Facing tough match-ups with newfound confidence in the playoffs, the Marauders women's basketball team has a promising future ahead of them

The McMaster University women's basketball team's journey through the playoffs was a clear display of the team’s potential to stand toe-to-toe with the country's best. The team was faced with tough match-ups, particularly in their quarterfinal match against the Carleton University Ravens, the top team in the Ontario University Athletics and U Sports, on Feb. 24. 

Jenna Button, a player on the women's basketball team, highlighted their increase in confidence throughout the season, a critical factor in their ability to compete at the highest level. 

"I truly believe that, even though we are such a young team. We have incredible athletes that put in the work to be able to compete with the top teams in the country. I think [the team’s confidence] will come with a little bit more experience," said Button. 

I truly believe that, even though we are such a young team. We have incredible athletes that put in the work to be able to compete with the top teams in the country. I think [the team’s confidence] will come with a little bit more experience.

Jenna Button, Marauders women's basketball team

This faith was not misplaced, as the Marauders demonstrated their capabilities in the tightly contested playoff run against the Ravens.

“They’re a great team. . .So that was obviously a huge challenge for us. Going up to Ottawa as well, it’s a tough gym to play in," said Button. 

Despite the odds, the Marauders approached the game with determination.

"We were the underdogs in that game; we had nothing to lose, and we did. We frickin’ gave them a run for their money. . .We stuck with them for three quarters, and then, unfortunately, things didn’t go our way in the fourth quarter," said Button.

We were the underdogs in that game; we had nothing to lose, and we did. We frickin’ gave them a run for their money. . .We stuck with them for three quarters, and then, unfortunately, things didn’t go our way in the fourth quarter.

Jenna Button, Marauders women's basketball team

The 77-94 defeat was a mix of disappointment and pride for the team. However, the season’s overall success and 16-8 record was a testament to the team's resilience and their solid foundation for the future. 

Especially in their victory against Wilfrid Laurier University and the hard-fought game against Carleton, the Marauder’s playoff performance highlighted their potential and the bright future that lies ahead.

As they continue to grow and gain more experience, their faith in their ability to compete with any team in the country only strengthens, promising thrilling seasons to come for the women's basketball team. 

Men and women's soccer teams win Marauders honours prior to playoff games as regular season winds down

On Oct. 23, McMaster Athletics and Recreation announced the Marauder Athlete of the Week awards recognizing outstanding athletic performances for the week of Oct. 16 to 23. Emilie Calabrese and Sachin Sargeant from the women and men’s soccer team respectively were given the honours to close out the final week of the season.  

Both players played crucial roles to help their teams to late-season victories.  

Calabrese scored a pivotal penalty goal for the Marauders on Oct. 20 against the University of Windsor Lancers. Despite quickly finding themselves down 2-0 in the first five minutes of play, Calabrese capitalized on a foul call towards the end of the half to narrow the deficit for the team. 

Despite quickly finding themselves down 2-0 in the first five minutes of play, Calabrese capitalized on a foul call towards the end of the half to narrow the deficit for the team. 

The veteran midfielder would go on to chip in an assist to forward Alena Spehar at the 67:49 mark, as the Marauders eventually went on to win the game 3-2.  

Despite losing their final regular season game 0-2 against the Western University Mustangs, Calabrese and the women’s team finished with an excellent record of eight wins, two losses and two ties.  

For the men’s team, Sargeant nabbed his first goal of the season on Oct. 22 against the Mustangs. A late goal by midfielder Joseph Guindy helped to seal the game for the maroon and grey as they collected a win in their final bout before the Ontario University Athletics playoffs.  

The match marked the seventh regular season win for the men, who tied for the third best record with the University of Guelph Gryphons in the west OUA conference.  

The match marked the seventh regular season win for the men, who tied for the third best record with the University of Guelph Gryphons

The men’s team began their postseason on Oct. 25 as they won their opening round game against Wilfrid Laurier University 1-0. On Oct. 28, the women faced the Gryphons in their quarterfinal at Ron Joyce Stadium.  

After encouraging efforts by both the men and women throughout the regular season, the Marauders will hope to make a deep playoff push and bring this year’s provincial championship home to Hamilton. 

