The McMaster Marauders men's curling team is bound for the OUA Championship, taking place from March 18-20.
 
The competition will mark the first OUA appearance in the sport since 2020 due to Covid-19.

2022 OUA Men's Curling Championship | Fan Guide | Schedule/Results
 
While McMaster hasn't been at an OUA Championship in two years, they have been preparing themselves this season with exhibition events and inter league play.
 
In November, McMaster competed in a one-day tournament in Guelph, finishing 0-3. They then set off to St. Catharines in February to compete in a tournament hosted by the Brock Badgers. The event paired the Marauders up against other teams that they will be facing in their OUA pool to help prepare them for the upcoming Championship. McMaster put on a promising performance, coming away from the one-day event 2-1.
 
Weekly, the Marauders practice their team skills by competing in a local league against other teams from Hamilton at the Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club — they are currently ranked first overall of the 29 teams in the league.
 
McMaster has a strong relationship with the Marauders women's curling team, who won the OUA Championship in 2020 — The two teams regularly practice against each other. The Marauders men's team also competes against the Mohawk College Varsity team in the local league. The McMaster men have been ramping up practices and are feeling good individually and as a team for this coming weekend say co-presidents Troy Stoner and Daniel Van Veghel.
 
"This season, and these teammates, have all been a reminder of why we love this sport, and why we love competing in university athletics," say Stoner and Van Veghel. "We definitely have our sights set on winning a medal this coming weekend and are hopeful we're peaking at the right time as a team."
 
Details:
McMaster Marauders @ OUA Championship
Date: Mar. 18-20
 
History:
In the 2020 OUA Championship, the Marauders went 6-1 in the round robin to finish first in their pool. After an outstanding performance in the preliminaries, the men in maroon were matched up with Guelph in the quarter finals, and, unfortunately, came up short.
 
Players to Watch:
 
Daniel Van Veghel: As a senior member of the Marauders and the team's skip, Van Veghel has a prominent leadership role amongst his teammates. He has ample experience at the OUAs, with three appearances to his name, two of which he has skipped for or been a part of the backend of the team, including McMaster's strong 2020 showing. Prior to his university career, Van Veghel was a member of 2017 Ontario U18 championship team.
 
Troy Stoner: Stoner has played alongside Van Veghel for nearly a decade. He is the team's vice, working with Van Veghel as skip — this upcoming Championship will mark their second together as the team's backend and their fourth championship competing together as teammates. Stoner's shotmaking is an asset to the team, but he also has experience playing multiple positions at the OUA level. He earned first team all-star in 2019.
 
Scott McLellan and Thomas Szasz: This year's team is evenly split between veterans and rookies, and the team's two senior players recognize that rookie's McLellan and Szasz are vital members of their small team. As the Marauders Lead and Second, McLellan and Szasz play critical roles in rounding out the team. Both players have years of curling experience outside of university, and while this may be their first OUA appearance, they are assets to the team.