Location...................................... Oshawa, Ontario Enrolment................................... 10,000 Founded..................................... 2002 Nickname................................... Ridgebacks Affiliation..................................... U SPORTS Conference................................. Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Colours....................................... Blue & White University President................... Dr. Steven Murphy Athletic Director.......................... Scott Barker Mascot........................................ Hunter the Ridgeback Arena.......................................... Campus Ice Centre (The Dog Pound) Capacity..................................... 800 Athletic Department Phone #..... (905) 721-3040 Website....................................... www.goRidgebacks.com Mailing Address.......................... 2000 Simcoe St. North Oshawa, Ontario • L1H 7K4 Head Coach............................... Curtis Hodgins (4th Year) Associate Head Coach............... Brad Gauld Assistant Coach......................... Scott Campbell Goaltending Coach..................... Dan Stewart Power Skating............................ Mary Giacalone Strength and Conditioning.......... Jeff Watson Life Coach.................................. Rod Rudd Equipment Manager................... Dave Campbell Hockey Operations..................... Sean Meyers Student Therapist....................... Lindsay Laflamme Student Trainer........................... Mitchell Freeburn Arena General Manager............. Tim Watson Game Day Supervisors.............. Amber Morely Play-by-Play............................... Asher Roth Colour Commentator.................. Tyler Zoltek PA Announcer............................. Waleed Hamed Athletic Director.......................... Scott Barker (905) 721-8668 Ext. 2548 scott.barker@uoit.ca Athletics Programs Advisor........ Craig Fisher (905) 442-1132 craig.fisher@uoit.ca Athletics Manager........................ Scott Dennis (905) 721-8668 Ext. 2784 scott.dennis@uoit.ca Sports Information/Events............. Christopher Cameron (905) 721-8668 Ext. 6285 christopher.cameron@uoit.ca Sports Information/Marketing........ Jordon Hall (905) 721-8668 Ext. 3866 jordon.hall@uoit.ca Athletic Therapist........................ Jessica Salt (905) 721-8668 Ext. 2081 athletictherapy@dc-uoit.ca
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks Men’s Hockey program. We are proud of what we are building here at UOIT and the future is bright. Our program is built on character young men who are equally passionate about their academics and their athletics. Your time spent with our Ridgebacks’ program will provide many terrific memories, meaningful lifelong friendships and an education that will prepare you for the evolving workplace. My mandate as coach is to create a tremendous student athlete experience and a program that will keep you excited to come to the arena each and every day while ensuring your academic success. Our incredible staff recognize the many challenges that first-year students face as they return to school after finishing up their Junior hockey careers. With an extensive support system in place, first-year students have access to valuable workshops and seminars aimed at improving healthy study habits and academic success, covering topics such as time management, note taking, and writing skills. Mandatory study halls are run weekly and peer tutors are available at any time. On the hockey side of things, our program continues to grow with many firsts achieved in the last few seasons - from national top 10 rankings to program highs in wins - and our goal is to only get stronger. Everything we do on a day-to-day basis is built on a ‘Team First’ philosophy and the character and family of a potential recruit is even more important than the talent they bring on the ice. Our coaching staff brings many years of coaching and playing experience. We have some of the finest facilities in the province at UOIT and are fortunate to play in a school-owned arena on campus where our players have extensive ice time available to them where they can work on their skills and conditioning outside normal practice hours. Our players are treated very well in terms of equipment and sticks, and we make sure our team always look good off the ice with a generous apparel package. Our motto is ‘Get Better Every Day’. This is our commitment on the ice and extends off the ice in how our players conduct themselves on a daily basis. Being classy are respectful to your professors, hockey staff, waitresses on the road, etc all matters and is expected within our program. All of us here with the Ridgebacks Men’s Hockey program are extremely excited about what lies ahead. We are committed to being a leader in U SPORTS hockey and to continue building the Ridgebacks’ brand and reputation across Canada. We are certainly well on our way to achieving those goals, however the true building of our program is only beginning. As Coach of this program, I could not be more excited about what lies ahead.
Curtis Hodgins Head Coach
UOIT NAMED ONE OF CANADA’S TOP 10 UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITIES The 2017 Maclean’s magazine rankings of Canadian universities illuminates the growing impact of programs and satisfaction among students at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. The new Maclean’s survey puts the university in the top 10 of Canada’s 19 primarily undergraduate universities. Based on specific methodology, the university has risen in the overall rankings from No. 15 in 2012 to No. 8 this year. The ranking increased in part to rising numbers in such categories as: • • • • • •
Library acquisitions Reputational survey Student awards Student Life (residence living, academic advising, international student enrolment, mental health services, less ‘red tape’, extracurriculars, steps to prevent sexual assault) Student services Total research dollars
While the University of Ontario Institute of Technology has distinguished itself as an undergraduate university, its graduate program offerings have grown significantly over the past 12 years. The university now offers more than 40 master’s and doctoral programs through the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and is currently home to 14 postdoctoral fellows.