Marauders men’s volleyball continues to deal with wavering health as they head into the first round of the OUA playoffs

With the playoffs set to begin, the Marauders playoff rotation remains unclear. Maxime Gratton will be sidelined for the first-round matchup due to a lower body injury, while Sam Cooper will be a game time decision as a result of a foot fracture that kept him sidelined through the second half of the season.  

Cooper, a 2021-2022 OUA first team all-star, as well as a 2021-2022 U Sport second team all-Canadian, is an integral part of the team, and the lack of his presence has been felt heavily of late. Losing another star player in Gratton has just made things that much harder for the team. 

“[Cooper's] on his return to train, but we won’t put him in a position where he’s not ready. If he is ready then we kind of have to ease him into game mode because he hasn’t played since early January. Even if he was ready [physically] I’m not sure if he would be ready to play. . . He’s chomping at the bit to get at the floor, but we have to do what’s best for their health and wellbeing,” said Dave Preston, the head coach.  

"[Cooper’s] on his return to train, but we won’t put him in a position where he’s not ready. If he is ready then we kind of have to ease him into game mode because he hasn’t played since early January. Even if he was ready [physically] I’m not sure if he would be ready to play."

Dave Preston, Men's Volleyball Coach

Between injuries to Cooper and Gratton, as well as load management for regulars Mateusz Wlodarski and Tyler Pavelic due to the growing urgency for health bodies, the Marauders have struggled of late.  

McMaster dropped their final two games of the regular season, snapping their perfect record on the year while also suffering their first regular season loss since 2020, and their first back-to-back loss since the 2016 season.  

Despite having lost Cooper in January, the Marauders maintained their position atop the standings, finishing in the first seed. Their first-round playoff matchup is none other than the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold – the team who ended the Marauders hopes of perfection in the second last game of the season.  

“A 20-0 regular season was never something we talked about, it was never one of our goals. Our first goal was to secure as much home court advantage through the playoffs as we could, and we did that. . . There’s two ways you look at it; sometimes you win, sometimes you learn,” explained Preston. 

The upcoming game is an opportunity for revenge against the bold, and there is a sense of growing anticipation amongst the team. They are confident, and ready for their shot at redemption. 

“Yes, there is a lot of excitement to play them again. . . They played great when we played them down there, they earned every point of that victory, but it’s a new match Saturday,” said Preston 

“Yes, there is a lot of excitement to play them again. . . They played great when we played them down there, they earned every point of that victory, but it’s a new match Saturday."

Dave Preston, Men's Volleyball Coach

Heading into the playoffs, the team has spent their reading week preparing. As for what has changed in the past week, the answer is nothing. There is a reason the team has had so much success in recent years, and why they were able to put together such a strong season again this year. Now they’re ready to trust the process when it comes to playoff prep.  

“Absolutely nothing [changed], the guys know what it takes. We’ve done it day in and day out for the last seven months. This isn’t something to change anything, this is the time to trust your training. . . It was really good to see two days prior to how locked in they were. The communication was impressive, the focus was impressive. These guys know what they’re doing. This isn’t a time for change, this is a time for trust,” said Preston.  

The highly anticipated game will take place on Feb. 25 at 8:00 PM in Burridge Gym, as a result of the team having secured home court advantage throughout. It will immediately follow the women’s playoff game at 6:00 PM. 

Coming off a big season with five key graduating members, the sense of urgency has kicked in for a team hungry to wreak havoc

The Marauders women’s basketball officially ended their season with 16 wins and five losses, but are coming off a streak of 15 wins in their last 17 games, and have only gotten better as time has passed. Their final two games of the season proved the capabilities of the team, showcasing their talents. 

The Marauders downed the Waterloo Warriors on Feb. 17 in a 20-point victory and the Toronto Varsity Blues on Feb. 18 in the way of a 21-point victory. Sarah Gates and Jenna Button played a key role in these victories, Button putting up 25 points, and Gates putting up 36 (23 at half) against UofT. Gates, McMaster’s single game points record holder and all time points record holder, also put up 41 against the Warriors.  

“Both of those games were such solid team wins. Everyone got on the floor [and] contributed in some way. When our team is working so well together, it’s easy individually to succeed, and we saw that. . . This is the perfect bounce back from our TMU loss from a couple weekends ago. We use it as a motivator going into the playoffs, and a reminder that we can’t take our foot off the gas,” said Gates. 

