A podium finish for the women’s team and fifth place for the men’s team rounds off the Marauders’ performance at the Ontario University Athletics competition
On Oct. 29 the McMaster University men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the annual Ontario University Athletics championships. This year, the race was hosted by the University of Waterloo at the Columbia Ice Fields.
Both teams ran an eight kilometer race in Waterloo, facing off against 16 other universities within Ontario. The women’s team finished with a bronze medal while the men’s team was able to secure a fifth place spot in the competition.
Running for the women’s team, senior Rosalyn Barrett impressed as she won an individual silver medal in the eight kilometre race following a fantastic second place finish. The team was also aided by Hannah Goodjohn and Victoria Lamb, who helped the Marauders to their bronze medal by finishing in tenth and eleventh place respectively.
For the men’s team, this year marked the first OUA competition for many athletes on the roster, which has experienced high turnover from the previous season. This includes runners such as fourth-year Connor Lashley, who recorded a twelfth place finish, and rookie Kamran Brar who landed the next closest finish for the Marauders at twenty-fourth overall.
The Marauders’ third place finish sees a slight decline from last year’s OUA result of a silver medal.
Next, both teams will head to London, Ont. and Western University, where the U Sports national competition is taking place on Nov. 12.
A young McMaster field hockey team begins the season and looks to grow new players on the roster
On Sept. 16, the McMaster University women’s field hockey team began their season. Their first game of their campaign saw them face up against the McGill University Martlets, in which the team secured a dominant 3-1 win.
The team’s second game of the season took place on Sept. 17, as the Marauders took on the York University Lions and lost out with a score of 0-4.
Both games had major takeaways for the Marauders to reflect on as they embark on their ten-game regular season. The most important lesson that the young team has learned so far is that they just need time to settle in.
“I think we have very good individual skill, but [because] we have such a young team, we haven’t ever played together before. . .I think the biggest thing is playing together and running through our systems. Most of our practices are walkthroughs because we all come from different teams and backgrounds,” said first-year Darcie Brohman.
On their 22 person roster, there are 10 first-year and six second-year players. With a majority of the team’s athletes just entering their rookie or sophomore season, it is no surprise that it may take time for the team to reach their full potential.
“We’re a very young team. We haven’t been a U Sports team for very long and we have a lot of rookies. So, age-wise we have a lot of younger players, but I think we haven’t played a lot together because of that. . .Every time we play we get more and more and we become more competitive and better than we were the last time,” said Brohman.
Every time we play we get more and more and we become more competitive and better than we were the last time.
Darcie Brohman, forward and midfielder, McMaster women's field hockey team
Despite their inexperience it seems as though the first-year players, specifically Brohman, have the team in good hands. Her performance against McGill, her university game where she scored and gave two assists, also earned her Athlete of the Week on Sept. 18, as .
Brohman attributed her success to the entire Marauders team and believes that it is only up from here for the squad; however, contributing to every goal in their first win is quite a feat.
"I think it's hard to get Athlete of the Week because it's never really one person. People have been congratulating me and I’m very thankful for that, but there's the whole team behind me,” said Brohman.
I think it's hard to get Athlete of the Week because it's never really one person. People have been congratulating me and I’m very thankful for that, but there's the whole team behind me
Darcie Brohman, forward and midfielder, McMaster women's field hockey team
After disappointing losses against Guelph and Laurier, the women’s lacrosse team looks to bounce back in coming games
On Sept. 10, the McMaster University women’s lacrosse team kicked their season off with a tournament style weekend which saw the Marauders take on the University of Guelph Gryphons and the Laurier University Golden Hawks in Guelph. Despite a strong showing, the team lost both games.
In their first game against Guelph, the Marauders lost with a score of 7-12. The second game of the day against Laurier saw them lose 6-15.
While these results may cause distress, the team is encouraged by their growth so far this season.
One major case of the team’s growth has been second-year player Lexi Sheppard. After a scoreless first season, Sheppard was able to bag four goals in her first weekend for the Marauders, earning her Athlete of the Week honours on Sept. 12.
Sheppard attributes her progress and the progress of the team to support from the university and positive leaders on the field. This year, McMaster also allowed the team to access field time much earlier before the regular season began.
