Banner Season: Rinks ready to rock and roll to open up latest stretch of OUA Championships

Burlington, Ont. – Rinks from across the province are ready to ring in a new year of championship play. As banner season makes its 2024 debut at the Guelph Curling Club from February 2nd to 4th, sixteen teams will look lay down the hammer at the 2024 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Curling Championships and ultimately come away with the first conference banners of the winter season.

Championship Details:

When: Friday, February 2 to Sunday, February 4 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Guelph Curling Club
Participating Schools (16): Algoma Thunderbirds, Brock Badgers, Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons (host), Laurentian Voyageurs, McMaster Marauders, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, Queen’s Gaels, Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Trent Excalibur, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Windsor Lancers, York Lions
Scores / Results: HERE
Defending Champions: McMaster Marauders (W), Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (M)

Student Athletes to Watch:

Mikaela Cheslock, Western Mustangs | The fifth-year senior for the Mustangs is excited to go for gold with her new Mustangs team. Despite being a fresh face for the London squad, she is no stranger to OUA success, having previously competed with Laurentian en route to a provincial silver and U SPORTS gold. With podium-worthy pedigree in tow, Cheslock is hoping to lean on that experience along with her Western squad this weekend.

Jessica Filipcic, TMU Bold | A veteran member of the TMU squad, Filipcic was crucial to the team’s bronze-medal finish a year ago and returns after being named an OUA first team all-star. The Toronto, Ont. product has also seen success on the women’s curling tour this season with Team Kiemele, finishing third at the U25 Next Gen Classic.

Jasmine Groleau, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks | As one of the leading figures of the Ridgebacks program, the talented and well-rounded senior is leading the women’s program into action this weekend. The soon-to-be nurse looks to leave her mark on the program by scoring a top finish at the OUA Championships this year, and in addition to her consistent academic success, will once again showcase her athletic ability for the Oshawa rink.

Daniel Hocevar, Toronto Varsity Blues | When it comes to leadership, look no further than Hocevar for the Toronto side. Now in his second year as the Varsity Blues captain, the Toronto, Ont. native has stepped up as a leader for his squad and will no doubt do the same this weekend. In addition to having a pair of banner season events under his belt, he also served as skip on the World Curling Tour, participating in a number of events across the province this season.

Chris Inglis, Trent Excalibur | The sophomore has been a major addition for the Trent rink. Having curled for over 19 years and played in almost a dozen provincial finals as a junior curler the second-year skip will be looking to improve on last year’s 2-2 record at the OUA Championships. Fresh off an appearance at the Ontario Men’s Tankard in Dorchester, the Carrying Place, Ont. curler has his eyes on the prize this weekend.

Bella Lehtimaki Croisier, Laurentian Voyageurs | A sophomore skip for the Voyageurs, the Sudbury, Ont. native looks to follow up her runner-up performance a year by reaching the top of the podium at this year’s OUA Championships. She will do so as the reining first-team all-Canadian skip as well, having parlayed her 2023 provincial silver into a national bronze medal as well.

Julia Markle, Brock Badgers | Despite only one banner season event under her belt, Markle has marched into a leadership role for the Badgers this year and has done so with a positive energy and forward-thinking attitude. The Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts qualifier, now in her second year of OUA competition, is hoping to take the team beyond their quarterfinal defeat from a season ago.

Connor Massey, Queen’s Gaels | Massey is a senior with the Gaels team and has seen his side’s results steadily climb during his tenure with the Tricolour. Having made his way from fourth to third to second across his three previous OUA Championships, the first-time Queen’s skip is hoping the trend continues in his four banner season outing.

Sam Mooibroek, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | Boasting a resumé that features numerous wins already, Mooibroek is hoping for continued triumphs this weekend, leading the reigning OUA and U SPORTS champions into competition in Guelph. Beyond shining on the varsity stage, the third-year arts major also found success as the 2023 COMCO Cash Spiel champion and the 2023 Canadian U25 Next Gen finalist.

Holly Mosco, Windsor Lancers | With a keen sense of strategy in tow, Mosco figures to be a key cog for the Lancers’ success this weekend. She has already faced one obstacle en route to this final weekend of provincial play, having taken on a new role part way through the season. But the former vice skip turned skip is hoping her keen ability and strategic sense can help guide Windsor into the win column.

Evelyn Robert, McMaster Marauders | There wasn’t much that Robert didn’t do in her first year with McMaster. In her rookie campaign, the Clarksburg, Ont. product securing OUA gold and first team all-star recognition, along with a first team all-Canadian nod at the U SPORTS Championships. A finalist for the school’s rookie of the year award last year, Robert has her eyes on continued success for her reigning champion rink in her second go-around.

Brandon Stone, Algoma Thunderbirds | A rookie member of the Algoma rink, Stone joins the Thunderbirds squad ready to compete at his first OUA Championships. Joining familiar faces from the soccer program, the biology major from Parry Sound, Ont. is excited to showcase his skills on the Guelph Curling Club sheets this weekend.

Jillian Uniacke, Guelph Gryphons | Having already produced a strong season with the Gryphons, Uniacke is ready to continue that strong stretch of play on home ice this weekend. The junior from Perth, Ont. was part of the fifth-place finishers a year ago, but with her side having rarely been threatened in competition leading up to this weekend’s OUA finale, Uniacke is turning to momentum and past experience within and beyond the varsity stage to anchor her team’s banner aspirations.

