HUMBER ATHLETICS FALL SEASON IN REVIEW

HUMBER ATHLETICS FALL SEASON IN REVIEW

ETOBICOKE, Ont – Another fall sports season has come to a close at Humber College and once again numerous individual and team championship banners will proudly be on display in the Humber Athletic Centre.  Heading into the holiday break, it is now time to look back at the semester that was in Humber athletics.

First to 500
After winning five medals in October, the Humber Hawks department of athletics became the first collegiate institution to surpass the 500 OCAA medal mark and currently sits at 504.

Men's Baseball

OCAA Finish: Bronze
OCAA All-Star: Brandon Costa
Championship All-Star Blake Keuer


After a 1-5 start to begin the season, the Hawks went on to win 11 of their next 12 games to secure the second seed in the OCAA.  Hosting the provincial championship, Humber fell to Fanshawe, earning a bronze medal, the program's third medal in four seasons.

Highlights

  • Daniel Marquez threw the third no-hitter in program history on October 11 against George Brown College.  Marquez went all seven innings, striking out eight and walking one.
  • Freshman pitcher Rory Pollard broke the single season record for strikeouts with 32, surpassing Andrew Hyde's mark of 31 set in 2013.
  • Senior Andrew Thomson hit the programs first walk-off grand-slam on October 1 against the Fanshawe Falcons.

Women's Softball

OCAA Finish:

Fourth

OCAA All-Star:

Aaliyah Davidson

 

Myranda Pierson

A slow start for a young Humber roster had the Hawks chasing a playoff spot all season long. A six-game win streak and crucial 5-3 win over Fanshawe secured Humber's sixth consecutive playoff berth.  Under the guidance of first-year head coach Duaine Bowles, the Hawks finished with the second highest win-total in program history.

Two losses by a combined total of two runs saw the Hawks eliminated from the 2016 playoffs.

Highlights

  • On October 1 against Seneca, Myranda Pierson became the first pitcher in program history to throw a no-hitter.  The second-year hurler struck out seven over six innings of work.
  • Pierson also surpassed Hall of Famer Jessica O'Quinn for most career wins in program history.
  • Bonnie Gillingham became the all-time hits leader and now has 88 hits in three seasons.

Women's Rugby 7's

 
OCAA Finish: Gold
OCAA All-Star: Daniella Grant
  Kareece McGregor
Championship All-Star: Christina Branch
  Daniella Grant
  Charli Mocon
Championship MVP: Charli Mocon


In the inaugural season, no other program was more dominant than the Humber Hawks. Led by head coach Dale Essue, the Hawks cruised through the regular season finishing 14-2 and outscored their opponents by an average of 25 points-per-match.

That domination carried over to the playoffs and in two matches, the Hawks did not surrender a point.  After defeating Sheridan 52-0 in the semi-finals, Humber had a showdown with Conestoga for the provincial championship and the Condors were the only team able to defeat the Hawks this season.

In what turned out to be a statement game, Humber beat Conestoga 50-0 and won the inaugural rugby seven's provincial championship.

Highlights

  • Charli Mocon (Mississauga) finished second in scoring with 103 points and was one of two student-athletes in the province to surpass 100 points on the season.

Men's Cross Country 

OCAA Finish: Silver
Second-Team All-Ontario: Idris Ahmed
  Orest Vesna

 

After medaling in three tournaments to begin the season, the Hawks were revealed as the fifth ranked program in the country once the inaugural rankings were released. 

At provincials, the Hawks won a silver medal after Idris Ahmed, Orest Vesna, and Aaron Veenstra finished in the top-20.  It was the program's sixth consecutive finish at second place or higher.

On a cold day at nationals – where the Hawks won bronze earlier in the season – Humber was unable place a runner in the top-20 and finished sixth as a team.

Highlights

  • Idris Ahmed's (Toronto) 28:40 time was the second fastest time recorded by a Hawk over the last three seasons.

Women's Cross Country 

OCAA Finish: OCAA Gold
Individual Silver: Kaitlin Shuvera
CCAA All-Canadian: Kaitlin Shuvera
OCAA Rookie of the Year: Kaitlin Shuvera
First-Team All-Ontario: Kaitlin Shuvera
  Ivon Jaimes
Second-Team All-Ontario: Coby Phillips

 

For the third consecutive season, the women's cross country team won the provincial championship.  All five runners – Kaitlin Shuvera, Ivon Jaimes, Coby Phillips, Richelle Ramirez, Claire Brown and Marcia Coelho – finished in the top-20 and Shuvera's silver medal was the tenth individual medal for the program.

