Oshawa, ON - - Smith, Vinson and Staley to be inducted in OCAA Hall of Fame
         Photo Credit: Allan Fournier
Erin Smith
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Durham Lords Media Release
Monday, April 3, 2017
Smith, Vinson and Staley to be inducted in OCAA Hall of Fame
TORONTO, Ont. – This May as part of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association's (OCAA) eighth Hall of Fame ceremony, Durham College will have three inductees.
Recent Durham College Hall of Famers Erin Smith (Athlete – Fastball/Volleyball) and David Staley (Athlete/Coach – Soccer), alongside 2011 inductee Kerry Vinson (Coach – Basketball) will receive the provincial honour on May 3 in St. Catharines at the ceremony held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Centre.
The OCAA Hall of Fame was established in 2003. Including this year's induction, membership will expand to 397 individuals.
Erin Smith – Athlete (Fastball/Volleyball)
Erin Smith of Stratford came to Durham College in the fall of 2001. She graduated in 2005 having left her mark on Lords history as one of its greatest dual-sport athletes.
On the fastball diamond, Smith was dominant on both sides of the ball, posting a .403 career batting average (60 for 149) with 34 runs batted in and 47 runs scored in 45 games.
On the mound, she was nearly unhittable, posting a 24-0 career record with a 1.04 earned-run average and 156 strikeouts. She finished on a high, posting a 6-0 record allowing no earned runs in the 2004-05 season, where she was named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association's player of the year.
Smith led the Lords to an OCAA silver medal in 2001-02, followed by three straight gold medals from 2002-03 to 2004-05. Smith racked up the accolades in her four seasons; she was the team's most valuable player every year, an OCAA all-star three times (2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05), the OCAA's top pitcher three times (2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05), the most valuable player at the OCAA Championships twice (2002-03, 2003-04), and the top pitcher at the OCAA Championships twice (2002-03, 2003-04).
She was also a key contributor to Durham's OCAA-record 56-game winning streak, stretching from the 2002-03 season through the 2005-06 season. In addition, her no. 11 jersey was retired upon her graduation.
However, Smith was also a force on the volleyball court for the Lords. She was a four-year starter for the Lords, her statistics improving with every season. All told, she finished her tenure with 564 points, second-most in Durham College history, though her 3.6 points per game is the all-time record among Lords who have played in at least 21 games.
The volleyball team made the OCAA's Final Four every year Smith was there, highlighted by a gold medal in 2001-02. The 2003-04 season proved to be Smith's biggest as she recorded 203 points in 47 games to lead the OCAA's Central East Division in scoring, earning OCAA All-Star and CCAA All-Canadian honours in the process.
Kerry Vinson – Coach (Basketball)
Kerry Vinson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1951, and following a distinguished pro playing career in Europe, he established himself as a premiere basketball coach in the Continental Basketball Association (Professional League).
He coached for the Alberta Dusters in the early 80's where he went up against some of the best coaches such as soon to be NBA Hall of Famer George Karl. After coaching in the OCAA for a number of years, he began his highly successful coaching run at Durham College in 1993. During his five-year run, his teams recorded five consecutive 20-win seasons and achieved nationally ranked status each and every year, which enabled him to become the winningest coach in Durham College men's basketball history with a stellar record of 125-45 (.735 winning percentage).
He led the Lords to the OCAA postseason dance every year but one, making it to the Final Four and claiming provincial bronze medals in 1993-94 and 1994-95 and Ontario gold in 1996-97. The gold medal was the first ever Division I men's basketball championship in DC history.
He then led the Lords to the CCAA national championship title in Burnaby, B.C. in 1996-97, the school's first ever national championship. That same year, he was one of five finalists for CCAA national coach of the year honours. A record of success that was unmatched during the 90's and a coaching career that is very deserving of Hall of Fame status.
David Staley – Athlete/Coach (Soccer)
Staley is one of the most successful athletes in Durham College history.
In his freshman season in 1996, the Lords finished with an undefeated record of 4-0-2, winning the OCAA east region while allowing a league-low four goals in six games. Staley was named the OCAA league top goalkeeper. At the OCAA championship, the Lords advanced to the gold medal game with a 1-0 shutout over Humber, but eventually fell to the Fanshawe Falcons losing 2-1 in penalty kicks.
In 1997, the Lords were once again dominant during the regular season with a 5-1-0 record, only allowing five goals against in six games. At the OCAA championship hosted by Durham, the Lords avenged their loss against the Falcons in the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory. In the gold medal game, Durham defeated Humber 3-2 to win their second ever title in men's soccer. At the CCAA national championship in Quebec, the Lords finished in fourth place overall, dropping a 2-0 decision to Langara in the bronze medal game. That year, Staley was named the Durham College men's soccer MVP and an OCAA All-Star.
The following year, Staley continued his dominance on the pitch as he was named a CCAA All-Canadian, the Durham College men's soccer MVP and the Durham College overall athlete of the year. The Lords cruised through the regular season with a 4-2-0 record allowing only seven goals in six games and finished in fourth place overall at the provincial finals.
Following his career, Durham officially retired Staley's jersey for his success and contribution to the college and sport.
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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: Allan Fournier
