TORONTO - Bryanna Kressler of St. Clair College has been named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Female Athlete of the Year.
The reigning OCAA Women's Softball Player of the Year was a duel threat for the Saints at the plate and from the pitcher's circle. With a bat Kressler (Kitchener) had a regular season slash line of .529/.563/1.023 setting a new OCAA single season record with 45 runs scored while also contributing 51 RBI. Kressler's 46 hits included 14 doubles, 10 triples and three home runs.
From the rubber the fourth-year player made six starts going 6-0, allowing just one earned run over 34 innings of work for a 0.21 ERA, striking out 48. In addition, Kressler was named the OCAA Pitcher of the Year and headlined the OCAA League First-Team All-Stars.
Kressler was the top player on a team that simply had an historic season. The Saints completed its entire 2022 season (exhibition, regular season and championship) with an unblemished record of 34-0.
St. Clair went 24-0 during the regular season, the most wins without a loss in OCAA history. The Saints then won three straight post-season games to win their first OCAA title since 2014. St. Clair also won the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association (CCSA) national title, again without suffering a loss.
Kressler was named OCAA Championship MVP allowing no earned runs in a pair of complete games, including a shutout in the gold medal game. Kressler allowed just five hits in 14 innings, striking out 20 while walking just a pair. Kressler also had a hit and scored in each of St. Clair's three games at the championship. Kressler was also named Championship MVP, Top Pitcher and a Championship All-Star at CCSA nationals.
Kressler also joined the St. Clair women's basketball team this past season to help with roster depth having never played on a competitive team.
Kressler is the first-ever student-athlete from St. Clair to be named OCAA Athlete of the Year. Kressler joins Erin Smith (2003-04) and Joanna Van Dyke (1997-98) of Durham College as the only softball players to be given the award.
The OCAA has expanded its season ending awards to include an athletic administrator, coach and rookies in addition to its traditional athletes of the year. Winners will be honoured at the 10th OCAA Hall of Fame ceremony, to be held at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts in Windsor, Ont., on Monday, May 1.
2022-23 OCAA MAJOR AWARDS
Apr. 12 - Ray Chateau, Athletic Administrator of the Year
Apr. 13 - Emily Cooper, Female Rookie of the Year
Apr. 14 - Daniel Talmage, Male Rookie of the Year
Apr. 17 - Doug Wiseman, Coach of the Year
Apr. 18 - Luca Uccello, Male Athlete of the Year
Apr. 19 - Bryanna Kressler, Female Athlete of the Year
- 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