“It was definitely way better than last year because we got way more field time beforehand, so we were able to work as a team more. Whereas last year [the season] was more rushed and we were pushed into it,” said Sheppard.
With women’s lacrosse being an Ontario University Athletics team, there can be many instances of athletes lacking access to facilities and services; such as the school’s High-Performance area, sports medicine services, and outdoor field space. OUA athletes do not usually get first choice access to these services, in comparison with McMaster U Sports teams. However, it seems like the increase in practice is helping the team to build.
“I definitely see us to be building to become a better team with the support of the school,” said Sheppard.
Another driving factor towards growth in the team has been the team captains. Both of this year’s captains, second-year Annika Perrino and fourth-year Cassidy Anyon, have caused a dynamic shift in the team with their presence.
“Definitely what's helping our team are the captains on the team. They really lead by example well and they’re a good positive influence. They make everyone feel comfortable to try even if they’re nervous,” said Sheppard.
Sheppard also attributed their improvements to the positivity and comfort encouraged by Perrino and Anyon.
“My teammates make me comfortable in trying new things. Last year I was kind of shy and didn’t want to be in anyone’s way, but this year they’ve done a good job of making it a comfortable space and causing me to not be afraid to go for it,” said Sheppard.
While the team is evidently growing and becoming better, there is some room for improvement.
The scores indicate that the team especially has space to improve defensively.
“We could work on communicating on defense and making it tighter so you’re always there to support someone. . .Moving forward [the team will be] just working on more of our defensive unit and our team play all around,” explained Sheppard.
If the Marauders can make this improvement defensively and quickly, they will likely be able to improve throughout the season. Combined with the growth of a positive team culture, this might be able to spur the team on for seasons to come.
Having won 13 of their last 14 OUA games, the team has successfully made their way into the national top 10 rankings
By: Ramiz Khan, Contributor
The McMaster University women's basketball team is making a strong case for the title of the Ontario University Athletics Central division with a commanding 14 and four record on the year. They've now won 13 out of their last 14 games regular season games, taking down several top teams along the way, including the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, the Brock University Badgers and the Western University Mustangs.
The secret to the team success lies in the dynamic play of forward Sarah Gates, who leads the entire country with a whopping average of 26.1 points per game. The team defense has also been a force to be reckoned with, allowing just 62.1 opponent points per game.
As the regular season nears its end with only a few games remaining, the team is gearing up for a deep playoff run. They hope to match the glory of their 2019 national championship season in what will be the final year for several players who were on that 2019 roster.
With a fairly comfortable lead in the division and a roster filled with talented players, the team looks poised for another deep run come playoff season. After starting the season with three losses and only one win, they managed to completely flip the script, putting themselves in a position for success.
“I think just working together and sticking through it as a unit. We play our best basketball and we're all having fun and making the most of our connections on the team, and it really shows, and that's what we've been doing, so it's been pretty awesome,” said Cassie Joli-Couer, a forward for the team.
“I think just working together and sticking through it as a unit. We play our best basketball and we're all having fun and making the most of our connections on the team, and it really shows, and that's what we've been doing, so it's been pretty awesome.”
Cassie Joli-Couer, Women's Basketball Team
Having now won nine games in a row, tying the Carleton University Ravens for the longest active streak in the OUA, the team has been rolling. Though there were several potential turning points for the team to prove themselves as a threat, one of the biggest came against the Brock Badgers on Jan. 18.
The Badgers, a traditionally strong team who currently hold a record of 10 wins and eight losses, ended the Marauders season last year. In their first rematch on Nov. 19, the Marauders won by a final tally of 66 to 53, but their second matchup was the game to watch as McMaster blew them out by a final score of 71 to 49.
“That was a great team win. We definitely had a little bit of a grudge, I would say, from last year that we were going in for the win no matter what. I think it was just another win to add to the books, and we're going to keep working hard and move forward. . . We're just going to keep working hard,” explained Joli-Couer.
