Ontario Tech Ridgebacks

Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
University	Ontario Tech University
Association	U Sports
Conference	Ontario University Athletics
Athletic director	Scott Barker
Location	Oshawa, Ontario
Varsity teams	16
Arena	Campus Ice Centre
Mascot	Hunter the Ridgeback
Colours	Dark blue, light blue, orange
Website	www.goridgebacks.com

The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks are the athletic teams that represent Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The Ridgebacks have been competing in Ontario University Athletics since 2006 and have been a member of U Sports since 2008.

The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks compete in badminton, soccer, women's lacrosse, curling, golf, rowing, dance, basketball, and hockey. Formerly, the Ridgebacks had a tennis program. However, in 2016 after 10 seasons the university decided to eliminate the tennis program in favour of creating a badminton program.

Logo and mascot

Ontario Tech's athletic team colours are blue and orange.

The university's mascot and logo is based on a Rhodesian Ridgeback breed of dog. From the Ridgebacks' website, 2013:

“[The Rhodesian Ridgeback] is a large and well muscled hunting dog that is legendary for its ability and use in hunting down lions. Strong and extremely competitive by nature, the Ridgeback is also lightning quick and deftly alert while constantly paying attention to its surroundings. Known as a dominant dog with aggressive instincts, the Ridgeback moves, not only like a hunting dog, but like a dog of prey. It is strong willed and confident and thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities. It is equally as tough in the water as it is on land.”

Men's ice hockey

Ridgebacks' goalie Jesse Raymond ready for a face-off (September 2013)

Ridgebacks' warming up the goalie (September 2013)

The current head coach of the men's ice hockey team is Curtis Hodgins. The coaching staff includes Rob Powers (assistant), Joe Piccone (assistant), Dave Kennedy (goalie coach), and Cameron Bickle (video coach). Other staff include Spencer Segriff (equipment manager), Brad Gauld (scouting), and Sean Myers (scouting). Hodgins took the role leaving the Cobourg Cougars (OJHL Junior A) mid-season in 2015–16 to take over from former head coach Craig Fisher, who resigned due to medical concerns. Craig Fisher, whose hiring was announced two weeks before the start of the 2013-14 OUA playoffs, was the result of the university's search for new direction after the disappointment of recent seasons; placing emphasis on improving academics, and team culture.

In Curtis Hodgins' inaugural year (2015–16) with the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, the team set a new season high in wins and points, earned the team's first ever playoff round victory, and received the team's first ever vote for the USports Top 10 ranking. Following the success of '15-16, the Ridgebacks of 2016–17 achieved CIS National Ranking for the first time in program history, earning their highest ranking to date of #4 on November 9, 2016. The Ridgebacks continued to make the playoffs in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, losing in the first round on each occasion. Hodgins would lead the team to their second ever playoff series win in 2022, losing to the eventual national champion UQTR Patriotes in round two. The Ridgebacks returned to the playoffs for a tenth consecutive season in 2022.

History

The Ontario Tech Ridgeback men's ice hockey program began with head coach Marlin Muylaert; the first head coach of the program hired for the inaugural season.

Muylaert ended his seventh season behind the bench early and was let go midway through the '13–14 campaign. The assistant coach at the time, Justin Caruana, was given the interim head coach tag and completed the season with the rest of Muylaert's coaching staff, composed of Rob Whistle, David Brown, Ian Young, Matt Reed, and strength and conditioning coach Mark Fitzgerald.

Regular season and playoff results

Season	League	Division	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	Pct	GF	GA	Head coach	Season result	Playoff result
2016-17	CIS	OUA East	28	16	11	0	1	33	0.589	88	83	Curtis Hodgins	7th Division, 10th League	1st Round Exit
2015-16	CIS	OUA East	28	18	8	1	1	38	0.643	94	93	Craig Fisher/Curtis Hodgins	4th Division, 4th League	2nd Round Exit
2014-15	CIS	OUA East	26	10	15	1	0	21	0.385	73	106	Craig Fisher	7th Division, 13th League	1st Round Exit
2013-14	CIS	OUA East	28	8	16	4	0	20	0.286	64	110	Marlin Muylaert/Justin Caruana	8th Division, 17th League	1st Round Exit
2012-13	CIS	OUA West	28	11	16	1	0	23	0.393	92	112	Marlin Muylaert	8th Division, 16th League	1st Round Exit
2011-12	CIS	OUA West	28	6	21	1	0	13	0.214	86	138	Marlin Muylaert	9th Division, 18th League	Did Not Make
2010-11	CIS	OUA West	28	12	12	4	0	28	0.429	82	100	Marlin Muylaert	7th Division, 12th League	1st Round Exit
2009-10	CIS	OUA West	28	11	15	2	0	24	0.393	90	119	Marlin Muylaert	8th Division, 15th League	1st Round Exit
2008-09	CIS	OUA Mid West	28	7	16	5	0	19	0.250	83	130	Marlin Muylaert	4th Division, 16th League	Did Not Make
2007-08	CIS	OUA Mid West	28	6	19	3	0	15	0.214	60	128	Marlin Muylaert	4th Division, 17th League	Did Not Make