"This is the perfect bounce back from our TMU loss from a couple weekends ago. We use it as a motivator going into the playoffs, and a reminder that we can’t take our foot off the gas."

Sarah Gates, Women's Basketball Team & Canadian Leading Scorer

Gates has been the team centerpiece all season long, having led all of Canada in points per game, even having surpassed the next leading scorer by nearly 5 PPG, but she wasn’t the only member of the team to find the national leaderboards, as Mia Spadafora led the nation in three point percentage.  

“I’m so proud of Mia, that’s something that she’s been striving for. We’ve all known that she’s an amazing shooter. I think that seeing this statistic helps her really believe it, and going into the playoffs, that’s huge. . . It’s really awesome seeing both of us up there,” explained Gates. 

The team has been firing on all cylinders lately, but that comes after a somewhat spotty start to the season where they only won once in their first four matchups. However, those games may have proven to be some of the most valuable to the team, especially having come to early on.  

“We’ve been on such a good rise. Even in those first games, I know they were losses, but we were learning, growing each game. I think it’s something that our team has been doing so well with regardless of the score at the end of the game. . . That shift in our mindset will give us a great advantage going into the playoffs. We’re ready, we’ve growth throughout this season,” said Gates.  

The success for the team comes as a big deal in what was an extremely quick rebuild turnaround for the team. After what was expected to be a down year in 2021-2022, the team still managed to finish with 10 wins and seven losses, surpassing what most expected of them. Despite having provided some resistance in the playoffs, they were eliminated in their second round matchup. The team has been working to improve on that ever since, and their regular season record suggests the realism in that goal. 

“Last year [people] thought it was a rebuilding year, we were doing really well but didn’t quite get that outcome towards the end of playoffs. That sucked in the moment, but it was such a fuel to the fire going into a huge offseason. . . It was the discipline and motivation that we had in the offseason that kept us rolling this year. It’s unfinished business,” explained Gates.  

"That sucked in the moment, but it was such a fuel to the fire going into a huge offseason. . . It was the discipline and motivation that we had in the offseason that kept us rolling this year. It’s unfinished business."

Sarah Gates

The team will kick off their playoff run on Feb. 25 in Burridge Gym, at home against the Guelph Gryphons. Their last matchup against the 17 win and six loss Gryphons resulted in a final score of 82-73, in favor of the Gryphons on Nov. 30, so it should be a very competitive matchup.  

McMaster wins four straight meets in preparation for their upcoming playoff stretch

The McMaster University wrestling team remains undefeated after consecutive team victories at four meets to open their season. Displaying the deep depth of talent across their roster, the Marauders picked up 16 gold medals to rank nationally as the third and sixth best men and women’s teams respectively.  

At the McMaster Invitational in November, their first meet of the year, the Marauders placed first overall. Combining for 13 medals and 85 points, both the men and women’s teams put forward dominant efforts to defend home territory and started the year off strong.  

The team went on to top their meets at the Toronto Metropolitan University Invitational and the York Open, both of which took place in November. Of their 22 medals from both events, 10 came from members of this year’s recruitment class, who have quickly impressed thus far with their ability to compete with university talent.    

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First year sensation Gregor McNeil earned the title of U Sports men’s wrestling athlete of the week on Nov. 16 following a three match sweep at TMU. In the 61kg finals, McNeil earned the win 10 to zero against Brock veteran Garette Saunders, a former U Sports silver medalist in the 54kg and 57kg events.  

A similar standout on the women’s side, rookie Serena Di Benedetto collected three gold medals in her matches at McMaster, TMU and York. Having gone undefeated at these invitationals, Di Bennedetto was awarded the U Sports women’s wrestling athlete of the week on Nov. 23.  

In their last event of 2022, the team also competed at the Hamilton Wrestling Club for the Ontario Senior Open at Brock University. Wrestling at Canada Games Park, the Marauders were outstanding, finishing 18 points above the silver medaling London-Western WC in a dazzling collective performance.  

“Although wrestling is an individual sport, there’s also a really big team aspect because you have to keep each other accountable . . . I think our team is just extremely strong this year, better than any team we’ve had previous,” said Di Bennedetto.  

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Gold medalists for the meet include Di Bennedetto (53kg), Olivia Lichti (59kg) and Karanveer Mahil (125kg), all of whom are newly recruited to McMaster’s flourishing wrestling program this year.  

