THE CAVALRY AWARDS
Celebrating the best in Gee-Gees athletics for fall 2009
A NEW BANNER should rise to the rafters at the University of Ottawa in 2010, as the men’s golf team capped off a roller-coaster semester of student sports with a provincial championship. In their success, the squad was joined by several individuals and teams on campus who also had inspiring seasons and terrific accomplishments. Their excellence is acknowledged in the Fulcrum’s semi-annual Cavalry Awards.
COMEBACKS!
COMEBACK TEAM OF THE YEAR: Men’s baseball
From 2005 through 2007, the Gee-Gees men’s baseball team was quietly one of the strongest teams on campus: they had a 39-9 record in the regular season with two appearances at the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA) national championships. The 2008 season was a different story, however, as the team plummeted to 3-13 and suffered an 11-game winless streak. Expectations were accordingly low going into this year, with the onus on the squad’s veterans to lead the team back to winning ways. Thanks to a trio of pitching aces and a dynamic offence, the team improved to 12-4 and made it to their division finals in the post-season. They earned a trip to CIBA nationals and advanced to the semi-finals, losing to eventual championship-winner Concordia.
COMEBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Alison McKittrick, women’s rugby
The home opener for the Gee-Gees women’s rugby team against McGill on Sept. 12 was especially meaningful for third-year second row McKittrick. Approximately a year earlier, she had suffered a season-ending knee injury before tryouts and ended up missing the entire 2008 season. Forced to watch from the sidelines, McKittrick spent the off-season training to get back into game shape. She was in peak form against McGill, recording a try in the game and setting up another thanks to dominant play. She was a co-captain of the Gees this year and was named to the Quebec Student Sports Federation all-star team.
BEST ATHLETES!
FEMALE ATHLETE: Courtney Luscombe, women’s soccer
Pure goal-scorers in soccer are a rare and coveted find, which is why the Gee-Gees women’s soccer team is happy to have been blessed with one for the last two years. Luscombe, a fifth-year striker, was tied as Ottawa’s top scorer in 2008 with five tallies. In 2009, she nearly doubled that total with nine goals in 16 games. For the most of the season, she was the leading scorer in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) until late pushes by opposing players relegated her to fourth place. Luscombe was named to the OUA East’s first all-star team and co-captained Ottawa to an 11-2-3 season.
Finalists: Tiffany Locke, cross-country; Christy Nurse, rowing; Lana Dingwall, rugby; Jillian Taylor, fastball
MALE ATHLETE: Brad Sinopoli, men’s football
The 2009 season marked a new chapter for the U of O men’s football team. Former fifth-year quarterback Josh Sacobie graduated—taking his 9,885 passing yards with him—which left the door open for third-year quarterback Brad Sinopoli. The Peterborough native proved to be a revelation: as a first-time starter, he guided Ottawa to a 6-2 season and was third among quarterbacks in the OUA with 2084 passing yards. He recorded 11 passing touchdowns and six interceptions (three of the latter were in one game against Queen’s). Most impressive was his running ability, as he was first among starting pivots with 624 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.
Finalists: Shane Riley, baseball; Hans Fracke, swimming; Michael Haycock, rugby; Kevin Brunet, baseball
HEART-STOPPERS!
HEART-STOPPING MOMENT: Oct. 24: Men’s soccer rallies late to win rare home game
For the first time in three years, the Gee-Gees men’s soccer team played a game at the U of O on Oct. 24. As a competitive club, the squad does not play in organized matches against teams from other universities—their lack of varsity status has forced them to play exhibition road games exclusively over the years. Fourth-year midfielder and team manager Marc-André Paulin secured the use of Matt Anthony Field that day, and the team hosted Bishop’s in front of over one hundred fans. With the Gaiters up 1-0 in the last 10 minutes of the match, the Gees responded with two quick goals in an unbelievable comeback.
Finalists: - Oct. 31: Mike Cornell drops potential game-winning pass vs. McMaster in men’s football - Nov. 8: Women’s soccer rallies in overtime and penalty kicks to win provincial bronze medal vs. Laurier - Oct. 24: Rookie Frank Fortier strikes out two batters with the bases loaded to earn a 6-5 save for men’s baseball at nationals against St. Clair
HEART-STOPPING HOME GAME: Sept. 12: Women’s rugby defeats McGill 24-5
After three consecutive seasons with unimpressive 2-4 records, the Gee-Gees women’s rugby team had a retreat last January in order to right the ship. A framework was established among the players emphasizing higher standards and greater commitment, including the concept of the “ultimate Gee-Gee.” The practical effects of the meet were felt in the team’s home opener, where exceptional fitness levels allowed the players to score 24 unanswered points against the Martlets in the final 19 minutes of the game, earning Ottawa its first-ever win against McGill.
Finalists: - Oct. 9: Men’s football blows out Guelph 50-26 - Oct. 10: Women’s soccer defeats Toronto 2-0
ROOKIES!
TOP FEMALE ROOKIE: Natasha Watcham-Roy, women’s rugby
It was clear watching the home opener of the women’s rugby team on Sept. 12 that rookie centre Natasha Watcham-Roy was a special talent. It’s rare in Canadian Interuniversity Sport for a first-year player to dominate the play—but that’s exactly what Watcham-Roy did. Her pair of tries powered the Gees to a 24-5 victory against McGill. Watcham-Roy went on to score a try in each of the team’s next two games and was the Gees’ leading scorer at the time. Unfortunately, she suffered a season-ending injury in her third match. Ottawa was 3-0 up to that point and 0-4 the rest of the season (though their competition was also better).
Finalists: Krista Draycott, soccer; Jenna Flannigan, fastball
TOP MALE ROOKIE: Jordan Wilson-Ross, men’s football
It was unclear to those outside the Gee-Gees men’s football team who their primary rusher would be this season, as record-setting running back Davie Mason elected not to return for the 2009 season. Any fears were quickly laid to rest, however, as Wilson-Ross scored Ottawa’s first touchdown of the year against Western on Sept. 6 (he had 18 carries for 119 yards that game). He finished second in the OUA with 790 rushing yards in seven games, and led the province with 112.86 yards per game. Wilson-Ross had six touchdowns on the year.
Finalists: Adam Best, swimming; Matti Emery, baseball; Chantry Cargil, cross-country
OUTSTANDING!
OUTSTANDING COACH: Paul Carson, men’s golf
Past and present members of the men’s golf team heaped praise on their coach at a team outing following the OUA championships on Oct. 20, where the competitive club defeated nine other varsity golf teams at the Angus Glen Golf Course in Toronto to capture the banner. It was the program’s second OUA title in three years, and the sixth one of Carson’s career as head coach. Due to their competitive club status, the team receives limited funding and Carson has invested much of his own time and money over the years just to keep the program alive—yet year after year, the team consistently finishes among the top teams.
Finalists: Larry Belanger, men’s baseball; Steve Johnson, women’s soccer
OUTSTANDING TEAM: Men’s golf
Provincial championships are extremely difficult to win at the university level, yet the Gee-Gees men’s golf team has collected a trophy case of them. The competitive club won the 2009 OUA Golf Championship on Oct. 20, overcoming diverse obstacles in the process: Ottawa won at Angus Glen Golf Course in Markham, Ontario, where the University of Toronto team practices; all nine of the Gees’ opponents had varsity status; and despite tying Western with a team score of 590, Ottawa won the tiebreaker because their highest individual scores in the two-day tournament were lower. A true team effort rewarded the club its second OUA banner in three years and its sixth in team history .
Finalists: Women’s soccer, Men’s baseball, Women’s ultimate
