SHARMA GRABS OCAA'S TOP AWARD
WELLAND, ON: Humber's Ajay Sharma came away with the league's biggest honour for coaches Thursday morning after being named OCAA Coach of the Year at the league's annual awards banquet.
Sharma, fresh off a provincial championship, led the Hawks to only the second 18-0 season in program history. Arguably the greatest scoring team in program history, the Hawks set a new OCAA scoring record after ending the season with 1450 points.
Sharma inherited a program that went five seasons without an OCAA medal and since his hire, the Hawks have won two medals, including gold. In total, the women's program has an outstanding regular season record of 76-14 – a win percentage of 85 – under his watch.
This is the first OCAA Coach of the Year award for Sharma; however it's his second West Division Coach of the Year award. In 2014, he earned his first division coaching award after leading the Hawks to a 16-2 record, the programs highest win total in 11 years.
Three of Sharma's student-athletes were named OCAA All-Stars while his point guard Ceejay Nofuente was also named a CCAA All-Canadian and the OCAA Women's Basketball Player of the Year.
Sharma is now in the running for the 2016 CCAA Coach of the Year award, which will be handed out during the national championships held at St. Clair College March 16-19 in Windsor, Ontario.
