An appraisal of the previous semester is necessary to gauge the past and present state of UTM Athletics, before diving into a brand-new semester. In fact, with UTM’s varsity program still in its relative infancy, the Eagles got a taste of their first semester of varsity basketball for both men and women. UTM’s teams for both volleyball and soccer also strived to make headway within this uncharted territory of varsity leagues. The RAWC, along with the HCC, organized several events and initiatives to promote a healthier and happier campus throughout the entirety of first semester. The highlight of the semester for UTM Athletics was the outstanding performance of the varsity cross-country team.
The women’s basketball team won three games in total against the Conestoga Condors and Lambton College Lions. Throughout their first semester, this group of players have developed into a team with an undeniable chemistry both on and off the court. Now with a consolidated form and being thoroughly battle-tested, these players have a whole new semester wide open for them to redefine their presence in varsity.
The men’s basketball team, on the other hand, won their exhibition game during homecoming, as well as two tournaments where they triumphed in two out of three games in the first tournament and three out of four in their second tournament. However, these Eagles are still looking for their first league game win and will soon have a chance against the Niagara College Knights on January 12 to apply what they’ve learned and restart with a clean slate.
In the domain of varsity soccer, the men’s team has held up relatively well with three ties and three wins out of eleven games. The women’s team finished the semester with their first win of the season against the George Brown Huskies at 3-1.
The UTM varsity cross-country team performed phenomenally well with the entire women’s team qualifying to enter nationals and placing fourth in Ontario.
As a UTM medical student, Sophie Glanz placed 5th at nationals and 15th overall as an individual. Glanz was also awarded OCAA Cross Country Rookie of the Year, as well as added to the first team All Ontario. Another UTM medical student, Stephanie Nevison, finished 12th overall in provincials. As for the men’s team, both runners, Kale Heino and Haseeb Malik, placed top 20 in provincials and also achieved a place in nationals to represent UTM for a third year in a row. Heino proceeded to place 23rd in nationals, up almost 26 ranks from last year. This exceptional performance was facilitated by two new recruits, Ayah Abdeldayem and Sam Dumcum, that helped train the runners. These pair of coaches are in fact predecessors to the present cross-country team and former UTM Eagle cross country athletes.
Switching to the D-league, in quite an interesting mimicry, the volleyball and indoor soccer teams have had identical performances for their first half of the 2017-2018 season. Whereas the women’s volleyball and indoor soccer teams are still looking for their first win of the year, both of the men’s teams have won two out of five games. For the men’s ice hockey team, out of the five games of the semester, they have tied one against the St. George Blacks and won a game against the St. George Reds. The RAWC and HCC have also hosted several initiatives, such as the MoveU Motivator and the Glice event. The MoveU Motivator was focused on introducing students to the RAWC facilities and engaging them in a friendly reminder of the benefits and enjoyment of staying active, whether that is through sports or various forms of exercise, such as pilates. The Glice event invited students to ice skate on a synthetic ice rink in Gym B, drink delicious hot chocolate, and remember to stay active during the winter. The HCC pursued this effort of promoting healthy choices through a cooking class with UTM dietician, Kimberly Green, concerning healthy, cheap, and useful cooking tips and information. Other events revolved around mental health, including the YOLO pub night and meet-a-friend café.