Skaters all-time/career season stat leaders

Player Name	Position	Games Played	Goals	Assists	Points	PTS/GP
Josh Vatri	F	104	56	49	105	1.01
Tony Rizzi	F	138	49	54	103	0.75
Nathan Spaling	F	112	30	61	91	0.81
Jesse Stoughton	F	100	46	38	84	0.84
Luke VanMoerkerke	F	133	32	51	83	0.62
Cameron Yuill	F	135	22	56	78	0.58
James Woodcroft	F	132	35	33	68	0.52
Mike Noyes	D	112	20	47	67	0.60
Brendan Wise	F	127	35	29	64	0.50
Kyle Wetering	F	97	27	34	61	0.63
Kevin George	F	105	24	30	54	0.51
Derrick Bagshaw	F	74	26	25	51	0.69
Scott Baker	F	78	20	31	51	0.65
Jake Logan	D	119	5	45	50	0.42
Jason Shaw	D	75	9	40	49	0.65

*Denotes Active Player

Goalies all-time/career season stat leaders

Player Name	Games Played	Minutes Played	Wins	Win %	Shutouts	Goals Against	Saves	Goals Against Average	Save %
Tyson Teichmann*	15	815	15	0.538	1	39	370	2.87	0.905
Brendan O'Neil*	57	3285	33	0.579	3	174	1603	3.18	0.902
Colin Dzijacky	39	1930	9	0.231	2	118	1011	3.67	0.895
Jason Guy	67	3595	21	0.313	2	234	2003	3.91	0.895
Ben Csiernik	3	93	1	0.333	0	6	50	3.87	0.893
Josh Evans	8	154	0	0.00	0	12	97	4.68	0.890
Bryce O'Hagan	25	1419	10	0.400	1	88	702	3.72	0.889
Josh Sturrock	6	143	0	0.00	0	10	74	4.20	0.881
Jacob Rattie	18	721	3	0.167	0	56	410	4.66	0.880
Matt Mateja	43	2155	9	0.209	1	168	1211	4.68	0.878
Jesse Raymond	6	275	1	0.17	0	19	130	4.15	0.872
Jeff Dawson	44	1913	8	0.182	0	140	939	4.39	0.870

*Denotes Active Player

Skaters all-time/career playoff stat leaders

Player Name	Position	Games Played	Goals	Assists	Points	PTS/GP
James Woodcroft	F	9	3	9	12	1.33
Jesse Stoughton	F	9	5	2	7	0.78
Jason Shaw	D	5	2	4	6	1.20
Ryan Doucette*	F	8	3	2	5	0.63
Danny Elser*	F	8	2	3	5	0.63
Mitch Bennett*	F/D	7	2	3	5	0.71
Ben Blasko*	F	8	1	3	4	0.50
Cam Yuill	F	14	2	2	4	0.29
Mike Robinson*	F	10	2	2	4	0.40
Tyler Mayea*	D	8	0	3	4	0.50
Colt Kennedy	F	4	2	2	4	1.00
Connor Jarvis*	F	7	1	2	3	1.00
Brendan Wise	F	4	1	2	3	0.75
Brent Varty	F	3	0	3	3	1.00
Jeremy Whelan	F	3	2	1	3	1.00

*Denotes active player

Tennis

Announced in 2016 after 10 completed seasons competing in Tennis, the University announced the elimination of the program.

Rowing

The Ridgebacks rowing team was first established in 2005 and currently operate out of Durham Rowing Club in Port Perry, Ontario. Currently the team competes in Ontario level regattas during the months of September and October. The team fields both men's and women's rowing at both novice and varsity levels.

Badminton

Announced in 2016, in conjunction with the elimination of the Tennis program, the university created and began the Badminton program. The inaugural coach for the introduction of the program is Wayne King, a decorated OUA badminton coach with years of experience with the University of Toronto badminton program.

External links

• Official website