The McMaster Marauders men's and women's squash teams are heading to St. Catharines this weekend to compete for the OUA Championship banners.
 
Hosted by the Brock Badgers, the tournament will take place at White Oaks Resort and Spa from March 11-13.
 
After a missed 2021 season, the teams are looking forward to wrapping up this year at the OUA Championship.
 
The Marauders have shown excitement in preparing for the tournament and hope to improve on their last championship results.
 
Details:
McMaster Marauders @ OUA Championship
Date: Mar. 11-13
Location: White Oaks Resort and Spa
 
History:
In the last championship, both the men's and women's squash teams came away with one win on their overall record, the women going 1-3 and the men 1-4.
 
The Western Mustangs and the Queen's Gaels have had a streak of taking home the OUA banner for the men and women, respectively. Though the Marauders have not hoisted the championship trophies as frequently, McMaster's women's team did win the OUA Championship in 1991, cementing their name on the list of past champions.
 
Olivia Waite stood out as an incredible athlete for the women's squash team in recent years. Before her career as a Marauder ended, she received the Rookie-of-the-Year award in 2017, as well as an All-Star title, and continued to be an All-Star in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
 
The Marauders men's team has yet to take home the banner, but they have had some star talent, including Patrick Morkus, who was named the 2017 men's OUA MVP, as well as an All-Star multiple times throughout his collegiate career — Morkus also led the 2017 team to a silver medal finish, challenging the long-winning Mustangs.
 
Players to Watch:
 
Aparna Maheshwari: The Windsor native has yet to compete in an OUA championship, but she has experience from several provincial, national, and international junior championships under her belt. She has played squash for 10 years with a record that includes representation for Team Canada at tournaments such as the British Open and the US Open.
 
Elizabeth O'Meara: With experience from two OUA championships, and the captain of the women's team, O'Meara is a leader amongst her peers. She began playing squash with her family and went on to join the Marauders when she started at McMaster, an opportunity that she says has become the best part of her university experience.