TORONTO - The following student-athletes have been recognized by the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) for their accomplishments during the seven-day period ending Sunday, Feb. 26.
All OCAA Stars of the Week will receive an acrylic bag tag courtesy of Nothers, the Preferred Awards Supplier of the OCAA.
Erika Dodd
School: Humber
Program: Sport Management
Year of Eligibility: 2
Sport: Women's Volleyball
Hometown: Uxbridge, Ont.
Dodd achieved several personal accolades this past week, being named OCAA Player of the Year, an All-Canadian and OCAA Championship MVP. Dodd helped lead the Humber Hawks to a successful OCAA title defence, contributing 25 points, including 19 kills and three service aces over three matches, all 3-0 sweeps. Dodd contributed nine points and five digs against the Durham Lords in the gold medal match. Dodd's trophy case is getting crowded, being named OCAA Rookie of the Year last season. Dodd is also a two-time OCAA First-Team League All-Star.
Hadi El-Miari
School: Conestoga
Program: Business Administration - Accounting
Year of Eligibility: 1
Sport: Men's Basketball
Hometown: Guelph, Ont.
El-Miari was perfect in every sense of the word in the Conestoga's 88-70 road victory over the Georgian Grizzlies in crossover playoff action on Feb. 25. El-Miari scored 17 points and added 11 rebounds and three assists in the win. Even more impressive, El-Miari didn't miss a shot from floor or free-throw line going 6-of-6 on two-point field goals, 1-of-1 beyond the three-point arc and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. With Conestoga's win, the Condors have qualified for the OCAA championship for the first time since re-entering the league in 2017.
Jake Gomes
School: Humber
Program: Management Studies
Year of Eligibility: 5
Sport: Men's Volleyball
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.
Gomes was named Championship MVP for the second time at the OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship after leading the Humber Hawks to a third straight provincial championship. Over three matches Gomes recorded 114 assists, including 44 in the gold medal match on Feb. 27 as the Hawks upended host Fanshawe in four sets. When not setting up plays Gomes was finishing them, with 10 kills, 13 service aces and one block totalling 24 points. The two-time All-Canadian was also the Championship MVP at the 2019 provincials.
Dasia McDonald
School: Algonquin
Program: Business Administration
Year of Eligibility: 2
Sport: Women's Basketball
Hometown: Nepean, Ont.
McDonald had a big game for the Algonquin Wolves on Feb. 25 finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double in a 69-53 win over the Mohawk Mountaineers in the OCAA crossovers. The second-year guard also added six assists in the effort. McDonald finished the game as the leading scorer, leading rebounder and topped all players in assists. Algonquin remains unbeaten this 2022-23 season as the Wolves now head this week to the OCAA Women's Basketball Championship being hosted by Niagara in Welland, Ont.
Jerry Jr. Mercury
School: Mohawk
Program: Insurance
Year of Eligibility: 2
Sport: Men's Basketball
Hometown: Scarborough, Ont.
Mercury has been a double-double machine this season for the Mohawk Mountaineers. In 17 regular season games played the second-year forward averaged 18.8 points and a league-best 10.6 rebounds, finishing with with 10 double doubles. And that success continued on Feb. 25 in an OCAA crossover playoff game against Algonquin. Mercury scored 24 points on 7-of-16 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe while adding 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in a 96-77 victory. Mohawk is searching for its first OCAA title since 2015.
Serena Vitello
School: Redeemer
Program: Education
Year of Eligibility: 1
Sport: Women's Basketball
Hometown: Hamilton, Ont.
Vitello helped lead the Redeemer Royals to a historic post-season victory over the nationally-ranked Durham Lords in an OCAA crossover playoff game on Feb. 25. The first-year guard recorded a career-high 14 points while adding six rebounds, four assists and a block in Redeemer's 68-62 win, sending the Royals to the upcoming OCAA Women's Basketball Championship for the first time in the program's history. Vitello went 5-of-9 (55.6 per cent) from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 (100 per cent) from the free throw line.
- OCAA -
ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
For over 50 years, the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association has been a dedicated leader in amateur athletics through the provision of quality varsity and recreational athletic opportunities at the collegiate level.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com