Storylines to Keep an Eye On:

Both Badgers rinks are eager to place at this year’s OUA Championships. Capturing bronze last year, the men’s side has been putting in extra work this season as they bring back a core group of members hoping to take a couple steps up the podium this time around. Backed by a rebuilt core of players, meanwhile, this year’s OUA finale will be a true test for the Brock women’s team as they take on the top teams in the OUA.

Backed by momentum (and the home crowd) at the year’s finale, the Guelph Gryphons have big plans for the season’s first championships. The women’s rink has been nearly flawless across their previous 2023-24 events, going undefeated in almost every competition thus far and will surely eye more of the same at the Guelph Curling Club. On the heels of back-to-back fourth-place finishes for the men, they too will see this weekend as an opportunity to secure a successful run at a conference banner.

The Laurentian Voyageurs women’s group returns with three of the four players from their silver-medal winning performance in 2023 and will eye a different colour medal this time around. It is a different story for the men’s side; however, as they bring a young team with a pair of first years to the festivities as they look to compete with the OUA’s best this weekend.

Keeping themselves at the top, the McMaster Marauders not only look to defend their women’s title, but add a banner on the men’s side as well. With five of the six women’s curlers returning from last year, the defending champions are poised for another run at the gold, and even though the final member from their 2023 title run – Grace Lloyd – won’t be competing, she will still be on-hand as the team’s assist coach. A new coaching era on the men’s side, backed by a mix of veteran and rookie contributors on the ice, hopes to see them take things to a new level this weekend.

Under the guide of a new head coach, the Queen’s men have built up momentum leading into the weekend and they are ready to face their collection of competitors this weekend. The same can be said for the women’s rink in terms of their outlook for the weekend, as they turn to their rookie skip in addition to their budding foundation from years past to spark their banner run in Guelph.

With several new players across the board and a tough draw of opponents, the Varsity Blues are ready to battle it out at the Guelph Curling Club. Blending veterans and newcomers, the men’s team is ready to take home a podium finish and the Varsity Blues women are eager to challenge for an OUA medal amidst a talent-laden field.

The Bold are looking to improve on their previous strong performances, which includes the women’s bronze medal from 2023. The defending third-place finishers have their eyes set on a return trip to the podium, and if the men are able to outperform their quarterfinal defeat from a year ago, they too will have a spot among the top-three in their sights. After navigating some highs and lows during the season, the TMU men are looking to put it all together for the OUA finale.

Creating high expectations heading into the tournament, the Trent Excalibur are confident heading into the championship weekend. While the women’s squad is missing a key player (Toula Pappas will be representing Ontario at Nationals), they remain ready to make a splash this weekend. A mix of both rookie and veteran talent on the men’s side, meanwhile, has them hopeful they too can make some noise following an 11th place showing last year..

The Western Mustangs have big goals heading into the weekend, as both sides look to improve on their respective 2023 showings. With a strong group of veteran players, the Western women hope to punch their ticket to the semifinals following a quarterfinal defeat last time out, while the men are re-equipped with young talent and are excited to showcase their skills after missing the mark a year ago.

The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks are staying steady across the board and are able to do so with a full complement of returning players. Defending the title, the men are hoping for a similar result, but are aware that teams will be bringing their best to take down the reigning champions. On the other side, it is the Laurier women leaning on that experience and their keen preparation to get back to the OUA podium.

With different looks for both teams, the Windsor Lancers are ready to showcase their growth and energy at the OUA Championships. With a solid returning core and new leadership, the women’s side is showing great potential for a winning season and the Lancers men’s energy and optimism is helping set them up for a strong championship showing.

What They’re Saying:

“With three of four returning Badgers, we are eagerly looking forward to improving on our bronze medal finish from last season." – Jordan Thin, Men's Head Coach, Brock Badgers

“We are all really looking forward to the opportunity to defend our championship from last year. We have some amazing talent and positive team dynamics that I think will really help us work as  team this weekend.” – Maddy Warriner, Student-Athlete, McMaster Marauders

“With a mix of both young and old talents, I'm really excited to see what this team can do. We've been working very hard and there is great potential with this team. It'll be fun to watch them play and hopefully we'll do well this year!” – Johnathon Au, Student-Athlete, McMaster Marauders

“With several new players, our women have worked hard this year to gel as a team and they are all skilled players. Our team goal is to make the playoffs, and to push ourselves to win a medal.” – Susan Baird, Women’s Assistant Coach, Toronto Varsity Blues

“We have a deep lineup this year and we hope it all comes together at the OUA Championships. There are a lot of talented teams in this year's event, so we will have to be at our best to medal.” – Guy Yerama, Men’s Head Coach, Toronto Varsity Blues

“We're so excited to compete at the OUA Championships this weekend. There is nothing better than a big competition with a lot on the line. Our team has been working hard all season for this and we can't wait to bring our A-game and make our university proud.” – Emilie Lovitt, Student-Athlete, TMU Bold

“We are very excited about this year’s OUAs and our current lineup. As last year’s host team, we didn’t quite get the result we were hoping for, and the guys are hungry for a good showing at this year’s OUAs. We feel like their confidence and consistency is peaking at just the right time and they are ready to go!” – Brad Robinson, Men's Head Coach, Trent Excalibur

“It's been great to have new talent on the team this year. The senior players have been incredible role models for the rookies and I'm proud of their efforts to integrate our new players into the team culture. I'm excited to see what they can do in Guelph this week.” – Shane Latimer, Men's Head Coach, Western Mustangs

“We are excited for the OUA Championships to showcase our team's growth that we have seen throughout the regular season.” - Mike McKay, Head Coach, Windsor Lancers