Stephen Leithwood

In February, the nationally-ranked Brock women's basketball team upset the higher-ranked Ryerson Rams in Toronto to win their first ever Critelli Cup, which is named after Brock’s former women’s basketball coach and longtime Assistant Athletic Director.

General News 12/22/2020 12:53:00 PM Stephen Leithwood

Brock Badgers Year in Review

Brock Badgers Year in Review

The Brock Badgers enjoyed an historic year in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic forcing cancellation of the 2020-21 athletics season.

When the dust settled on the 2019-20 season in March, the Badgers had captured four national and three provincial championships.

Brock University celebrated 305 student-athletes who made the Badgers Honour Roll by achieving an average of 80 per cent or higher last season.

Individual Brock student-athletes won a total of 13 national medals, 39 provincial medals, earned 26 OUA all-star nods and five U SPORTS all-star honours. The Badgers celebrated as they collected five Coach of the Year awards and a pair of Athletes of the Year awards.

2020 Wrestling banner — The Brock wrestling program won its seventh straight
U SPORTS national championship.

The Brock wrestling program won its seventh-straight U SPORTS Wrestling Championship in February with four women's gold medals and three men's gold medals. They pulled off the sweep on home soil, winning their 10th women's title and 20th men's title in the Bob Davis Gymnasium at Brock. Head coach Marty Calder was named U SPORTS Men's Coach of the Year and Julie Steffler received the Outstanding Wrestler award.

In just two seasons, the Badgers women's basketball team went from a sub-.500 record to competing for a gold medal at the U SPORTS national championships. Their historic campaign included national rankings, monumental comebacks and a collection of 'firsts' as they packed their trophy case with a national silver medal and their first provincial championship title since 1983.

Head coach Mike Rao was named the OUA and U SPORTS Coach of the Year. Leading scorer Melissa Tatti was named OUA Player of the Year and Samantha Keltos was named a Second Team OUA All-Star. Tatti and Keltos also earned U SPORTS All-Star honours. Tatti was awarded a First Team All-Canadian.

The Brock women's volleyball team strung together an historic season as they earned their first-ever berth to the U SPORTS Championships before it was cut short by the COVID-19 virus. The team finished first in the OUA West with a record of 14-5 and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since the 1990-91 season, where they defeated Guelph.

Womens Volleyball celebrates win over Guelph in OUA Final Four — Brock women's volleyball team celebrates advancing
to their first ever U SPORTS Championships.

The Badgers made it to the Quigley Cup Final for first time in school history and brought home a silver medal.

Head coach Steve Delaney was named OUA Coach of the Year (West) and five players earned all-star and rookie team honours. Senior left side hitter Laura Condotta was named a First Team All-Star while fellow seniors Darby Taylor (right side) and Emily Armstrong (setter) were named Second Team All-Stars.

First-year players Samantha Casey (left side) and Aleiah Torres (libero) were named to the All-Rookie Team.

At U SPORTS, Condotta was named a Second Team All-Canadian and in August of 2020 she signed a pro volleyball contract with Raiffeisen Volley Toggenburg of the Swiss Women's Volleyball Championship League A.

In June, legendary Brock para swimmer Elisabeth Walker-Young (BPhEd '02) was recognized with the L.B. 'Mike' Pearson award during the U SPORTS Honours Awards. The Pearson award is presented annually to a distinguished Canadian citizen of outstanding achievements, who having participated in university athletics has exemplified the ideals and purposes of university athletics and amateur sport.

The following is a team-by-team recap from the 2019-20 season organized alphabetically and by OUA teams and club teams:

OUA Teams

Baseball
It was a unique season for the Brock baseball team. The 2019 fall schedule included several games against top U.S. talent from NCAA Division 1, Division 2 and several strong junior colleges. The Badgers went into the OUA end-of-season tournament feeling confident, but lost two closely contested pitching duels to Guelph and Ryerson. Connor Humphrey was the team's top hitter with a .422 batting average and 1.018 OPS. Connor Ambrogio was the team's top pitcher with a 2.80 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched. In November, Badgers associate coach Geoff Allen earned the Doug Austin Memorial Award, which serves as Niagara Falls sportsperson of the year honours recognizing the outstanding contribution to sports at the community level.

