OSHAWA, Ont. – The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks have added another accolade to the department's growing list of honours, earning the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) CHAMP Award for Best Theme Night for their inaugural Her Way to Play event.
Presented annually by the OUA, the CHAMP Awards recognize excellence in marketing, communications, promotions, broadcasting and event execution across university athletics in Ontario. The awards highlight the creativity and innovation demonstrated by athletic departments throughout the province while celebrating initiatives that enhance the student-athlete and fan experience.
Her Way to Play showcased the Ridgebacks' commitment to growing women's sports and creating memorable fan experiences, as the Campus Ice Centre welcomed a sold-out crowd filled with local youth hockey teams, families and supporters from across the community.
The evening highlighted and celebrated the next generation of women in sport as twenty-one athletes from local youth hockey associations were honoured prior to puck drop for their leadership, dedication and character on and off the ice. The recipients took part in a special pre-game experience that included dinner with their teams and opportunities to connect with former professional players Victoria Bach and Rhyen McGill, who shared their experiences and encouraged the young athletes throughout the night.
Fans attending the game also had the opportunity to participate in interactive activations set up throughout the lobby, including an autograph session with Ridgebacks players, Bach and McGill.
"Her Way to Play was an outstanding success for our department," said Ontario Tech Athletics Director Audra Sherman. "Women's sports have always played an integral role in our athletic history, and seeing the Campus Ice Centre filled with the next generation of athletes was truly special. Congratulations to our event staff on this well-deserved recognition — we can't wait to do it again next season."
The honour marks the tenth CHAMP Award earned by the Ridgebacks since they launched in 2015.
Previous CHAMP Awards earned by Ontario Tech include:
- Best Mascot – Hunter the Ridgeback (2023)
- Best G3 Championship – Women's Curling (2023)
- Best G3 Championship – Lacrosse (2022)
- Best Webcast Announcer – Shaun McLeod (2022)
- Best Mascot – Hunter the Ridgeback (2020)
- Best G3 (Competitive) Championship – Badminton (2019)
- Best Mascot – Hunter the Ridgeback (2018)
- Best G2 (High-Performance) Championship – Women's Soccer (2018)
- Best Video Feature – Top Play Showdown (2017)