Following their showing at the Ontario Senior Open, the maroon and grey team continued their stretch of appearances inside the U Sports power rankings. The men’s team is currently placed third with 40 points behind the Alberta Golden Bears and Brock Badgers. The women’s team is ranked sixth in the country with 26 points.  

“All the other athletes are very inviting. That’s the main [reason] why I chose this school over the other ones. The family that they have going on is really good . . . Just this first year’s been fun so far,” said Mahil. 

Individually, Di Bennedetto, McNeil and Mahil are ranked first in the women’s 53kg and men’s 61kg and 125kg weight classes respectively. Other notable Marauders include third place ranking athletes Macy Malysiak (59kg), Similoluwa Jayeoba (72kg), Howard Moffatt (90kg) and Omogbai Asekomhe (100kg).  

Up next, the team will travel to St. Catharines to compete at the Brock Invitational on Jan. 14. The Marauders will then take the mats at the Guelph Open on Jan. 22 before finishing the campaign in London for the Junior Provincials and the Western Open on Jan. 28 and 29.  

Their success so far this season sets McMaster up to improve upon last year’s silver medal finish at the Ontario University Athletics playoffs on Feb. 11.  

 

C/O Ainsley Thurgood

All teams have down years. Now we wait to see if the squash team can rebound going forward.

On the weekend of March 12, the Ontario University Athletics squash championships took place, with seven different schools from across Ontario taking part. The Marauders entered with both the women’s and the men’s teams and had high hopes of making a mark at the competition.  

Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out how the squash teams had planned. Throughout the tournament, each team played four to five games, in the hopes of making it out of the group stage and advancing into the knockouts. However, neither team got close to reaching the knockout stages.  

The women's team won just one game while losing four, which earned them sixth place overall in the standings, leaving just the Brock Badgers behind them. Even though the women’s team came sixth, they outperformed the men’s team, who unfortunately lost all games throughout the tournament. They lost all four games, coming very last on the men’s table. It clearly was not a good weekend for the Marauders despite their best efforts. 

Although it hasn’t been a good championship for the Marauders, we should always look on the bright side. Every player on the men’s team and most of the players on the women’s team are in their first year of playing for the team. They lack experience, but they played with spirit and can retain their potential over the next year and possibly come back even stronger for next year's championship. It’s all up to them.  

C/O Markus Spiske, Rawpixel

After starting their season hot with a 5-1 record, the men’s basketball team has cooled off, going 5-4 since their return to the court

This year, the Marauders men’s basketball team has gone on an absolute tear. They started the season with a ridiculous record of five wins and one loss and were sitting with one of the top records in Ontario University Athletics. Upon returning from the winter break, the team has been unable to find that same level of success.  

l help us get back to where we want to be and get back to [winning] is just continuing to communicate, staying together as a team, playing tough on the defensive end, just being confident on offense [and] finding good shots instead of shots that we don’t need to take. Things of that nature will help us continue to win big games,” explained Lindo 

Tristan Lindo, a guard on the team, suggested that although the team appeared to be struggling on paper, they were still playing rather well, as recently they had been tasked with fending off some of the stronger teams in the league.  

“We had a pretty easy first half of the season. We have a harder second half. We got Brock, we got Windsor [and] Laurier — some tougher teams . . . I think the main thing that wil. 

In the second half they will have to face off against the Western Mustangs, Brock Badgers, Windsor Lancers, Waterloo Warriors and Laurier Golden Hawks. They remain the only team to have defeated the Badgers through 15 games.  

“I’m really confident in my team . . . I think we mesh very well together. We have a very talented team — a very deep roster. When we pull things all together I’m really confident in our chances. I think we’re one of the deepest teams in the country,” said Lindo. 

“I’m really confident in my team . . . I think we mesh very well together. We have a very talented team — a very deep roster. When we pull things all together I’m really confident in our chances. I think we’re one of the deepest teams in the country."

Tristan Lindo, Men's Basketball Team

The team led by star Jordan Henry, who was recently named OUA Athlete of the Week, will need to pull themselves together and play as a unit to ensure they are able to make waves in the playoffs as the season nears an end. With a strong team culture, the Marauders might just be able to. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaS0b8OF2ms/

C/O Barry Gray, Hamilton Spectator

Men’s volleyball team wins their 12th straight and is heading to the playoffs with their hearts set on the gold

It’s official: Mar. 5 2021 has become a day to remember for the men’s volleyball team at McMaster. It became the day that they would finish their season with a perfect record after winning all 12 games this past season.  

