Top Humber Varsity Moments of the Decade - 2018
ETOBICOKE – As the decade inched towards a close, not much changed for Humber Varsity as the Hawks added two more CCAA banners to the North Campus Gym. 20-plus provincial medals were won once again, while another Humber superstar concluded her brilliant Humber career.
7. First to 50
In the Fall of 2018, Humber won its 50th National Championship, becoming the first CCAA institution to reach the milestone. The Hawks captured at least one CCAA title in 18 of the last 19 years, with ten different programs winning at least one championship.
6. Nofuente's jersey retirement
Before her final regular-season home game, Ceejay Nofuente's jersey was retired in front of her family and friends. She graduated as the most accomplished female team-sport athlete in Humber history, and her stint with the Canadian senior team put CCAA basketball on the map.
5. Green to Badunas tally
One of the most thrilling games in CCAA soccer history occurred in 2018 when Humber faced off against NAIT in the national semifinal. Stuck at 2-2, NAIT recorded the go-ahead goal on a penalty kick in the final minute of regulation to take its first lead of the match.
Unphased by the goal, Humber pressed in injury time, needing a goal to keep its championship aspirations alive. The long throw-in from Cody Green will forever live in Humber lore, as his toss found the head of a leaping Stavros Badunas, who banged home the equalizer as time expired.
Humber went on to win in penalty kicks, 5-4.
4. Rugby Sevens Dethrones Algonquin
Facing undefeated Algonquin in the OCAA Championship in 2018, rugby sevens captured its second title in three years with a 14-5 victory.
With less than three minutes remaining and trailing by two, Algonquin found a seam in Humber's defence, breaking free for what seemed to be an easy try. With Humber's championship hopes on the line, Hayley O'Donoghue made an incredible game-saving tackle, preventing the Thunder from scoring.
As time ran down, the Hawks scored a brilliant try from the line-out, when Fitzgerald found a streaking De Luca who ran over 60 metres untouched for her second try of the tournament. Fitzgerald kicked her second convert of the match, securing the win for Humber, 14-5.
3. Baseball's triple crown
2018 was a breakout season for Humber baseball, as head coach Matthew Ferreira led the Hawks to a regular-season title, provincial title, and NCBC title. At provincials, the Hawks rallied from an early deficit to dethrone the five-time defending champion St. Clair Saints, 14-5.
Less than a week later, the Hawks downed the Saints once again, winning the NCBC title for the first time. Brendan Lyons was named MVP of both tournaments.
2. Perfection achieved
For the second time in three years, the women's basketball team ran the gauntlet, winning the national title and finishing the season with a perfect record. Playing in their final game with Humber, the dynamic duo of Ceejay Nofuente and Aleena Domingo combined for 43 points, as the Hawks beat No. 2 Dawson, 68-61.
1. Seventh heaven
Men's soccer won its seventh CCAA national title – fifth since 2012 – with a 1-0 victory over Ahuntsic in Prince Edward Island. It was Humber's 50th national title as an institution and made the men's soccer program the most decorated program in the country.
