The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's curling team makes the trip to the Galt Country Club for the 2025 OUA Men's Curling Championship, hosted by the University of Guelph this weekend (Feb. 7-9).

In Cambridge, Ont., the Blues will be looking to contend for first place with an experienced roster that will be eager to improve upon their fourth-place finish from last season. Toronto has performed well at all intercollegiate tournaments in the regular season, finishing with a winning record at each outing, including claiming the McMaster trophy as the overall winner of the McMaster Bonspiel.

U of T is led by fifth-year curler Marshall MacPherson and fourth-year skip Daniel Hocevar. The versatile MacPherson possesses a high level of knowledge and skill that make him a valuable member of the team, including stepping up as the skip in the final game of the McMaster Bonspiel. An impactful leader, Hocevar is a driving force behind the Blues success and has been reliable as the primary skip on a regular basis. The two veterans are joined by Matthew Prenevost, Quinn Heffron, Andrew Paulley, and Nelson Wang.

The 2024-25 season marks the first for Blues curling head coach Susan Baird, who has served as an assistant since 2021-22. The Blues will look to cap off a 9-2 regular season with an OUA title, with the team aiming to compete for the top spot.

"Our team heads into the OUA championship with a hunger to capture that podium finish that eluded them last year," said Baird. "The roster is made up of very experienced athletes who have worked hard to bring together their various skill sets into a strong unified team. They are all great shot makers and have focused on improving their communication on the ice. The goal is to win the OUA Championship and represent U of T at the U SPORTS national championships in Lethbridge."

Toronto opens their championship weekend with a match-up against the Laurier Golden Hawks at 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, then the York Lions later in the afternoon. The Blues close out their round robin schedule with contests against the Waterloo Warriors and Western Mustangs on Saturday, Feb. 8 and if they advance will play potential playoff games on Sunday, Feb. 9.