The team holds a great mix of talent to really keep the flow of play moving over the course of the season. One can look to the league stats leaders to find players like Sarah Gates leading the league in PPG, to Deanna Mataseje and Jenna Button leading in assist to turnover ratio or Mia Spadafora leading the OUA in three point percentage, shooting nearly five percent more efficiently then the next closest player. However, the team dynamic stems much further than that.
“When we work together and we're creating opportunities for one another, we're scoring more often, and it's like translating into wins and better stat lines. There's always room for improvement,” said Joli-Couer.
With just one more win, McMaster can clinch a division title. They’ll take on the University of Toronto University Varsity Blues on Feb. 10 and Feb. 18, the TMU Bold on Feb. 11 and the Waterloo University Warriors on Feb. 17. The Bold sit second in the central division, while the Warriors lead the west. The Varsity Blues haven’t had the same kind of success, with a record of four wins and 15 losses so far.
The playoffs are set to begin on Feb. 22.
C/O McMaster's Sports
A promising start to a season of uncertainty for a young team as they earn their first win, tie and loss this season
The McMaster University women’s field hockey team played their first home game on Sep. 17, marking the start of their second season in the Ontario University Association league.
The team played both their home opener and first away game on Sep. 18 against the Waterloo Warriors. McMaster wrapped up the double-header with a one-to-nothing victory at home and one-one tie on the road.
“As a first weekend, having a win and a tie is something as a team — we’re pretty proud of. Especially considering we’re only going to get better as the season goes on. I think [for] half of our team that was their first ever university field hockey game,” explained Jessica Lim, one of the team’s three captains.
“As a first weekend, having a win and a tie is something — as a team — we’re pretty proud of. Especially considering we’re only going to get better as the season goes on."
Jessica Lim, McMaster Women's Field Hockey team Co-Captain
Along with her other teammates, Lim commended the impressive performance by goalkeeper Olivia Renaud. Renaud made a total of 11 saves in the first two games and was later named U Sports Field Hockey Player of the Week.
The following week the Marauders unfortunately fell short in a road game against the Queens Gaels. The McMaster team played a strong first three quarters, but the Gaels were able to score two quick goals in the closing minutes, making the final score one to two.
“I feel confident that as we gain more experience, as we spend more time playing together as a team and [learning] to read each other better, we’ll be able to play more complete games,” said Lim.
The regular outdoor season consists of 10 games and lasts around a month. The league is divided into an east and west division but unlike last year McMaster will face all seven other teams at least once before the playoffs begin. As a result as the Marauders learn to play together, they also have the chance to feel out the other teams.
“We’re definitely one of the underdogs this season and I think we’re coming out and surprising teams. They don’t really know what to expect but we’re putting it all out on the field and we make sure we give it our all every game,” said Serena Uppal, another of the team captains.
“We’re definitely one of the underdogs this season and I think we’re coming out and surprising teams. They don’t really know what to expect but we’re putting it all out on the field and we make sure we give it our all every game,”
Serena Uppal, McMaster Women's Field Hockey Team Co-Captain
Uppal and Lim also acknowledged their head coach, Jonathan Roberts, and assistant coach, Kathryn Williams, as two key factors in their success so far. Both coaches have represented Canada in international indoor field hockey competitions and have been critical in growing the field hockey program at McMaster.
The winners of the OUA Championships at the end of October will clinch a spot in the U Sports women’s field hockey championship. They will face-off with one of three teams from the Canada West Division.
“We are happy with how we started the season off, but we’re not content. We don’t want our season to be over after ten games . . . We want to make playoffs and have the opportunity and the chance to compete for a championship,” explained Uppal.
The Marauders have plenty of time to demonstrate their grit and compatibility as a team, though the coming games will determine whether the relatively young team is championship material.
Students can catch the team in action at Alumni Field on Oct. 8, Oct. 12 and Oct. 14. More information can also be found online or on the team Instagram.
C/O Rob Martin
Haven’t heard of the McMaster women’s football team? Let’s change that.
Many McMaster students may be familiar with our incredible men’s football team. They can often be seen practicing outside in the Ron Joyce Stadium, geared up head-to-toe on a bright sunny afternoon. What students may not know is that three times a week, in a field tucked behind the stadium, practices McMaster’s women’s football team in the thick of winter. At first glance, it may not appear so, as one would be mistaken to find any protective equipment other than the thickest hoodies players can find.
