After a year away from competitive sport, Western Mustangs student athletes, coaches and staff were more than ready to get back this fall, and the results were impressive, as Mustangs teams brought home some hardware.
Provincial banners were won by the Mustangs’ Women’s Golf Team (OUA Champions), Women’s Rowing Team (OUA Champions), Women’s Softball Team (OWIFA Champions), Mustangs Football Team (Yates Cup – OUA Champions), and Men’s Tennis Team (OUA Champions).
The pinnacle of the fall? On December 4, in Quebec City, the Mustangs’ football won the National Championship U SPORTS Vanier Cup over the Saskatchewan Huskies in a thrilling (and cold) 27-21 victory.
Said Western’s head coach, Greg Marshall: “I’m extremely proud of this group, everything we have been through. I am just so happy we got here and got this done. The fact that we got through this pandemic, and we are the champions, speaks to the resiliency of our team. I could not be happier or prouder of this group.”
Meanwhile, Western’s Women’s Cross-Country team took Silver (2nd) and the Men’s team Bronze (3rd) at their OUA Championship and the Women’s team went on to also capture Silver (2nd) at the U SPORTS National Championship. Women’s Rowing came in 3rd nationally, and the Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams both also came in 3rd in their National Championships.
Several Mustangs coaches were recognized — provincially and nationally – for their achievements. Jeff Pacheco – with Mustangs Women’s Field Hockey – won OUA Coach of the Year and U SPORTS Coach of the Year; Katherine Baer – with Mustangs Women’s Rugby – won OUA Coach of the Year; Mustangs Head Coaches Cameron Cross and Anthony Glavanic were named OUA Coaches of the Year for Men’s Tennis; and Charles Fitzsimmons was named Women’s Golf Coach of the Year by the OUA.
The Mustangs also won some top student awards, with football player Deointe Knight winning the National U SPORTS J.P. Metras Award for Most Outstanding Lineman of the Year; Jordyn Orlando (Women’s Rugby) won Most Valuable Player in the OUA’s Russell Division; Evan Hillock, the rookie Mustangs quarterback who performed incredibly well in 2021, won OUA rookie of the year for football; Chloe Coutts was named OUA Rookie of the Year for Women’s Cross Country; Matt Oliver won OUA Male Player of Year for Men’s Tennis; and Justine Bryson and Ashton Cross were named OUA East Rookies of the Year in Tennis.
In some other exciting news, the Western Alumni Association made a substantial investment into the Western Mustangs stadium facilities, donating $1.4 million, and the stadium has been renamed the Western Alumni Stadium (formerly TD Stadium).
Of the $1.4-million donation from the Alumni Association, $1 million will be allocated for maintenance and regular upkeep of the renovated stadium grounds over the next 10 years, while $400,000 will be used for renovations of the newly named Alumni Lounge. This includes window replacement to improve sightlines of the football field, replacing the flooring, increasing the seating capacity, and updating the audio-visual equipment.
Submitted by the Western Mustangs