Men's Basketball
The Brock men's basketball team finished tied for third in the division with a winning record of 12-10 and reached the OUA playoffs for a fifth-consecutive season. The Badgers, who were nationally ranked early in the season, hosted a bevvy of games including Paint the Meridian Red, Shoot for the Cure, Jason Pearson Memorial Game and Bell Let's Talk, and paid a visit to the Children's Health Unit at Niagara Health St. Catharines Site. In March, four Badgers were selected during the Canadian Elite Basketball League U SPORTS Draft. Guard Emmanuel Owoo-toah, forward Daniel Cayer and guard Kascius Small-Martin were drafted by the Niagara River Lions, while forward Mitch Saunders was scooped up by the Guelph Nighthawks.

Cross Country
The Brock cross country team flourished during the OUA season during meets in London, Waterloo and Hamilton. The Badgers had a strong showing at the OUA Championships as women's captain Paulina Sergnese and men's captain Jeremy Mol each enjoyed top performances supported by a strong rookie class.

Curling
In March, the Brock men's curling team made its third-consecutive trip, and seventh overall, to the U SPORTS Curling Championships in Manitoba after winning a silver medal at the OUA Curling Championships for a second-consecutive season. The women's team finished 2-5 at provincials. Skip Nicholas Lemieux was given the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award, which is selected by the tournament referees and is bestowed to an athlete that demonstrated unquestionably the characteristics of fair play and sportsmanship and a commitment to the spirit and intent of the rules of the game at the championship tournament.

Fencing
The men's fencing team hosted the OUA Fencing Championships in February and finished fourth overall. Logan Wilford won a silver medal in epee and was awarded the George Tully Trophy for skill, style and sportsmanship. Aaron Olmstead (sabre) and Malcolm McLeod (foil) each secured a bronze in their respective disciplines. Later that month, the Brock women's fencing team captured a bronze medal at the OUA Women's Fencing Championships at Queen's University in Kingston. The Badgers women's foil relay team of Sara Fellman, Elena Testana, Nica Obillo and Amber Briar defeated the Western Mustangs 45-42 to secure bronze.

Figure Skating
A pair of Brock figure skaters captured a provincial bronze medal during the OUA Figure Skating Championships at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto in Febraury. Daniella Scurto and Hayley Keith secured a podium finish when they earned bronze in Intermediate Similar Pairs.

Golf
Nolan von Kalckreuth of the Brock men's golf team recorded a golden performance at the last university golf meet before the OUA Championships began at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham. At OUAs, the men's team captured fifth place while the women's team finished seventh. Top final round scores were Nolan vonKalckreuth (72) and Mitch Beaubien (76) while the women were led by Lauren Hines and Emily White; both in the Top 25 for the women's individual title.

Women's Hockey
The Brock women's hockey team finished fourth in the OUA standings with a record of 14-10 and made the playoffs for a third consecutive season. Jensen Murphy was named OUA Goaltender of the Year and a First Team All Star while forward Annie Berg secured Second Team All-Star honours. A pair of second-year forwards, Cassidy Maplethorpe and Morgan Dezell, finished behind Berg in team scoring while rookies Mishayla Christensen, Mikayla Flanagan, Emma Irwin and Amelia Lackie made an impact on team scoring. In September, forward Hunter Accursi signed a pro hockey contract with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League.

Men's Hockey
The Brock men's hockey team enjoyed a memorable OUA hockey season as they hosted the 21st annual Steel Blade Classic at the Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines, a visit to the Children's Health Unit at the Niagara Health St. Catharines Site and compiled a record of 14-12-2-0 en route to the second round of the OUA men's hockey playoffs. Defenceman Jordan Sambrook, who led the Badgers in scoring, was named to the OUA and U SPORTS All-Rookie Teams. In June, captain Connor Walters signed a pro contract with the Toledo Walleye of the East Coast Hockey League and defenceman Skylar Pacheco signed with the Amiens Gothics of the Ligue Magnus, the top division of men's hockey in France.