For those unaware of the structure of varsity sports at McMaster and across other Ontario universities, here’s the breakdown: the McMaster Marauders are registered for 16 sports in the OUA that compete at provincial levels. Of those, there are 11 sports from McMaster represented at U Sports — the national governing body of university sports in Canada. For reference, McMaster’s men’s football team is represented at the U Sports level.
Unfortunately, although MWF athletes have the same training intensity and time commitment as varsity teams, the team is not recognized under the OUA. This means they are obligated to acquire their own funding and take on the title of a “club team,” grossly underrating the magnitude of effort invested by both players and coaches. Each year, the team is organized by a team of executive members, including the president Sophie Nezan and coach representative Justice Allin.
“We don’t have the opportunities that the men’s football teams do. [Since] we are not recognized by varsity organizations, we are in charge of finding athletes and coaches, ensuring fields are booked for us, the finances, social media promotion and organizing tournaments,” said Nezan.
“We don’t have the opportunities that the men’s football teams do. [Since] we are not recognized by varsity organizations, we are in charge of finding athletes and coaches, ensuring fields are booked for us, the finances, social media promotion and organizing tournaments,”
Sophie Nezan, McMaster Women's Football President
The team is under umbrella of the Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Football Organization, consisting of 10 universities across Ontario, including McMaster. Each season normally begins in February, when the contact flag football tournaments kick off. There are usually two qualifier tournaments and a championship tournament, which was hosted at the Ron Joyce Stadium this past Saturday.
“Thankfully, OWIFA exists, so we have a lot more opportunities because of them. They cover a huge portion in terms of organizing tournaments, but OWIFA is also an organization made up of athletes from the flag football teams. It’s definitely a lot of pressure,” explained Nezan.
Though the teams are fortunate to be governed by OWIFA, limited budgets still play a significant role in the experience for athletes. For example, players and coaches are forced to hold nighttime practices due to limited field availabilities and often play tournaments in snowy and icy conditions.
For good measure, the players are provided with no protective equipment (other than a limited number of generously donated soft-shell helmets) to play in the otherwise contact-heavy sport. All these factors combined make the players incredibly prone to serious injuries, knocking out several over the course of this season alone.
Despite these difficulties, the MWF team is not a team to be overlooked. Due to a large amount of student interest, McMaster was able to register two teams in this year’s season: Team Marauders and Team McMaster.
Team Marauders finished with an impressive five and one record on March 12 at the qualifying tournament located at Wilfred Laurier, finishing second place overall. Team McMaster earned itself the title of provincial finalists by also finishing second in the March 19 championship tournament at McMaster.
“We would love to eventually be under the OUA and for women’s flag football to be at every university across the province and country. Not only is MWF a sport, but the engagement with other women across Ontario is also one of the best things about it,” explained Nezan.
“We would love to eventually be under the OUA and for women’s flag football to be at every university across the province and country. Not only is MWF a sport, but the engagement with other women across Ontario is also one of the best things about it,”
Sophie Nezan, McMaster Women's Football President
Next steps for MWF include competing in the provincial intercollegiate women’s flag football championships hosted by Team Ontario on April 3, in hopes of progressing to the national championships in Ottawa in May.
With the sport becoming more and more popular, both OWIFA and MWF continue to advocate and fight for equal opportunities for women’s football. The championship tournament was broadcasted live by junior Mustangs TV to promote fan interest and encourage folks to appreciate the overlooked sport.
“These aren’t just women playing football; these are football players. Let’s get that out of the way right now,” stated London Junior Mustangs TV on OWIFA athletes.
“These aren’t just women playing football; these are football players. Let’s get that out of the way right now,”
London Junior Mustangs TV
It’s become quite evident that any room for growth in the world of football belongs to women’s football. With over 50 players playing competitively at McMaster alone, it’s hard to find a reason not to invest in the sport and create more opportunities for women across the country. It is unclear when the sport can gain varsity recognition, but, until then, it’s safe to say that the OUA is missing out.
