HUNTSVILLE, Ont. – For just the third time in school history, the OUA Female Coach of the Year is a Guelph Gryphon.
On Wednesday night (May 10) at the annual
OUA Honour Awards banquet in Huntsville, the major award winners for the 2016-17 season were recognized by Ontario University Athletics as part of the league's Annual General Meeting. Gryphons women's hockey head coach
Rachel Flanagan took home the OUA Female Coach of the Year award, joining Angela Orton (2004-05 Women's Basketball) and Linda Melnick (2002-03 Women's Volleyball) as just the third female coach in Gryphons history to take home the conference-wide honour. This marks the 19th time that the OUA has named a Female Coach of the Year recipient, with the inception of the award dating back to the 1997-98 season. It also marks the first time in 16 seasons that the OUA Female Coach of the Year award has gone to a women's hockey coach, with University of Toronto coach Karen Hughes being the last women's hockey coach to take home the honour back in 2000-01.
"I am extremely honoured to accept this award on behalf of the outstanding student-athletes and coaches who I have the privilege of working with every day," said Flanagan. "The support I've received from my family and friends has been incredible and it is what allows me to come to the arena everyday ready to contribute to this program." Flanagan would go on to add that, "As a coaching staff, we set extremely high standards for ourselves as well as our players and we have worked hard to try to instill a culture of accountability. With such a young squad this past season, we knew that it would be up to the vets on our team to step up their leadership, and they did just that." The 2016-17 Gryphons women's hockey team were one of the youngest teams in the league this season with a total of 10 rookies on the roster, yet still managed to successfully defend their OUA title. In the process, they became the first University of Guelph women's hockey team in 47 years to win back-to-back provincial championships.
Rachel Flanagan alongside ast. coaches Tamara Bell, Katie Mora & Tim Ingram
following the Gryphons 6-1 win over Nipissing in the 2016-17 McCaw Cup
"For Rachel to take home an award like this, in a conference full of outstanding female coaches from so many different sports, it's really an incredible accomplishment," says
Scott McRoberts, Director of Athletics at the University of Guelph. "While our women's hockey team has achieved some phenomenal things on the ice in recent years, Rachel has also done a tremendous job throughout her time here instilling core values in her student-athletes to set them up for success away from the rink as well. We are extremely proud of Rachel for this award," said McRoberts.
During the 2016-17 season, Flanagan guided the Gryphons to a first-place finish in the OUA standings with a 20-3-1 record. During the regular season, the Gryphons scored the most goals (77) in the OUA, while allowing a league-low 32 goals against in 24 games played. Following the regular season, Flanagan was named the OUA Women's Hockey Coach of the Year for the fourth time in the past five seasons. In the playoffs, the Gryphons defeated Windsor, Waterloo and Nipissing to secure the school's second consecutive OUA title. Flanagan also served as head coach of Team Canada at the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan in February, where she led Canada to a silver medal.
Rachel Flanagan at the 2017 FISU Games alongside assistant coaches
Howie Draper (University of Alberta) & Kelly Paton (Western University)
The 2016-17 season marked Rachel's 10th season as head coach of the women's hockey program at the University of Guelph. During her 10 years as head coach, the Gryphons have posted a record of 189-54-15, winning two OUA titles while qualifying for nationals each of the past three seasons.
For more information on the rest of the OUA Honour Awards, visit www.oua.ca.
NOTE: The OUA Female Coach of the Year award is given annually to the top female coach in the OUA. Coaches from all OUA sports are eligible. The OUA Female Coach of the Year does not necessarily have to coach a female sport. In 2009-10, Brenda Willis was named OUA Female Coach of the Year while coaching men's volleyball at Queen's.
