Fall season a memorable one for Durham College athletes

For our Durham Lords, this fall was a season like no other.

Five teams earned Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) provincial medals to set a Durham College (DC) record. From the rugby pitch to the ball diamond and beyond, they were powered by some of the best student athletes in Canada.

There’s a reason why top athletes choose DC each year, according to athletic director Scott Dennis.

“Durham College has always had winning teams. When a recruit sees a team that is successful, that’s where they want to go,” he said.

That cycle is sure to continue next year in light of this season’s success. Every athlete wore the DC colours with pride, and many of them produced remarkable individual efforts as they guided their teams to the medal podium.

Women’s soccer player Sage Thomas-Roberts was recognized nationally as well as provincially, becoming the 54th DC student athlete to be named a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadian. She scored 22 goals in the regular season to become DC’s all-time leading scorer in a single soccer season.

“It was another unbelievable season for her,” said Dennis. “Being recognized nationally is a pretty big deal.”

As an All-Canadian, Thomas-Roberts’ name will soon hang from the rafters in the DC Gym.

On the rugby pitch, Emily Cooper had another outstanding year. After being named OCAA Rookie of the Year in her first season, she outdid herself with a stellar sophomore campaign. She played a crucial role in her team’s undefeated season, becoming the league’s scoring champion with 29 tries for 145 points. For her efforts, she was named OCAA Player of the Year, as well as a two-time All-Star (League and Championship).

The Lords women’s softball team earned silver medals at both the provincial and national levels thanks in large part to the efforts of Grace Hearns, who also earned OCAA Player of the Year status. She was also named a Championship All-Star as well as a First Team All-Star.

“She’s probably the heart and soul of the team,” said Dennis. “She’s always getting on base and she’s great defensively as well. Overall, a great player.”

DC’s third and final OCAA Player of the Year was Cole Cote from the men’s baseball team. The veteran catcher from the United States immediately stepped into a leadership role on the team, earning a First Team All-Star nod and another at the Championship.

“It’s tough to go through all the players because they did so well,” said Dennis. “The individual accolades are nice, but the team medals mean more to them.”

Below is a complete list of the impressive accomplishments made by our DC athletes this season.

3 OCAA Players of the Year

  • Emily Cooper – Women’s Rugby
  • Grace Hearns – Women’s Softball
  • Cole Cote – Men’s Baseball

1 CCAA All-Canadian

  • Sage Thomas-Roberts – Women’s Soccer

2 Scoring Champions

  • Emily Cooper – Women’s Rugby
  • Tyler Janes – Men’s Rugby

1 Divisional Player of the Year

  • Sage Thomas-Roberts – Women’s Soccer, East

1 Championship MVP

  • Ciara London – Women’s Rugby, OCAA

7 Championship All-Stars

  • Emily Cooper – Women’s Rugby, OCAA
  • Danika Johnston – Women’s Rugby, OCAA
  • Grace Hearns – Women’s Softball, OCAA
  • Chelsea Oke – Women’s Softball, OCAA
  • Sydney Redick – Women’s Softball, CCSA
  • Cole Cote – Men’s Baseball, OCAA
  • Erin Michalicka – Women’s Soccer, OCAA

8 League All-Stars

  • Emily Cooper – Women’s Rugby
  • Shay Morris – Women’s Rugby
  • Maya Austin – Women’s Rugby
  • Terrell Carter – Men’s Rugby, East
  • Tyler Janes – Men’s Rugby, East
  • Alexander Lee – Men’s Rugby, East
  • Liam Spafford – Men’s Rugby, East
  • Reese Watkins – Men’s Rugby, East

11 First Team All-Stars

  • Grace Hearns – Women’s Softball
  • Emily Glendinning – Women’s Softball
  • Cole Cote – Men’s Baseball
  • Nick King – Men’s Baseball
  • Zach Rivers – Men’s Baseball
  • Ryan Mattes – Men’s Baseball
  • Sage Thomas-Roberts – Women’s Soccer
  • Jessica Ferreira – Women’s Soccer
  • Deandre Branch – Men’s Soccer
  • Romaine Watkis – Men’s Soccer
  • Garrett Werner – Men’s Soccer

9 Second Team All-Stars

  • Chelsea Oke – Women’s Softball
  • Jessica Greene – Women’s Softball
  • Morgan Salter – Women’s Softball
  • Jocelyn Shelton – Women’s Softball
  • Griffin McMillan – Men’s Baseball
  • Erika Bjorgum – Women’s Soccer
  • Tenzin Chonyi – Men’s Soccer
  • Jaden Grant – Men’s Soccer
  • Isaiah Wisdom – Men’s Soccer

All-Rookie Team Members

  • Chelsea Oke – Women’s Softball
  • Jessica Greene – Women’s Softball
  • Zach Rivers – Men’s Baseball

For more on the remarkable DC teams that led the way this fall, click here.