Two McGill teams in the hunt for OUA squash title

By Earl Zukerman & Josh Bell-Webster , OUA

HAMILTON, Ont. – For a quarter of a century, the Western Mustangs has ruled Ontario University Athletics men’s squash. They will look to win a 26th consecutive title as they host the OUA squash championships on Saturday, presented by The Jesters Club.

The Queen’s Gaels, McGill Redmen and McMaster Marauders all look to unseat the Mustangs. The University Squash Club of McGill first presented the Harald Martin Trophy in 1951, emblematic of OUA men’s squash supremacy. The Redmen won the trophy the first seven years of its existence, but have not hoisted the hardware since 1968-69. Queen’s and McMaster have never won the OUA men’s squash championship.

Queen’s will engage the host Mustangs in one semi-final. Returning 2007-08 first team all-stars Chris Hanebury of Ajax, Ont., and Iain Crozier of Winnipeg, Ont., helped lead Western to a 6-0 record in the regular season and is top seed at the OUA championship. The Mustangs swept Queen’s 6-0 in the OUA crossovers on Jan. 24, and have lost only two matches the entire season.

The Gaels are led by third-year player Paul Gartinburg, a Toronto native who won four of his six matches in 2008-09, and key rookie Amr Hamour of Niagara Falls, Ont., who was also 4-2 this season. Alex Ford, a sophomore from London, Ont., was Queen’s No. 1-ranked player during the crossover part of the OUA schedule. Queen’s had a 4-2 record.

McMaster and McGill will battle in the other semi-final. The Marauders have an international flavour to their ranks. No. 1-ranked player Ahmed Shohayeb from Egypt, is a returning second team all-star, while Australian David Rossouw has a 3-3 record having never played competitive squash prior to this season. McMaster has a 4-2 record entering play on Friday.

The Redmen are led by returning all-star Ben Marien of Westmount, Que. McGill had a 4-2 record in the regular season, including a 6-0 sweep of the Marauders in the OUA crossover on Jan. 25.

Queen’s is the defending women’s champion after ending the two-year title reign of the Mustangs in last year’s OUA championship, but will not be in London, to defend its title following a 1-3 record in the 2008-09 regular season. Western, McMaster, McGill and the Toronto Varsity Blues will vie for this year’s women’s championship.

Toronto will be making its 10th consecutive appearance in the OUA finals following a perfect 4-0 record. The Varsity Blues will face the Marauders in one semi-final in a rematch of the OUA sectional last Nov. 15 won by Toronto 5-1. The Varsity Blues are led by long-time captain Karlene Headley-Cooper of Mississauga, Ont.

The Marauders finished the regular season with a 2-2 record. McMaster’s Kristina Taylor of Ile Perrot, Que., and Torontonian Sunayna Gupta are returning 2007-08 first and second team all-stars, respectively.

The other semi-final will be contested between host Western and the McGill Martlets. Stephanie Edmison of Toronto, Ont., has led the charge for the Mustangs, and has experience with the Canadian national team. Heather Lamb of Calgary and Rachael Forgeron of St. Catharines, Ont., are also top players, while rookie Kathleen Horman of Toronto, has been a great addition to Western, which went 3-1 in the regular season, including a 6-0 triumph over McGill in the crossover tourney. The Martlets went 2-2 and are led by returning all-star Carly Hong, also from Toronto.

The women’s champion is awarded a plaque donated in 1979 by York University in memory of Lillian D'Urzo.



2008-09 OUA SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIPS

(London Squash Club/Fanshawe College, hosted by The University of Western Ontario)



Sat., Feb. 14:



Semi-Finals

10 a.m. – McMaster vs. McGill (M), McGill vs. Western (W)

12 p.m. – Queen’s vs. Western (M), McMaster vs. Toronto (W)



Bronze Medal

3 p.m. – Semi-Final Losing Teams (M, W)



OUA Final

5 p.m. – Semi-Final Winning Teams (M, W)



M – Men’s Matches at London Squash Club; W – Women’s Matches at Fanshawe College



For additional information please contact:

Josh Bell-Webster

Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: 905.540-5156

Cel: 905.870-9773
Fax: 905.574-2840
E-mail: josh.bellwebster [at] oua.ca

Web: www.oua.ca