Historically speaking, men’s volleyball has long been a strong player in McMaster sports, having amassed a combined record of 203-25 over the last decade. In that span on the national floor they accumulated two silver medals and four bronze medals. This accompanies the six consecutive provincial titles they won from 2012-2017. 

Despite incredibly strong performances season after season, this might be their best shot yet at McMaster’s first national title since U Sports volleyball began awarding medals in 1967. Undefeated seasons are no easy feat.  

Going into the final regular season game, there was a lot of stress for players and fans. They were taking on the Windsor Lancers, a team that they had swept earlier in the season. Early in the game the Marauders struggled, losing the first set and just scraping together a win in the second. Tensions were high, but they were ultimately able to separate themselves in the second half.  

“We were pretty confident that if we put our best product out there on the floor that we’d take the win. We had a bit of a slow start . . . We felt that maybe we were a little too confident going into that matchup. They got the better of us, but we responded well and put that product out there by the end of the match,” said Sam Cooper, McMaster’s game leader in Kills-Aces-Blocks.  

"We felt that maybe we were a little too confident going into that matchup. They got the better of us, but we responded well and put that product out there by the end of the match."

Sam Cooper, Men's Volleyball Team

The final two sets came much easier for the Marauders, who won by scores of 25-20 and 25-14, cementing their legacy with a perfect record.  

“It was a cool moment to see what we had accomplished . . . In our last game losing that one set was probably a good thing for us,” explained Cooper. 

Cooper largely credited the success seen by the team this season to a sense of closeness within the young group. Having only a few graduating members on the team, it came as a surprise to many to see such a wonderful performance. However, members of the team itself may have been motivated by being perceived by others as green players.  

“I really feel a sense of cohesion on our team with all the guys. The biggest difference [from past McMaster teams] is probably our age. We’re a pretty young team with only one graduating senior on the floor . . . Lots of guys are getting their first shot to play here and that lends a kind of excitement to our game. That’s allowing us to play older than we are and achieve some of those same things that teams older than us have done in the past,” explained Cooper. 

In their first playoff game of the season the Marauders will take on none other than the team they closed out their perfect record with — the Windsor Lancers — on Mar. 12 at home. McMaster is the clear favourite in the matchup after having been rated second in the country by U Sports.  

“Overall we’re not necessarily happy with the number two position, but we understand that there's lots of things that go into making that number happen . . . Trinity Western is in that number one position. I think we’re in good company there. We have a healthy respect for them. I think the rankings show that we’re pretty close. We’re right at their heels,” said Cooper.  

In the playoffs the team is dead set on the gold. They feel confident that they are the best team in Ontario University Athletics and have a serious chance to do damage on the national level, should they make their way through this provincial round of playoffs.  

“Our goal is to secure the OUA final — the OUA gold. That’s the number one goal . . . The mentality going into it is that it’s a new season. The teams that we’re going to play, even though we’ve played them in the past, we’re expecting that they’re going to elevate their game and we’re going to need to be prepared for that and be the more prepared team,” explained Cooper.  

“Our goal is to secure the OUA final — the OUA gold. That’s the number one goal."

Sam Cooper, Men's Volleyball Team

All eyes will be on the team heading into the playoffs as they make a push for their first provincial title since the 2017-2018 season. This is a team that has what it takes to make a push for nationals so they’ll be a great team to follow over the next few weeks.

C/O McMaster Sports

After completing the season with eight wins and four losses, the women’s volleyball team is playoff bound

After completing their season on Mar. 2 with a sweep of the Windsor Lancers, the McMaster Marauders women’s volleyball team has started to look ahead to their next challenge: the playoffs. 

If the win against the Lancers was a sign of things to come, then opposing teams will have lots to worry about in their Marauders matchups, and the team made easy work of their final regular season game. The three sets came with final scores of 25-6, 25-8 and 25-14 with Sullie Sundara, Jessie Nairn, Ellie Hatashita and Emma McKinnon leading the way.

