Humber College will be hosting Ontario’s top collegiate female volleyball players at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) 2006 Women’s Volleyball Championships from February 23-25. The seeding and the first round match ups have been determined, and play is set to commence this Thursday February 23rd at the Humber Athletic Centre in Etobicoke, ON.

For the first time in OCAA history all eight schools competing at the Provincial Championships will be sending both their men’s and women’s teams. This equates to a huge surge of support for all teams when they hit the floor.

“The women will cheer on their men’s team, and the men will show great support for the women”, said Humber Athletic Director Doug Fox. “This will produce an incredible ground swell of enthusiasm”.

This event will make for some excellent volleyball action, as the top eight female teams from across Ontario will battle it out for the provincial title and a trip to the National Championships. A new champion will be crowned this year, as the 2004-05 Champion Cambrian Golden Shield failed to make playoffs.

The hometown Humber Hawks enter the Championships as the team to beat holding the number one seeded spot. This year’s Hawks squad won the Central West regional title as the only undefeated team in the league with a 14-0 record. Leading the Hawks is third-year Perfection Powell who finished second in the Central West scoring race averaging 3.8 PPG along with former two-time all-star and 2003-04 Championship MVP Amanda Arlette (3.1 PPG). Humber finished second last year and earned their last title in 2003-04.

Entering, as the number two seed are the Nipissing Lakers from North Bay who will no doubt put up a strong fight for the title. The Lakers finished the year second in the Central West with a 12-2 record, both loses at the hands of the Hawks. Nipissing will rely on third year middle Megan Stacey the two time reigning OCAA Player of the Year to lead the team. Megan has recorded another record-breaking season, beating her own mark for kills in a season with 176 and after this year has become the career statistic leader in Kills (670) and in Total Points (828). Megan has also won the Central West and OCAA scoring race averaging 4.98 PPG. After such an incredible record-breaking season Stacey will be hungry to complete the trophy case with the championship gold medal. The Lakers have never won the Women’s Volleyball Title.

The number three seed Durham Lords from Oshawa finished the season as the Central East Region Champions with an 11-2 record. The Lords had a tremendous regular season with top results and will look to move up on the championship ladder from last year’s third place finish. Lords rookie Lindsay Devries recorded a great first year in the OCAA leading her team in points with 3.2 PPG. The Lords last won the Women’s Volleyball Title in 2001-02.

West Region Champions the Fanshawe Falcons from London finished the year with a regular season record of 11-4 and enter the Championships as the fourth seeded team. The Falcons have been a dominant force on the OCAA Volleyball scene but can’t seem to find the magic chemistry that would propel them to the top since their last championship title in 1971-72. Leading the Falcons will be rookie sensation Katie Seys who finished second in the West region scoring race averaging 3.7 PPG.

The Georgian Grizzlies from Barrie enter the Championship as the number five seed finishing the season second in the Central East with a 10-3 record. Georgian will turn to Central East Scoring Champion Kim Ward-Paige who’s averaged 4.9 PPG this season. Ward-Paige a fourth year player has tallied her best season of yet in the OCAA leading her team and the OCAA in kills smashing 193 in total on the year. The Grizzlies only Women’s Volleyball Title came in 1982-83.

Ranked sixth and seventh are the Mohawk Moutaineers (8-6) from Hamilton and Seneca Sting (9-4) from North York who will also be vying for the title. The Moutaineers last title was in 1979-80 while the Sting are looking for their first OCAA banner since their fabulous record-setting run of seven consecutive titles, which ended in 1995-96. Mohawk will look to Courtney Warren (3.0 PPG) to lead her team’s challenge for the title. Meanwhile OCAA blocking leader Paria Pishva of the Sting will help her team joust at the net along with Stings leading point getter Melissa Morden (3.8 PPG).

Rounding out the Championships seeds are the Algonquin Thunder from Ottawa who finished the year as the East Region Champions with a 10-3 record. Algonquin will turn to Sarah Hazlewood (3.5 PPG) to help lead them to the medal podium. Algonquin’s last Women’s Volleyball Title was in 1976-77.

The Championship seedings are as follows:
1. Humber Hawks (Etobicoke)
2. Nipissing Lakers (North Bay)
3. Durham Lords (Oshawa)
4. Fanshawe Falcons (London)
5. Georgian Grizzlies (Barrie)
6. Mohawk Moutaineers (Hamilton)
7. Seneca Sting (North York)
8. Algonquin Thunder (Ottawa)

A complete championship schedule including game times and results will be available on the internet on the OCAA website at www.ocaa.com. To view the Championship website click here.

For more information on the 2005 OCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships, please contact Jim Bialek, Sports Information Director and Tournament Char at the Humber College Athletics Department at (416) 675-6622 X: 4539.

The OCAA governs intercollegiate sports and promotes physical activity in its member institutions through quality athletic and campus recreation programs. It offers sixteen varsity sports to thirty member institutions throughout Ontario. For more information on the OCAA visit www.ocaa.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michelle Waddick
OCAA Communications & Marketing
Phone:(416) 426-7043
Fax: (416) 426-7308
Email: waddick@ocaa.com