Women's Lacrosse
The Brock women's lacrosse team's season was characterized by hard work, adaptation in the face of adversity and learning tough lessons. The team enjoyed a renewal of team bonds as a new crop of rookies supported graduating seniors including Lyanne Martin, Lindsey Highfield, Cecilia Payne and Jennifer Budarick.

Rowing
Thomas Markewich and Stephen Harris each brought home a gold medal from the Canadian University Rowing Championships at Elk Lake in Victoria, B.C. Coaches Tom Kent and Scott Anderson were awarded Men's Program Coach of the Year award. The men's and women's rowing teams collected 14 medals at the OUA Rowing Championships at the Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St. Catharines and in February, the Badgers reached the podium during the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships in Mississauga.

Women's Rugby
The Brock women's rugby team finished fourth in the OUA after reaching the bronze-medal game against McMaster. After posting a record of 1-3 in the OUA's top tier division, the Badgers pulled off a stunning comeback victory to defeat the York Lions in the first round of the playoffs at Brock's Alumni Field. The Badgers had three players named to the OUA all-star team: back three Sara Shaw, centre Niamh Haughey and second row Kiara Stecko. In December, Loramhel Mateo was named to the Philippines Lady Volcanoes, the country's national rugby union team and Haughey was named to the Bobsleigh Canada development team.

Men's Rugby
The Brock Badgers scored a game-winning try in the dying minutes to capture the Canadian University Men's Rugby consolation final in Montreal. It was the first time the program reached nationals. The victory capped off an incredible season by the Badgers, who turned the program around after posting a record of 1-7 and missing the playoffs the previous season. Brock placed third in its division with a record of 3-3 and an OUA bronze medal. Steve Commerford was named a First Team OUA All-Star while Steve Medvesky and Mitch Wilson were Second Team All-Stars. At nationals, Mitch Santilli was named a First Team All-Star while Commerford, Zach Zorbas and Victory Eichie were Second Team All-Stars. In April, the Badgers welcomed a new skipper to the fold as Shawn Windsor replaced Phil Sullivan as a head coach. Sullivan, who coached for six seasons, remained with the team in a managerial role.

Women's Soccer
The Badgers enjoyed a successful season with a record of 7-3-4 and finishing fourth in the OUA West, including a second-straight season of making the OUA playoffs. Goalkeeper Marilena Spagnolo secured Second Team All-Star honours as the Badgers allowed the third-lowest goals against in the OUA. Spagnolo's .933 save percentage ranked second among OUA keepers and was fourth with a 0.55 goals against average. In February, midfielder Arnelle Douglas was named to the Trinidad & Tobago U20 squad competing at the CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic.

Men's Soccer
The Brock men's soccer team played a thrilling season, where they finished third in the OUA West with a record of 6-5-3, and reached the second round of the playoffs. Head coach Lucio Ianiero was named the OUA Coach of the Year (West) while forward Jared Agyemang was named a First Team All-Star after finishing second in the league with 13 goals. Midfielder Alejandro Puentes and goalkeeper Alex May were each named Second Team All-Stars.

Squash
The Brock men's and women's squash teams hosted the OUA Squash Championships at the White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake in February. The women posted a record of 2-2 and the men's team went 0-3 while Vincenzo Prior was named to the All-Star team.

Swimming
A trio of Brock Badgers — Maggie Smith, Gokhan Bozyigit and Anthonie Korstanje — competed at the U SPORTS Swimming Championships at the University of Victoria. Team captain Celine Funk was awarded the U SPORTS Community Service Award and the OUA Community Service Award.

Tennis
The Brock women's tennis team placed fourth at the OUA Tennis Championships in Toronto. Liana Biktimirova was named MVP of the women's team and Noah Stickney earned MVP honours on the men's team. Nadine Klajman and Nicholas Murdaca were named Rookies of the Year.

Track and Field
Tyrell Smikle was the first sprinter from the Brock track team to lace up at the U SPORTS Track and Field Championships in Edmonton in March. Smikle placed ninth in the men's 60-metre dash with a time of 6.93 seconds, just two hundreds of a second out from qualifying for the final.