“We worked really hard as a team this year and I’m really proud of us for how far we’ve come. Second in the West, that’s a big deal. We’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity this year and we’ve really pushed through that. [We have] really worked hard to get where we are,” said McKinnon.

The team is very anxious to get their playoff journey started and they’ve got their eyes on the prize as they continue to prepare for their first big game. 

“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible,” explained McKinnon.

“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible."

Emma McKinnon, Women's Volleyball Team

On Mar. 12 the Marauders will take on the Western Mustangs, the fourth seed in the West who finished with seven wins and five losses. The game will take place at home in Burridge Gym, where students can attend free of charge. 

Photos by Kyle West

After bringing home the provincial silver medal last year, McMaster’s women’s volleyball team missed the Ontario University Athletics playoffs for the first time since 2003-2004. At the end of last season, a large part of the team’s veteran players decided to move on from the program, leaving an obvious hole that needed to be filled.

Jessie Nairn, a third-year commerce student, suddenly found herself as one of the more veteran players on a young squad in a new starting position. One of the youngest players on the court a season prior, Nairn took some time to wrap her head around her new role.

“It was definitely a big change, but I think I'm starting to really enjoy the role of being a leader on the team, and we're definitely really starting to try understand what our new culture is,” Nairn said. “Being able to shape that as a leader on the team is definitely super cool and something I'm really excited for, even the next year coming.”

While they were not able to ultimately finish where they wanted, the team played well considering their drastic roster changes and the fierce competition in the OUA West. The young Marauders were able to stay right in the playoff race until the very end of the season.

Although they didn’t really consider themselves underdogs, they knew the road to the playoffs wouldn’t be easy. As the team adjusted to having significantly less upper-year players than last year, including several OUA all-stars, the Marauders needed to find what their new identity would be.

“I think this year was a big start to try to decide how we want to be as a team, and really how we want to act and prove ourselves.” Nairn added. “I think we're ready, we know what we have to do next year and we're excited for sure.”

One major highlight of the season for this year’s squad was Nairn’s nomination to the OUA All-Star First Team. Making the most of her opportunity, Nairn posted team-highs in aces (34), kills per set (2.97) and points per set (3.8).

“This summer I realized I'd have to step up and be a big role on the team coming into this year,” Nairn said. “From there, I was never really aiming to be on a First Team or Second Team, but I was more so aiming to do everything I could to get the wins for our team and do the best I could.”

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As one of the tallest people in her Grade 8 class, Nairn was originally convinced to play volleyball because “you can’t teach height”. Her love for the sport snowballed from there and her talent soon followed as volleyball became a large part of her life.

“I was definitely big into volleyball and I knew that volleyball is kind of what I wanted to do, so I knew I needed to go somewhere where I would have the training that I could trust in,” Nairn said. “Tim Louks is just one of the best coaches out there, and definitely in the OUA. So, I was really honored when he asked me to be on the team and that's definitely one of the major parts of why I came to the school.”

Also initially attracted to Mac’s engineering program, Nairn entered into Mac and soon found herself surrounded by all-star talent, inspiring her in her young volleyball career. With many nationally-recognized on both the women’s team and the men’s team with whom they are close, Mac’s volleyball program has a palpable competitive environment of success, which helped push Nairn in her career.

This aided in Nairn’s transition from second-year double-sub to third-year starting right side. While the move was initially shocking, she was ready for it, spending much of last year in the front row blocking, which got her excited to attack the offseason with enthusiasm.

“Starting this year was definitely, but more so mentally, to get into the game and be a big role on the team was hard to get used to,” Nairn said. “But once I did, it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself, and I think this year for me was just a really big year, and kind of proved to me what I can do and the places I can go and what I want to do with it.”

Heading into next season with a much more cohesive team, and the incredible administrative and fan support the team receives as praised by Nairn, the Marauders are poised for an exciting season.

“I’m excited. I think our team is going to be very strong next year mentally and physically because I think this offseason is going to be one of the hardest we've ever had just because of the outcome of this year,” Nairn said. “I think it's really going to drive us to be a very good team. I'm excited for the competition because I know none of the schools around us are getting any weaker, they're only getting better.”

While this might have been the first year they have missed the postseason in recent memory, having players like Nairn, Hailey Kranics and Zoe Mackintosh, along with an assortment of rising stars, the future looks bright. There probably won’t be any missed playoffs anytime soon.

 

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