Banner Season: Fierce fencing competition set for a weekend in the Limestone City
Burlington, Ont. - It is the men’s turn to take to the piste this weekend, as the top fencers from across the province will battle it out for the top spot at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Championship in Kingston, Ont. from March 1-2, 2025. The Varsity Blues look to continue their dominance and add a ninth consecutive championship banner to their total, but with fierce competition across the league many others hope to find themselves on the podium come Sunday.
EVENT DETAILS
When: Saturday, March 1 to Sunday, March 2
Where: Anderson Field House
Participating Schools (13): Brock Badgers, Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons, McMaster Marauders, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Queen’s Gaels, RMC Paladins (host), Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Trent Excalibur, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs
Defending Champions: Toronto Varsity Blues
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH
Sam Broughton, Queen’s Gaels | In his medical residency at Queen’s, the Ottawa, Ont. product was the Foil squad captain of Yale’s men’s fencing team in 2012-2013 and was named a second team All-Ivy fencer in 2011-2012. Broughton brings national team experience to the Gaels having represented Canada as member of the Canadian National Junior Men’s Foil Team at the 2011 Junior Fencing World Championships. He added to his achievements when he won a gold medal in Cadet at the Canadian National Championships in 2010, a silver medal in Junior at the Canadian National Championships in 2010, and a bronze medal in Senior at the Canadian National Championships in 2010.
Jonathan Chai, Western Mustangs | The rookie from Richmond Hill, Ont. brings a ton of experience to his first OUA championship. Chai won gold at the 2023 Canada Cup (Cadet), won bronze at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships (Cadet) in 2022-2023, and won bronze at the Canada Cup (Cadet) in 2022. This year in OUA competition he took home bronze at the Carleton Invitational team event and gold the at the Brock Open.
Daniel Galaman, RMC Paladins | Only in his second year of fencing, Galaman has already shone bright as RMC’s men’s team rookie of the year last season. As men’s Sabre fencer, he is a natural athlete and leader for the Paladins. Having been an international athlete in martial arts as a young teen, he already has Pan Am and World Championships experience under his belt. From Toronto, Ont., the Arts student brings this experience of excellence in sport to the RMC team. One of Galaman’s best qualities is his positive energy and enthusiasm. He raises both the power and potential of the RMC men’s sabre team and will make an excellent team captain next season.
Oscar Hand, McMaster Marauders | In his first year with the Marauders, Hand won a bronze medal in the team men's Epee event and finished third overall in team standings. He was also named an OUA all-star for getting the most points in men's Epee over the weekend. Last year, the Kingston, Ont. product won another bronze medal in the team men's Epee event. Heading into his fourth banners season, Hand won a silver medal at the Queen's Open in October, and a silver medal at the Carleton Team Invitational in January. Hot off a silver medal, Hand and the McMaster men's Epee team are returning to the 2025 championships faster and stronger as they look to upgrade their bronze medals from previous years and make a move for the podium.
Mike Howard, Toronto Varsity Blues | Howard looks to protect his gold medal from last year and once again win men’s foil at the OUA championship. The third-year psychology and neuroscience student continues to contribute to the Blues overall success helping the foil relay team claim silver at the RMC Team Invitational.
Seraphim Jarov, Toronto Varsity Blues | During his time with the Waterloo Warriors the second-year student captured the individual men's epee gold at the 2023-24 OUA championship. Now competing for the Varsity Blues, Jarov looks to continue his excellence at this year’s provincial finale. Along with OUA competitions this season, he has also competed at the Canada Cup and World Cup events.
Jiaan Li, Waterloo Warriors | Li is looking to reclaim his foil champion title after being unable to attend the OUA championship last year. The third-year mechanical engineering student out of Markham, Ont. will lead the Waterloo men's foil team, looking to defend their 1st place finish from last year’s championship.
