With the varsity season over, it’s time to look back at the year that was for the Stingers
Another U SPORTS season is behind us. At Concordia, some teams enjoyed their most successful seasons in years, while others had a hard time picking up wins. No matter what sport you’re into, there were reasons to cheer for the maroon and gold this season, and now is a better time than ever to reflect on how the season went.
Baseball
Led by veteran pitchers Sam Belisle-Springer and Dan Connerty, the Concordia Stingers baseball team went to their division final as well as nationals. While both pitchers started the year off slow, they came around by the end and were helped out by a strong offense, orchestrated by manager Howie Schwartz. The team finished second to McGill in their division, and ended the season with a record of 13-11. They lost in the division final to McGIll.
Wrestling
Wrestlers Vincent De Marinis, Trevor Banks and Jade Dufour were consistent winners throughout the season in their respective weight classes. De Marinis picked up a gold at nationals, as well as the Brock, Western and University of New Brunswick tournaments. His teammate, Fred Choquette, won a bronze at nationals. Dufour won an individual silver at nationals for the women’s team. The women’s team did not place at nationals, however, the men’s team finished sixth, while the Brock Badgers won the tournament.
Football
It was an eventful season for the football team, who finished third in their division with a record of 4-4. Big losses against the Université de Montréal and Laval kept the team from making a name for themselves throughout the year. Quarterback Trenton Miller struggled at times in his sophomore season, and the team was unable put points on the board. Rookies like Samuel Brodrique helped pick up the slack on defense, however, it wasn’t enough to beat the Laval Rouge et Or in the first round of the playoffs.
Women’s Hockey
The women’s hockey team had a slow start to their season, but picked up the pace towards the end. They finished with a record of 10-9-1 and played the Carabins in the first round of the playoffs. The Stingers pulled off the upset, sweeping the defending champs in two games. This was the team’s first conference final since 2005. Despite losing to McGill in that series, the team went to the nationals where they…
Men’s Hockey
Led by team captain Olivier Hinse and a new crop of rookies, the men’s hockey team finished the season with a 19-7-2 record and placed second in their division. They won their first playoff series in 16 years, but were eventually ousted from the post-season by the Queen’s Golden Gaels. Goaltender Philippe Cadorette made an immediate impact in his rookie season while forward Anthony De Luca led the team in goals with 24. He was also the highest-scoring rookie in U SPORTS this season.
Women’s Rugby
With the help of Frédérique Rajotte, Alex Tessier and Jenna Thompson, the women’s rugby team had another season to remember. With a record of 5-2, the team finished third in the division and went all the way to the conference final, where for a second year in a row, they were defeated by the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team went all the way to nationals in Victoria, B.C., but did not reach the medal round. Thompson led the team with tries this season with 12 while Rajotte finished with 11.
Men’s Rugby
With many veteran players gone, the men’s rugby team was rebuilding this year. Craig Beemer took over as head coach just a few weeks before the season started and did everything he could to recruit and get his team together on time. Despite the large effort to get the team organized, the squad finished last in the division with a record of 1-6. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs. Julian Mackay Cantin led the team with three tries.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer team had a disappointing season as they finished the year with a 2-10-2 record, finishing sixth in their division. Laura Lamontagne led the team with five goals and helped fill the gap left by Kaitlyn Fournier who left the team in the off-season. Teams like the Laval Rouge et Or and Université de Montréal Carabins proved to be tough tests for the team, and in the end, the team wasn’t able to get crucial wins down the stretch.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s team finished one win outside of a playoff spot with a 4-6-2 record. The Stingers finished sixth in their division, but made progress in relation to last year’s team which finished with three wins. Goalkeeper Karl Gouabé was solid all season, and the team was able to get offence from multiple players. Sébastien Boucley, Amadou Lam, Abdallah Medouni and Gabriel Quinn Carranza led the team with four goals each.
Women’s Basketball
For the second straight season, the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team finished fourth in their division with a record of 7-9. However, unlike last year, the team made it to the conference finals. In the semi-final, the Stingers knocked off the Laval Rouge et Or who were the third-ranked team in the country. In the conference final, the Stingers lost to the McGill Martlets, who went on to win the national championship. The team was led by veterans like Marilyse Roy-Viau and Richelle Grégoire, as well as rookie guard Caroline Task.
Men’s Basketball
The team finished their season with a record of 10-6 which was good enough for second place in their division. The Stingers were favoured to win their first-round match-up in the playoffs and go to the conference final. However, the Stingers were upset 81-71, by the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins. The loss ended the team’s season, but there is reason to be optimistic. The Stingers were the best defensive team in their conference and have the potential to make a run next year.
