The University of Toronto Varsity Blues badminton team won their fourth consecutive provincial banner as the 2019 OUA championship wrapped up on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 17) at UOIT.

Full Results

"I've only been part of the last two years, but to it's incredible (for a program to win four straight) because it's never happened before that four straight years of a co-ed team has won badminton," said Varsity Blues co-captain Marcus Waskiw-Ford.

"We're so fortunate to have such a great team," said fellow captain Bethany So. "We developed together, we support together and it's just an amazing experience (to win the 2019 championship)."

The Blues went a perfect 4-0 during pool play, notching 10-0 victories over the Guelph Gryphons and host UOIT Ridgebacks, while also defeating the Waterloo Warriors 9-1 and the Ottawa Gee-Gees 8-2.  As such, the Blues earned a bye into Sunday's semi-final round.
 
Toronto then met the Western Mustangs in the semis, topping them 6-0 to set up an OUA gold-medal match versus the Waterloo Warriors, who defeated the McMaster Marauders in the other semifinal of the morning.
 
U of T proved to be too much for the Warriors, claiming the 6-1 victory to seal Toronto's seventh OUA title since 1997 and fifth in the last seven seasons.
 
The Blues swept the major awards. Veteran sensation Bethany So was named the OUA female most valuable player for the fourth time in her career, while Jonathan Lai earned male MVP honours. First-year standout Katie Ho-Shue was named the female rookie of the year, while Michael Farrell earned male rookie of the year laurels.

Bethany So, Katie Ho-Shue, Vivian Kwok, Giselle Chan, Jonathan Lai, Marcus Waskiw-Ford and Jack Lin earned OUA all-star honours.
 
For the second straight season, Jackie Yeung was named the OUA coach of the year.
 
FINAL STANDINGS
Gold – Toronto
Silver – Waterloo
Bronze – Western
4th – McMaster
5th – Ottawa
6th – Ryerson
7th – Queen's
8th – Carleton
9th – UOIT
10th – Guelph
 
Most Valuable Players
Bethany So - Toronto
Jonathan Lai - Toronto
 
Coach of the Year
Jackie Yeung - Toronto
 
Rookie of the Year
Katie Ho-Shue - Toronto
Michael Farrell - Toronto
 
OUA All-Stars
Male:
Clement Chow - McMaster
Liam Woodside - Ottawa
Minh Pham - Ottawa
Jack Lin - Toronto
Marcus Waskiw-Ford - Toronto
Jonathan Lai - Toronto
Justin Law - Waterloo
Sean McGowan - Western
 
Female:
Katie Ho-Shue - Toronto
Bethany So - Toronto
Giselle Chan - Toronto
Vivian Kwok - Toronto
Natalie Lam - Waterloo
Cara De Belle - Western
Kristy Chan - Western
Samantha Zheng - Western

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