Daniil Makarenko, RMC Paladins | Makarenko is one of the top 100 men’s epee fencers in Canada right now, which is outstanding for an athlete who only began fencing at RMC in his first year. With a strong background in other sports, including a black belt in karate, Makarenko is a natural athlete. The fourth-year engineering student is not only RMC’s top individual men’s epeeist, he is also their team anchor for the team relay matches. Cool and calm under pressure, the North Delta, B.C. product is a fierce competitor on the piste, as he is always determined to go as far as he can and to learn and apply as he goes. He is a great teammate, mentor, and advisor to the new fencers.
Daniel Manyoki, Waterloo Warriors | New to the Warriors, but a veteran of the OUA championships, Manyoki previously competed for Carleton during his undergrad. Now at Waterloo, he has brought his experience and leadership to the team.
Nathaniel McDonnell, Brock Badgers | McDonnell has been preparing for this season's championships since last year's event, and he is hungry to make his last OUA performance his most successful. With significant performances in the US circuit, the Newmarket, Ont. product will be the epeeist who is best positioned to surprise his competitors.
Alexandre Prefontaine, Queen’s Gaels | Making his OUA championship debut with the Queen’s Gaels, Prefontaine has had a great start to his university fencing career. In the Sabre he captured bronze at this season’s Queen’s Open, the Brock Open, and helped secure a team bronze at Carleton Invitational.
Steven Zhang, Western Mustangs | A highly decorated athlete in men’s fencing, the fifth-year engineering student has three individual medals - two silver and one bronze, along with two team medals, and a silver and bronze in men's Foil at the OUA championships over his career. He also adds an overall Men's Fencing team medal to his collection and is looking for more this banner season. Zhang also brings international experience to the competition, having competed with the Canadian team from 2015-2019.
Kevin Zhou, Carleton Ravens | Zhou is injury free and working hard to sharpen up for the OUA championships this weekend. The third-year aerospace engineering student has taken on the role of anchoring a team of inexperienced Sabre fencers and rookies on the Carleton squad this year so he's got his work cut out for him.
BURNING QUESTIONS
- Can the Varsity Blues continue to dominate the field and take home a ninth consecutive provincial title?
- Can the Ravens surprise at the fencing championships, and gain experience for the rookie contingent and support the few veterans in their quest for individual medals?
- Will the veteran Paladins squad use home piste advantage in their favour to improve upon their overall OUA ranking at the championship?
- Will the Warriors take a strong season of podium appearances and top 8 placements and turn it into another podium finish?
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
"Being part of this team has been a very rewarding experience—a journey marked by growth, resilience, and unforgettable moments. Over the years, I’ve watched this team transform, facing challenges head-on and building something truly extraordinary. Now, as we head into the OUA championships, I couldn’t be prouder to stand alongside this group. Everyone put in lots of work this year and this is our chance to show what McMaster fencing is all about. Go Mac!" - Allan Fein, Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"The Queen’s Men’s Fencing team has a great deal of competitive experience and has added some highly skilled rookies this year so are looking to have a great OUA Championship. The team is coming into the OUA championship with strong finishes at our last competition so are looking to build on that success to finish the season on a high note." - Rodney Carter, Head Coach, Queen’s Gaels
"Our program has been fortunate to achieve something special with eight consecutive OUA championships, but we know that past success doesn't guarantee future results. We have a strong group of student-athletes who understand both the opportunity and responsibility that comes with our program's legacy. What's exciting is how the overall level of competition continues to rise across the OUA – it pushes everyone, including us, to keep evolving and improving. We look forward to earning our results through hard work and preparation, just as we have every other season." - Thomas Nguyen, Head Coach, Toronto Varsity Blues
"I've been devoting a lot of time to training, and I'm excited to see how far I can go this time around." - Alan Zheng, Student-Athlete, Waterloo Warriors
"Our Men's Foil Team is a unit of strong yet humble athletes looking to elevate our fencing and challenge the best." - Brad Winder & Karen Laansoo, Co-Head Coaches, Western Mustangs