HAMILTON - The McMaster Marauders are celebrating a remarkable 2022-23 season that saw student-athletes recognized for achievements on and off the field. Marauder varsity teams secured five OUA Championship titles while also bringing home one U SPORTS National Championship, capping off the third most successful season ever in McMaster history.

"The success of this past year is a direct reflection of the tremendous efforts of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff," said Keenan Jeppesen, Associate Director, High Performance. "The competitive success is outstanding, but what we are most proud of is the incredible impact our student athletes have made in both the broader McMaster and Hamilton communities. Their leadership and hard work exemplify what it truly means to be a Marauder."

Nicolas Dessureault led the McMaster men's golf team to its first provincial title since 2004, shooting an impressive nine-under 63 on Day 2, just one shot shy of the competitive course record. The Marauders men's soccer team picked up their first OUA Championship in a decade, after last winning the banner in 2012. The maroon and grey completed the sweep at the men's OUA cross country championship, picking up all the available hardware. For the second time in three years, the McMaster women's curling team returned to Hamilton with the OUA banner and title. The McMaster men's volleyball team successfully defended their OUA Championship title, securing their 12^th Forsyth Cup in program history and second straight conference banner.
 
For the first time since 1963, the McMaster Marauders claimed the national men's cross country title. McMaster braved a downpour, 40 kilometre per hour wind gusts and less than ideal conditions on the 8-kilometre course in Halifax to become the 2022 U SPORTS Men's Cross Country Champions. The title marks the first for the Marauders in 59 years, after last bringing home the national banner in 1963. The 2022 U SPORTS Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, Max Turek finished his varsity cross country career on a high note. For the fourth time during the season, Turek was the first to cross the finish line, adding individual U SPORTS gold to his extensive resume. The Marauders won every single individual and team title throughout the season, including gold at the OUA Championship where they swept the podium and cleared second place by 31 points, to record a perfect season.

"This has been five years in the making for us," said Marauders Head Coach Paula Schnurr. "They worked really hard and I'm really thrilled for our men. This is the last season for our top five runners, so it's a really good way for them to finish their university careers." 
 
Outside of championship successes, Sarah Gates had an absolutely dominant senior season for the Marauders. The 2022-23 OUA Most Valuable Player became just the second McMaster player in history to be named the U SPORTS Women's Basketball Outstanding Player of the Year. Gates was then honoured with the Lois Mitchell Trophy as the U SPORTS Athlete of the Year, across all sports, becoming the first female student-athlete in school history to receive the recognition.

"It has been such a privilege and pleasure to coach and know Sarah over her time here at McMaster. Her ability not only to score but to influence the game in so many ways has been phenomenal," said Women's Basketball Head Coach, Theresa Burns. "Equally wonderful has been her growth as a person and a leader who has learned to use her voice to promote change, especially for female athletes. I'm just so very proud of her."

A fifth-year veteran guard, Gates excelled on the court, averaging 27.3 points per game. She was also the U SPORTS scoring leader and ranked first in the country in points per game, total field goals and made three-pointers. Sarah completed her regular season career as McMaster's all-time leading scorer, with a total of 1,857 points that ranks third in OUA history. She also topped the program's record book with a career-best 18.2 points per game, and finished first in field goals, free throws and three-point field goals. In addition to her Player of the Year honour, Gates was also named a First Team All-Canadian for the first time in her career.
 
Away from the field of play, Marauder student-athletes showcased their excellence in the classroom and in their communities.

A remarkable 522 student-athletes earned the distinction of being a Marauder Scholar - a 9.5 grade point average (GPA) or higher over a minimum of 24 academic units - leading to 347 student-athletes being named OUA Academic Achievement Award winners, while 143 went on to become U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians. More than 150 student-athletes are graduating from their undergraduate programs.

The 2022-2023 season also saw the return of the Varsity Leadership Committee, a group of student-athletes focused on making a difference in the community through volunteer and outreach programs, social causes, and charitable initiatives. Led by women's basketball senior Arianne Soriano and Christina Stratford of the women's volleyball team, the VLC is helping lead students to find causes to stand up for.

This year, five remarkable McMaster student-athletes won their respective sport's community service awards at either the conference or national level. When not on the rugby pitch, Sophia Cornacchia dedicates her free time to Ronald McDonald House and organized a team fundraiser for the foundation, while football's Alex Cheng is a founding member and Chair of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) athletes committee. As an executive member of Mac Athletes Care, women's volleyball standout Christina Stratford coordinates the 'Raise the Grade Program' for the Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton. Mateusz Wlodarski tutors biochemistry lab and teaches young students how to code while also actively participating in community outreach events like Movember. Soriano was a main organizer in the department's mental health awareness week, among other initiatives, while also serving as an Archway Mentor for three years.

"These young men and women are doing unbelievable things" says Shawn Burt, Director, Athletics and Recreation. "I think what we often forget is the number of hours that they dedicate to community service, getting out in the community meeting young children inspiring them being role models, raising money for a number of local charities and initiatives that are meaningful to them. This is driven a lot by our student-athletes who really want to make a difference in the world"

As a group, McMaster student-athletes raised more than $42,000 for local charities this past year.

This past season was one for the books but with an incredible cohort of student-athletes, coaches and staff, there is no doubt more to come in 2023-24.
 
For the latest news and updates on the McMaster Marauders, follow @mcmastersports on social media or visit www.marauders.ca.