Category: Builder
Institution: Seneca College
Inducted: 2019

Linda Stapleton has been a fixture in the OCAA for four decades. Hired at Seneca College in 1978 as a Campus Recreation and Varsity Coordinator, Linda was named Manager, Athletics and Recreation in 1995, then Director, Sport and Recreation in 2008.

At Seneca, Linda was successful at lobbying for student engagement and accessibility to student recreational, fitness and varsity spaces, leading to the creation of a new softball diamond at Newnham Campus, a fitness mezzanine at Seneca at York, new student recreation and fitness space at King Campus, a new artificial field with seasonal dome at Newnham, and the lowering of student fitness membership fees just to highlight a few.

Under her guidance, Seneca played host to several OCAA championships, including Men's and Women's Volleyball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Badminton, Women's Fastball and Cross Country. Linda also led the Hosting Committee for CCAA championships in Women's Basketball, Women's Volleyball, Women's and Men's Soccer, Badminton and Cross Country. In total, Seneca won 13 CCAA championships under her leadership.

Linda held multiple volunteer positions within OCAA, beginning in 1979 as the OCAA Women's Softball Convenor. She joined the then Executive Committee in 1991 as a Vice President, becoming OCAA President in 1999. Linda was also heavily involved in the CCAA. She was its Vice President, Governance in 2009 before becoming CCAA President in 2012. Linda returned to the OCAA Senior Leadership Council in 2017 as a 1st Vice President.

Linda has previously been awarded the CAN 150 Recognition for Volunteerism, CCAA Athletic Director of the Year, and Art King Award for Outstanding Contribution to Students in Colleges.