Highlights

  • The OCAA win was Humber's seventh in program history, putting them one behind Mohawk for the most all-time (Mohawk won eight straight from 1981-1988).
  • Kaitlin Shuvera became the fifth All-Canadian in program history, joining: Vicky Siemon, Darian Limb, Cara Coutts, and Lindsay Webster.
  • Shuvera's 10th place finish at nationals was the third best finish in program history (Lindsay Webster 3rd – 2014, Lisa Lee 8th – 2006) 

Men's Golf

 
OCAA Finish: OCAA Bronze
Individual Silver: Christian McCullough
CCAA All-Canadian Christian McCullough


For the 22nd consecutive season, the men's golf team won an OCAA medal after finishing with a +38 at National Pines Golf Club in Barrie.  Four golfers finished in the top-15 for Humber, including Christian McCullough who won the individual silver medal after finishing one-under after 54 holes.

Highlights

  • For the second time in his career, Christian McCullough was named an All-Canadian. He became the 26th All-Canadian in program history and the eighth student-athlete to win this award on multiple occasions.

Women's Golf

 
CCAA Accolades: CCAA Team Silver
OCAA Finish: OCAA Silver
Individual Bronze: Sheila McKeen
First-Team All-Ontario: Sheila McKeen


Fresh off the program's fourth national championship, the women's golf team began the season red hot.  The Hawks won at Georgian and Niagara before winning a silver medal at the OCAA Championship.  After a tough opening round, Sheila McKeen was able to rebound and finish on the podium for her second consecutive individual bronze medal.

At nationals, the Hawks put together another impressive tournament and were able to win a silver medal. Sheila McKeen (fifth) and Sonia Nagindas (ninth) both finished in the top-ten, while Lindsay Voogt shaved 19 strokes off her provincial total to finish 21st.

Highlights

  • Sheila McKeen's 237 total at nationals was the lowest tournament total for a Humber student-athlete since 2009.
  • Humber's OCAA team bronze was the program's fourth consecutive medal and 16th overall.

Men's Soccer

 
CCAA Accolades: National Champions
OCAA Finish: OCAA Gold
CCAA Player of the Year: Marcos Nunes
CCAA All-Canadian: Marcos Nunes
CCAA Championship MVP: Marcos Nunes
CCAA Championship AS: Marcos Nunes
  Kingsley Boasiako
  Jaineil Hoilett
  Julian Mullin
OCAA MSOC Player of the Year: Marcos Nunes
OCAA Scoring Champion: Marcos Nunes
OCAA Championship MVP: Patrick Majcher
OCAA Championship AS: Marcos Nunes
  Karman Singh
  Patrick Majcher
OCAA All-Star: Marcos Nunes
  Kingsley Boasiako
  Karman Singh
  Gerardo Magno
  Jaineil Hoilett
  Daniele Clemente
  Jerome Smith

 

The men's soccer program put together the most impressive season in CCAA history, winning their fourth national championship in five seasons. As the preseason favourites to repeat, the Hawks did not disappoint and finished with a perfect 16-0 record for the first time in program history.

After cruising through the regular season, the Hawks stepped up their play even further against the best teams in the country.  At the provincial championships, Humber outscored their opponents 14-1 in three matches and easily won their 11th OCAA gold medal. 

The offensive display by Humber was impressive all season long; however their defence and goaltending was as good or better.  Humber's defence was virtually impenetrable and when a shot did squeeze through, Karmen Singh was always in position to make the save.  Throughout the postseason, Singh did not allow a goal and recorded five clean sheets.

Highlights

  • Marcos Nunes became the first Humber Hawk to lead the league in scoring since teammate Michael Aigbokie accomplished the feat as a rookie in 2006.
  • The eight goals scored in the CCAA semi-final match broke Humber's team record for most goals scored in a national match. The team's previous best was in 1994 when the Hawks defeated the University of the Fraser Valley 7-2. 
  • In four full seasons, head coach Michael Aquino is now 12-0 at the CCAA national tournament. 

 

Women's Soccer

OCAA Finish: OCAA Silver
Central Coach of the Year: Mauro Ongaro
  Vince Pileggi
Central Rookie of the Year: Hayley Mackie
OCAA Championship AS: Hayley Mackie
  Vanessa Fiore
OCAA All-Star: Hayley Mackie
  Vanessa Fiore
  Rebecca Spratt
  Stephanie Gutierrez

 

After a two year hiatus, the Hawks returned to the OCAA podium after capturing the 15th medal in program history. 

A 7-1-2 regular season had the Hawks finishing in second place in the tough central division.  After defeating Durham and St. Clair to reach the OCAA semi-finals, Humber had to face Seneca, the only team to beat the Hawks during the regular season.

Trailing 1-nil for most of the match, the Hawks were able to tie the score at the 89:55 mark when rookie phenom Rebecca Spratt converted on a pass from Zoey Longsworth. When two extra periods were not enough to determine a winner, the match went into a shootout.  Despite a roster filled with rookies, the Hawks showed poised and were able to come away victorious.  After a save from all-star keeper Vanessa Fiore, Stephanie Gutierrez converted her penalty kick, capping the most thrilling match in program history.