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DURHAM COLLEGE READY TO HOST THE NATIONAL SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP -JENNA CAIRA TO SPEAK AT BANQUET

September 30, 2015

Oshawa, ON

 

Durham Lords Media Release

Wednesday, September 30, 2015



Oshawa ready to host the National Softball Championship



OSHAWA, Ont. – Durham College is ready to host the top intercollegiate softball teams in the country at the 2015 Canadian Collegiate Softball Association (CCSA) national championship from Oct. 9-11.



Eight teams will participate in the championship that will feature 20 games over the course of the three-day event.



“We are very excited to host such a great event that features the top intercollegiate softball teams in Canada,” said Durham College Athletic Director Ken Babcock. “With a national championship on the line, teams will be going all out on the field making for some thrilling action for fans to appreciate.”



The event will kick-off on Thursday, Oct. 8 with the national championship banquet at the Quality Hotel and Conference Centre. Jenna Caira, who is regarded as one of the top softball pitchers in the world, will be the guest speaker at the banquet (bio below).



“We are really thrilled to have Jenna talk about her experience at the championship banquet,” said Babcock. “Her accomplishments in the sport, including winning gold at the Pan Am Games, are second to none and the student-athletes will only benefit from her speaking about her experience in softball.”



This will be Durham’s first time hosting the national event, which began taking place annually in 2008.


The teams vying for the national championship will include the St. Clair Saints (Windsor, Ont.), Conestoga Condors (Kitchener, Ont.), Laurier Golden Hawks (Kitchener, Ont.), Western Mustangs (London, Ont.), Calgary Dinos (Calgary, Alta.), Saskatchewan Huskies (Saskatoon, Sask.), Regina Cougars (Regina, Sask.) and the hosting Durham Lords (Oshawa, Ont.).



“Durham College and Alexandra Park will be excellent venues to host this year’s national championship,” said Durham Lords softball head coach Jim Nemish. “The program has a rich history that is second to none and I’m certain that nationals will be a success for all of the participants involved.”



The Western University Mustangs enter the championship as the defending champions, as they defeated St. Clair 9-1 to win their fourth straight national title in 2014. Last year the Durham Lords placed fifth overall, their best showing since 2012 when the club reached the national final.



With Durham hosting the national championship it will be the Lord’s sixth straight appearance at the tournament.



The Lords have hosted award-winning and highly regarded national championships including men’s volleyball (1990 and 2003), women’s volleyball (1990), men’s soccer (1999), women’s soccer (1999), men’s and women’s golf (2001 and 2002), baseball (2009), men’s basketball (2011) and golf (2012).



CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

http://durhamlords.com/sports/2015/9/22/SB_0922155858.aspx?id=77



JENNA CAIRA



National Team Experience

2009-15 Senior Women’s National Team Member
2007 Junior Women’s National Team Member



Softball Biography

Caira played her minor softball as a member of the Markham Jaguars of Softball Ontario’s Provincial Women’s Softball Association (PWSA), winning back-to-back U16 Girl’s Canadian Championships in 2004 and 2005 immediately followed by back-to-back U19 Women’s Canadian Championships in 2006 and 2007. With all that success at the national level, Caira went on to represent Canada at the 2007 ISF Junior Women’s World Championship, where the team finished fifth, and went on to earn a spot on the Senior Women’s National Team in 2009.



Caira played four years of NCAA Division I softball as a member of Syracuse University from 2009 to 2012, where she accumulated over 1,000 strikeouts (1,043). She is the only Big East pitcher to ever reach that milestone, and is Syracuse’s all-time leader in most pitching categories including wins, strikeouts, starts, saves and innings pitched. After completing her eligibility in 2012 and being named an All-American in her senior season, she took on the position of assistant coach at Syracuse University, a position she has held since 2013.



Since joining the Canadian Senior Women’s National Team in 2009, Caira has established herself as one of the world’s top pitchers. At the Toronto 2015 Pan American games, Caira was a member of the gold medal winning Team Canada that beat team USA 4-2 in the gold medal game.



Entering her seventh season, she has represented Canada at three ISF Women’s World Championships, winning bronze in Caracas in 2010 and finishing fourth in Whitehorse in 2012 and Haarlem in 2014. She also competed at the 2009 and 2013 Pan American Softball Championships, as well as the 2011 Pan American Games, winning silver at all three of those events.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Scott Dennis

Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator

Durham College and UOIT Athletics

905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)

905.721.3117 (F)



Photo Credit: Al Fournier

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