Men's Volleyball
The Brock men's volleyball team punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time since the program was reinstated in 2016. The Badgers defeated Western 3-0 to secure their first post-season berth. It's also the first time since 2016 the men's team captured seven wins. Brock finished fourth in the OUA West with a record of 7-10. Outside hitter Logan House was named a First Team All-Star while Peter Schnabel while middle Peter Schnabel was named a Second Team All-Star. Saulius Lianga was named to the All-Rookie Team.

Club Teams

Ball Hockey
Highlighted by a tournament win at home in St. Catharines, the Brock Ball Hockey team had a memorable season. Led by team captain Chris Grenier taking home MVP honours and strong goaltending from Rookie of the Year Tyler Gubesh, the team showed again this season why they are a perennial powerhouse in the OUBHL.

Cheer
In a rebuilding year, the Brock Cheer program had its most successful season in history. Brock won gold at the ICU University World Cup Cheerleading Championship in the All-Girl Premier Team Cheer Division for the first time in school history. The Badgers also captured a silver medal in the ICU University World Cup Championship in the All-Girl Game Day Division. Brock placed first at the PCA University National Championship in the ICU Cheer Division in January. The JV Cheer Team placed first at both of their competitions for the 2019-20 season.

Dance Pak
The Badgers Dance Pak received multiple special awards, scholarships and overall placements before COVID-19 interrupted their season. The Badgers competed in their first competition, Strive Dance Challenge, and placed fourth out of 24 schools. By their second competion, they were forced to compete virtually and placed fifth out of 15 schools. Shania Walden was named the team's MVP and Lauren Burn won Rookie of the Year award.

Dragon Boat
The Brock Dragon Boat crew successfully competed in the last festival of their 2019 season at the Stratford Dragon Boat Festival. It was the first race for many paddlers. The crew trained hard throughout the year and created a strong team bond. Despite their season being cut short unexpectedly, the Badgers are determined to continue to train hard until they are once again able to paddle on the waters together as a crew.

Equestrian
The Brock Equestrian team rode through the season and came out as the reserve champions in western Ontario. The team achieved three reserve high point riders: Sarah Ricker, Rae Ingram and Kelsey Hicks. Coach Shara Pavan won a special award: Supporter of the Year.

Men's Lacrosse
The Brock men's lacrosse team dashed through the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association season with a perfect 10-0 record while generating the largest goal differential in the league by outscoring their opponents 136-43. The Badgers dominated Laurier in the CUFLA playoff before their season ended in overtime in the semifinals during the Baggataway Cup at Molson Stadium in Montreal. Defender Adam Kirchmayer and defensive middie Alex Pace were named to the 2019 All-Baggataway Cup team. In September, Christopher Weier and Sam Leclair were selected in the 2020 National Lacross League (NLL) Draft. In October, Boedy Shields signed a pro contract with the Rochester Knighthawks of the NLL.

Powerlifting
The Brock Powerlifting team captured the Ontario Powerlifting Association's Strongest School title for a second-consecutive season in Markham. The team also had three athletes — Mackenzie Rose, Ian Seguin and Liam Withers — travel to Winnipeg for the Canadian Powerlifting Union National Championships.

Ringette
The Brock Badgers ringette team won a national title at the University Challenge Cup, which was hosted by Laurier University and Ringette Ontario. The Badgers skated undefeated through the three-day tournament to finish with a record of 9-0. Karlee Sutton was named the team's MVP and Samantha Hood was Rookie of the Year.

Softball
The Badgers enjoyed a dominant 15-1 regular season in the Ontario Intercollegiate Women's Fastpitch Association (OIWFA), but bowed out of the post-season in Hamilton. The Brock softball team wrapped up its 2019 campaign by competing at the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association National Championships in Waterloo, where they reached the quarter-finals after pool play. Head Coach Mark Hall was named the OIWFA Coach of the Year.

Ultimate Frisbee
The Brock Badgers women's ultimate frisbee team brought home a bronze medal from nationals in Brampton. The men's team also made it to the Canadian University Ultimate Championships. Neelima Basra was named the women's team MVP and Danny Collins of the men's side was named MVP. Haley Lang and Jacob White were named Rookies of the Year.

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Brock Badgers Year in Review