OUA FEMALE COACH OF THE YEAR
| 2016-17 |
Rachel Flanagan |
Guelph |
Women's Hockey |
| 2015-16 |
Kristine Drakich |
Toronto |
Women's Volleyball |
| 2014-15 |
Chantal Vallée |
Windsor |
Women's Basketball |
| 2013-14 |
Beth Barz |
Queen's |
Women's Rugby |
| 2012-13 |
Chantal Vallée |
Windsor |
Women's Basketball |
| 2011-12 |
Vicki Croley |
Western |
Track & Field |
| 2010-11 |
Chantal Vallée |
Windsor |
Women's Basketball |
| 2009-10 |
Brenda Willis |
Queen's |
Men's Volleyball |
| 2008-09 |
Chantal Vallée |
Windsor |
Women's Basketball |
| 2007-08 |
Lisa Patterson |
Lakehead |
Nordic Skiing |
| 2006-07 |
Theresa Burns |
McMaster |
Women's Basketball |
| 2005-06 |
Marilyn Douglas |
Windsor |
Women's Volleyball |
| 2004-05 |
Angela Orton |
Guelph |
Women's Basketball |
| 2003-04 |
Angie McLeod |
Ottawa |
Women's Basketball |
| 2002-03 |
Linda Melnick |
Guelph |
Women's Volleyball |
| 2001-02 |
Vicki Croley |
Western |
Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2000-01 |
Karen Hughes |
Toronto |
Women's Hockey |
| 1999-00 |
Karen Hughes |
Toronto |
Women's Hockey |
| 1997-98 |
Beth Ali |
Toronto |
Field Hockey |
OUA MALE COACH OF THE YEAR
| 2016-17 |
Peyvand Mossavat |
UOIT |
Women's Soccer |
| 2015-16 |
Marty Calder |
Brock |
Wrestling |
| 2014-15 |
Shawn Camp |
Guelph |
Men's Hockey |
| 2013-14 |
Dave Smart |
Carleton |
Men's Basketball |
| 2012-13 |
Byron MacDonald |
Toronto |
Men's Swimming |
| 2011-12 |
Dave McDowell |
Queen's |
Women's Soccer |
| 2010-11 |
Matthew Holmberg |
Queen's |
Women's Hockey |
| 2009-10 |
Pat Sheahan |
Queen's |
Football |
| 2008-09 |
Dave Scott-Thomas |
Guelph |
Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2007-08 |
Dave Scott-Thomas |
Guelph |
Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2006-07 |
Chris Oliver |
Windsor |
Men's Basketball |
| 2005-06 |
Sandie Mackie |
Carleton |
Men's Soccer |
| 2004-05 |
Dave Smart |
Carleton |
Men's Basketball |
| 2003-04 |
Dennis Fairall |
Windsor |
Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2002-03 |
Dave Scott-Thomas |
Guelph |
Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2001-02 |
Clarke Singer |
Western |
Men's Hockey |
| 2000-01 |
Greg Marshall |
McMaster |
Football |
| 1999-00 |
Dean Boles |
Laurier |
Swimming |
| 1997-98 |
Jack Fairs |
Western |
Squash |
OUA ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
| YEAR |
FEMALE |
MALE |
| 2016-17 |
Claire Sumner |
Queen's |
Cross Country |
Jonathan Lao |
York |
Men's Soccer |
| 2015-16 |
Kylie Massie |
Toronto |
Swimming |
Stephen Maar |
McMaster |
Men's Volleyball |
| 2014-15 |
Korissa Williams |
Windsor |
Basketball |
Ross Proudfoot |
Guelph |
Cross Country/T&F |
| 2013-14 |
Khamica Bingham |
York |
Track & Field |
Philip Scrubb |
Carleton |
Men's Basketball |
| 2012-13 |
Britt Benn |
Guelph |
Rugby |
Kyle Quinlan* |
McMaster |
Football |
| 2011-12 |
Jacey Murphy |
Guelph |
Rugby |
Kyle Quinlan |
McMaster |
Football |
| 2010-11 |
Jessica Clemençon* |
Windsor |
Basketball |
Tyson Hinz* |
Carleton |
Basketball |
| 2009-10 |
Liz Knox |
Laurier |
Hockey |
Michael Faulds |
Western |
Football |
| 2008-09 |
Lindsay Carson |
Guelph |
Cross Country/T&F |
Francesco Bruno |
York |
Soccer |
| 2007-08 |
Lindsay DeGroot |
McMaster |
Basketball |
Aaron Doornekamp |
Carleton |
Basketball |
| 2006-07 |
Eilish McConville |
Queen's |
Soccer |
Daryl Stephenson |
Windsor |
Football |
| 2005-06 |
Kate Allgood |
Brock |
Hockey |
Osvaldo Jeanty* |
Carleton |
Basketball |
| 2004-05 |
Cindy Eadie |
Laurier |
Hockey |
Jesse Lumsden* |
McMaster |
Football |
| 2003-04 |
Alison Goodman |
Laurier |
Soccer & Hockey |
Rob Smart |
Carleton |
Basketball |
| 2002-03 |
Tara Hedican |
Guelph |
Wrestling |
Ryan McKenzie* |
Windsor |
Cross Country/T&F |
| 2001-02 |
Liz Warden* |
Toronto |
Swimming |
Ben Chapdelaine |
McMaster |
Football |
| 2000-01 |
Jennifer Rawson |
Toronto |
Hockey |
Kojo Aidoo* |
McMaster |
Football |
| 1999-00 |
Janet Cook |
McMaster |
Swimming |
Michael Potts* |
Western |
Soccer |
| 1998-99 |
Lamide Oyewumi |
Toronto |
Track & Field |
Steve Maga |
McMaster |
Basketball |
| 1997-98 |
Foy Williams* |
Toronto |
Track & Field |
Titus Channer* |
McMaster |
Basketball |
| 1996-97^ |
Karen Jackson |
York |
Basketball |
Titus Channer |
McMaster |
Basketball |
| 1995-96^ |
Justine Ellison* |
Toronto |
Basketball |
Aaron Pomery |
Brock |
Wrestling |
| 1994-95^ |
Kelly Dinsmore |
Windsor |
Track & Field |
Bill Kubas* |
Laurier |
Football |
| 1993-94^ |
Kelly Dinsmore |
Windsor |
Track & Field |
Tim Tindale* |
Western |
Football |
| 1992-93^ |
Nancy Sweetnam |
Laurentian |
Swimming |
Tim Mau |
Guelph |
Basketball |
* named CIS Athlete of the Year
^ Prior to 1997-98 males at Ontario universities represented the Ontario University Athletics Association (OUAA) and females competed in the Ontario Women's Interuniversity Athletics Association (OWIAA) |
