The University of Toronto Varsity Blues badminton team claimed another OUA championship banner on Sunday (Feb. 9), defeating the Waterloo Warriors 7-1 in the gold medal match at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

For the Blues, the championship title marks a second consecutive win, and 11^th banner in program history since the merger of the men's and women's banners into a singular team championship in 1996.

The Blues were dominant on Sunday, defeating the host York Lions in the early morning semifinal, before knocking off the Warriors later in the afternoon.

Toronto was led by a strong contingent of women's badminton players, including second-year standout Chloe Choi, who earned two women's singles victories and one women's doubles win across both the semifinal and gold medal matches. Additionally, the dynamic duo of Jacqueline Cheung and Jackie Dent won both their women's doubles matches in the semifinal and gold medal rounds, while also securing mixed doubles. And winning both her women's singles matches in the semifinal and final, Joanna Xu impressed in the No. 2 singles position.

As for the U of T men, Nathan Mills collected two wins in the championship final, teaming with Harold Tan for a men's doubles win and with Dent for a mixed doubles victory. Also contributing with multiple victories, Tan added a singles win in the gold medal match, while also teaming with Mills in the prior semifinal versus the Lions for a vital doubles win there too.

The impressive team effort saw five Varsity Blues named OUA all-stars, while Cheung garnered the Female MVP. Additionally, U of T badminton head coach Nicky Aung was rewarded with Coach of the Year honours.

FINAL STANDINGS:
Gold: Toronto
Silver: Waterloo
Bronze: York
4th: Western
5th: McMaster
6th: Ottawa
7th: Ontario Tech
8th: TMU Bold
9th: Guelph Gryphons

MAJOR AWARDS AND ALL-STARS
Male MVP – Brian Yang (York)
Female MVP – Jacqueline Cheung (Toronto)
Male Rookie of the Year – Brian Yang (York)
Female Rookie of the Year – Chloe Lee (York)
Coach of the Year – Nicky Aung (Toronto)

OUA ALL-STARS
FEMALE:
Jacqueline Cheung (Toronto)
Jackie Dent (Toronto)
Chloe Choi (Toronto)
Ashley Wong (Waterloo)
Jessica Cheng (Waterloo)
Sophia Nong (York)
Jeslyn Chow (McMaster)
Chloe Hoang (Ontario Tech)

MALE:
Harold Tan (Toronto)
Peter Briggs (Toronto)
Jacob Kim (Waterloo)
Michael Ji – (Waterloo)
Thomas Dent (Waterloo)
Brian Yang (York)
Victor Lai (York)
Joshua Nguyen (Ontario Tech)