role Dueck greatly improved, throwing for 15 touchdowns and 2431 yards compared to five touchdowns and 1458 yards last year.
“It’s definitely been really good for me, just having that trust from the coaches, knowing that they have your back and that they’re going to fight for you is big,” Dueck said.
Dueck has greatly improved this season, with the help of the Marauder’s coaching staff. Still, he acknowledges that there will always be ways that he can challenge himself to be better.
“I want to make better decisions every game, that’s something I want to improve. Eliminating those interceptions, with better decision-making that will come. I attribute a lot of success this year to the coaching staff. They got me prepared really well and we had a great team around us,” Dueck said.
Nield, the aforementioned top receiver and second-team Ontario University Athletics all-star, will be returning next year. This bodes well for the team’s future success. Nield has been Dueck’s favourite target on the field for the past two seasons. The connection that this duo has on the field will continue to threaten defences around the province.
“I mean [Nield] is a beast, he needs to get the ball straight up. When you’re that good you kind of attract the ball, he’s a great guy and I love hanging out with him,” said Dueck.
Even though the season didn’t end in the way the team hoped, getting to the Mitchell Bowl is still quite impressive and has left the team hungry for more. Going into next year, the team will have the confidence they need to be able to take the OUA by storm.
“There’s definitely going to be a lot of hype for it next year coming off a Yates and going to a Mitchell bowl but I feel like our team lives up to the hype and we are the hype. I’m excited for next year,” said Allin.
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The 2019 U Sports Championship Cross Country Tournament was held last weekend on Nov. 9. Both the men’s and women’s teams travelled to Kingston for the tournament, which is widely regarded as the most important event of the year for cross country. Both teams put as much as they could into this tournament, knowing how important it was. The men’s team managed to place second overall. The first place seat went to the University of Calgary Dinos, who were the defending champions. The women’s team finished 13th.
Team Captain Caroline Forbes led the pack for the Women’s team achieving 27th overall at the tournament. This was an astounding 47 spots ahead of where she finished last year and was awarded the Pink’s Burgers athlete of the week for her accomplishment. Forbes is only a second-year runner yet is one of the team’s most accomplished athletes, she goes to show how in a year or two the women’s team has a great chance of going the distance and medaling at the U Sports Championship. Having such a young team can certainly be challenging, but the sky is the limit for the women’s team.
Leading up to nationals, men’s team veteran runner Max Turek and head coach Paula Schnurr revealed their preparation for the tournament, as well as some team goals.
“Our goal is not to just podium, but win. We left last year hungry for more, and know we have a really good shot this year. We’re fit and ready to roll and are excited to see what we can throw down,” said Turek.
“Our goal is not to just podium, but win. We left last year hungry for more, and know we have a really good shot this year. We’re fit and ready to roll and are excited to see what we can throw down,” said Turek.
Despite not placing first overall, as the team had hoped, their second and 13th place finishes are impressive. Just a week earlier, the men’s team came second and the women’s team placed fifth at the Ontario University Athletics cross country tournament.
“We went into OUAs hoping for the win, but we just didn’t have it that day. We know what went wrong, and where our weaknesses are, and what needs to be done in the future to capitalize and win a title. We still have a lot of confidence going into [nationals], expecting to be able to improve from our third place last year,” said Turek.
The team seems to have reflected on what went wrong at the OUAs and focused on key areas for improvement going into the U Sports Championships.
“After OUAs, our main focus was to just work as a team and concentrate on bringing home a U Sports national title. We wanted to make sure we were well rested going into championships, and be able to execute better than we did at OUAs,” Turek added.
Turek stressed the importance of a U Sports title, which the team came ever so close to, eventually settling for a second place finish. The U Sports championship is the biggest stage for them, as it is the only opportunity to compete at a national level. The team was looking forward to nationals for the entire year, and their eyes had been on the prize.
The men’s team trained specifically for this event over the past year, with all other competitions acting as lead-up to the U Sports tournament. When coach Schnurr was asked about the team’s training regiment and goals, she offered a similar response to Turek.
“After OUAs, our main focus was to just work as a team and concentrate on bringing home a U Sports national title. We wanted to make sure we were well rested going into championships, and be able to execute better than we did at OUAs,” said Schnurr.
