Seven teams headed to DC Sports Hall of Fame this fall

Several of Durham College most iconic sports team will head into the institution’s Sports Hall of Fame this fall.

The college’s department of athletics announced seven teams between 1996 and 2008 as this year’s inductees.

“These teams that are being inducted are really the cream of the crop,” says Ken Babcock, Durham College’s  “They all had exceptional accomplishments and were exceptional representatives of the college.”

With the college celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Babcock says it is a natural fit to recognize some of the most successful teams in the school’s history.

Topping the list of this year’s inductees are the 2002-03 to 2005-06 women’s softball teams.

During this four-year period, the Lords represented a dynasty within the Ontario College Athletic Association (OCAA).

Over that time span, Durham won three OCAA championship gold medals and posted a 56-game winning streak.

Between the 2002-03 to 2004-05 seasons, Durham posted a 35-1 record, scoring 303 runs while only surrendering 52.

The team’s dominance reached its peak in 2004-05, when the Lords only gave up three runs in a perfect 12-0 season.

The team also boasted eight OCAA league all-stars, two OCAA championship MVPs, two OCAA top pitchers, a player of the year, a league batting champion and a coach of the year.

The 1996-97 Durham College Men’s Basketball team not only captured a gold medal in the OCAA championship, but also became the first team in school history to win a Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship.

Sporting a 6-4 record during the regular season, the team was a defensive powerhouse, with opposing teams scoring a league low 695 points against.

The team’s offence was not to be taken lightly either.

Five players on the team, Delawn Grandison, Shane Nicely, Augusto Duquense, Patrick McKoy, and Sandy Jeffrey, averaged more than 10 points per game.

After defeating Humber College to win the OCAA championship, the two schools would meet again in the CCAA finals, with Durham once again emerging victorious, this time with a national championship.

Not to be outshined, the women’s basketball team from the 1996-97 season will be inducted as well.

Posting a dominant 13-1 regular season record, Durham boasted the strongest defence in the OCAA that year.

After defeating Humber to win the provincial championship, the team headed to the CCAA championships in Vancouver, where they fell to the eventual gold medalists, Quebec’s John Abbot College.

Rounding out this year’s inductees is the most recent team, Durham’s 2007-08 women’s soccer squad.

This group captured the OCAA championship gold medal and a bronze medal at the CCAA championships.

A defensive juggernaut, the team allowed a mere three goals throughout the season, completely shutting out the competition until its second last game.

Team member Katie Szeghaimi enjoyed a banner individual year, winning the league scoring title and being named as a CCAA All-Canadian and OCAA Player of the Year.

This year’s induction ceremony with include a formal gala for the first time ever.

“It’s going to be a really special evening. We’ve got some special surprises planned,” Babcock says.

The ceremony will take place Sept. 8 in Gymnasiums 1 and 2 at the campus Recreation and Wellness Centre.
Tickets are $50 and available for by contacting Kaitlin Coupland at kaitlin.coupland@dc-uoit.ca or 905-721-2000 ext. 2484.