OSHAWA, Ont. – For the second time, Ontario Tech's Hunter the Ridgeback has been named the recipient of the Ontario University Athletics' (OUA) best mascot award.
 
Announced on Thursday morning as part of the CHAMP (Celebrating and Honouring Achievements in Marketing and Promotions) awards, Hunter was recognized for the spirit he brings to the campus and his involvement in the local community. Hunter also has a popular Instagram account that featured over 250 posts this past season.
 
"We are all Ridgebacks and this award really comes back to a collective award on campus," said athletic director Scott Barker. "Hunter is a focus of our school spirit on campus and as our mascot gives us one of many rallying points as a community. He has been heavily involved in events all over campus and the community this year, including playing a role in our social media that reaches beyond Oshawa. When you're at an event and Hunter shows up you can see everyone's spirits lifted almost instantly."
 
Hunter last won the award in 2018, making him the first two-time best mascot award winner. Past recipients include Toronto (2019), Waterloo (2017) and Brock (2016).
 
This marks the Ridgebacks' fifth CHAMP award.
 
Previous awards won by Ontario Tech include:
Best Competitive Championship – Badminton (2019)
Best Mascot – Hunter the Ridgeback (2018)
Best High-Performance Championship – Women's Soccer (2018)
Best Video Feature – Top Play Showdown (2017)