“After OUAs, our main focus was to just work as a team and concentrate on bringing home a U Sports national title. We wanted to make sure we were well rested going into championships, and be able to execute better than we did at OUAs,” said Schnurr.
As good as second place is, the team isn’t satisfied. This year was significant for cross country, as both the men’s and women’s teams improved from their last year finishes at U Sports. Last year, the men’s team placed third, and the women’s team placed 15th.
This year, Turek, Alex Drover and Andrew Davies of the men’s team managed to place in the top ten at nationals, placing fifth, sixth and ninth respectively. McMaster was the only university to have three runners in the top 12. Drover and Turek made the All-Canadian first team, and Davies made the All-Canadian second-team, being chosen out of every runner in the country which is an incredible honour. Making an All-Canadian team means that out of all the qualified runners in the country they pick the very best for the first team and then the next best for the second team and so on.
The Marauders put up a strong fight on their way to finishing second and 13th in the most important cross country tournament of the year. It will be exciting to watch the teams next year as they improve and continue to dominate the track.
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Photo C/O Kyle West
The 2019-2020 McMaster men’s basketball team kicked off their season on Oct. 25, with a heartbreaking two-point loss against the Lakehead University Thunderwolves. Following this loss, they won their next two games, against Lakehead and the Brock University Badgers, bringing the team to a record of two wins and one loss.
This season, the team looks to break the playoff barrier and achieve their first winning record since the 2015-2016 season. With how strong the team looks this year, this goal appears promising.
This season, the team looks to break the playoff barrier and achieve their first winning record since the 2015-2016 season. With how strong the team looks this year, this goal appears promising.
Other than starting the season at two wins and one loss, the team has shown flashes of their potential in order ways, demonstrating how dominant of a team they can be at their best. Notable performances from players, such as second year guards Jordan Henry and Sefa Otchere along with fifth year forward Connor Gilmore, have propelled this team into a potentially great season.
Right off the bat, Henry jumped into the season as one of the top statistical performers on the team, having a hot first game, and improving in every game thereafter. On the court, he has maintained a field goal percentage of 47.2 per cent, while averaging 23.3 points per game. In the team's second game of the season, Henry led the team in points, assists, rebounds and steals. These stats are all quite remarkable as Henry is only in his second year.
Otchere is the other second year guard who managed to start the season with an impressive 33 points, while leading the team with four three pointers in their first game.
Gilmore could be one of the key players down the stretch. He has a reputation as a “glass cleaner”, grabbing rebounds left and right, through a playstyle similar to former Toronto Raptors player, Jonas Valančiūnas. In each of the last two seasons, Gilmore averaged over eight rebounds per game. This season he’s continuing this trend with a strong presence in the paint. As the team’s leading rebounder last year, a big year from him could be critical down the stretch and could lead to a perfect send off, being that it is Gilmore’s fifth and final year with the team.
When asked about his goals for the team this upcoming season, Gilmore offered an optimistic and ambitious response.
“I hope to get to nationals this season,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore believes in a more team-oriented approach to basketball, choosing not to focus on individual accolades.
“I’ve learned over time that if you care about things like that, your team won’t be successful. I’m worried about our overall success, and whatever comes after that is just the cherry on top,” Gilmore added.
“I’ve learned over time that if you care about things like that, your team won’t be successful. I’m worried about our overall success, and whatever comes after that is just the cherry on top,” Gilmore added.
The fifth year veteran was also asked about the most significant change for the team during his time.
“The most positive dramatic change would have to be the hiring of coach Tatham and the positive effect he has had changing the culture of our program. He was given a tough hand to start with, but he has done an excellent job thus far and will continue to do so,” Gilmore denoted.
Coach Patrick Tatham is entering his third year as the Marauders’ head coach. Before taking on the role, Tatham was an assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws of the G-League, which is the developmental league of the National Basketball Association. Throughout the season, it will be interesting to watch how coach Tatham adjusts his gameplan from game to game given his professional experience.
Despite winning their second game of the season against Lakehead, their field goal percentage was only 35.8 per cent, with a three-point percentage of 27.2 per cent. Also, there were only seven assists made in the game. Ball movement and smart shots will be key for the team going forward. This will arguably be one of the most important things to watch for this season, as the team looks to build on the 2018-2019 season, in which they made the OUA quarter finals.