One of Canada’s Fastest growing Universities STUDENTS
10,000+ Undergraduate and graduate
ALUMNI 16,000+
FACULTY AND STAFF 1,550+
DEGREES
Bachelor’s • Master’s • PhDs
PROGRAMS
56 - Undergraduate programs 37 - Graduate programs 20 - Pathways diploma-to-degree
FACULTIES
BUSINESS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ENERGY SYSTEMS AND NUCLEAR SCIENCE ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE
HEALTH SCIENCES SCIENCE SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
CAMPUS ICE CENTRE
The Campus Ice Centre (aka The Dog Pound) is the perfect sized facility for U SPORTS hockey. Opened in 2005, the arena is one of the newest facilities for U SPORTS hockey across Canada. Located in the heart of campus, the arena is easily accessible to the community and students to watch Ridgeback hockey. The facility has won a number of awards and is considered to be one of the premier ice-skating facilities in Ontario. The Campus Ice Centre features: • Custom designed varsity change rooms • Full bar/restaurant (Simcoe House) • Estimated annual attendance over 600,000 visitors • Facilities to host special events, tournaments, meetings, dinners • Sport retail outlet
STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE
The student success centre provides academic study space for UOIT varsity athletes. Located in the CRWC, the study space provides individual and group study areas, designated team study hall sessions and assembly areas for group projects.
HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE
Elite Training Systems (ETS), run by Mark Fitzgerald (strength & conditioning coach for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks), has a high performance centre on campus for varsity athletes. “ETS North” is stocked with all of the training equipment and measuring tools that you need to succeed. Unlike a traditional gym, ETS does not bring in equipment for show – if it doesn’t make you better, it doesn’t come in the centre. Everything has a purpose and that purpose is to help you get better, stronger and faster. We do not workout – we train.
CRWC/FLEX CENTRE
The Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (CRWC) offers a wide variety of athletic and recreational services including five gymnasiums with an elevated 200 metre indoor running/walking track and the 10,000-square-foot FLEX fitness centre.
CAMPUS FIELDHOUSE
Opened in 2016, the Campus Fieldhouse is an indoor turf facility featuring two playing fields. The men’s hockey team utilizes this facility year-round for indoor training.
GET BETTER EVERY DAY
Head Coach - Curtis Hodgins Hodgins joined the Ridgebacks program in October 2015 after a long and successful career in junior hockey. In his first season with UOIT, Hodgins led the team to a program high in wins in a season (18) as the team advanced to the second round of the OUA playoffs for the first time in program history with a 2-1 series win over Queen’s. The following season, the Ridgebacks landed a spot in the U SPORTS national rankings for the first-time in program history and reached as high as the fourth position during the seven-week span. UOIT finished the year with a 16-11-1 record and returned to the postseason for the fifth straight year. As the team enters their 2018-19 campaign, Hodgins has compiled a 49-28-7 conference record (61-42-10 overall) as of September 2018. Hodgins was a head coach in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) for 16 seasons, coaching 750 regular season games where he amassed a record of 423-229-98. His coaching career began behind the bench of the Bowmanville Eagles where he stayed for the better part of 10 seasons, interrupted only by a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. When the Eagles ceased operations in 2010, Hodgins took over the helm of the Whitby Fury and helped lead them to a berth in the 2012 Buckland Cup Final in just his second year with the team. Hodgins then moved east to head up the Cobourg Cougars club for three and a half successful seasons before joining the Ridgebacks. During his time in the OJHL, Hodgins led his teams to four Eastern Conference Championships (2004, 2006, 2010, 2012) and was also named coach of the year on four occasions. On the International stage, Hodgins has also coached two Canada East teams in the World Junior “A” Challenge where he earned a silver medal both as an assistant in 2010 and then as the head coach in 2011. Hodgins is a lifelong Durham Region resident and currently resides in Courtice with his wife Rhonda and their two children, Cooper and Hayden.
RIDGEBACK HIGHLIGHTS UNDER COACH HODGINS First playoff series win • FEBRUARY 2016 program highs in wins/points • FEBRUARY 2016 nationally ranked • October 2016
ASSISTANT COACHES BRAD GAULD
Associate head Coach
Scott campbell ASSISTANT COACH
Gauld enters his 5th year with the Ridgebacks bringing many years of coaching experience with him. Prior to joining the UOIT program, Gauld coached in the OJHL (Whitby Fury) for three seasons and multiple years in the Whitby Minor AAA program. In addition to his duties with the Ridgebacks, Gauld is a Coach Mentor in Clarington AAA Zone and a Regional Scout (ETA) with the Erie Otters (OHL).
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Campbell and his family moved to Scarborough when he was three years old. He was a first-round draft pick of the Peterborough Petes in 1988, leading to him playing five seasons in the OHL with the Petes and Niagara Falls Thunder, before moving back to Britain to play professionally. Campbell played professionally in England, Scotland and Italy, as well as internationally for Great Britain.
When away from the rink, Gauld is self employed as an Information Technology Consultant and resides in Whitby.
Campbell laced up his skates for more than 300 professional games, racking up 129 points. He has won a championship in all three European leagues he played in, as well as a world championship bronze medal with Great Britain.
DAN STEWART
sean meyers
GOALTENDER COACH
hockey operations Dan Stewart joined the UOIT hockey program as the goaltending coach in May 2016. As a goaltender himself, Stewart spent the 1990’s playing junior hockey with the Cobourg Cougars and London Knights before moving onto university hockey where he played over 50 games with Saint Mary’s University while earning a degree in business management.
Stewart has plenty of coaching experience under his belt as he is as a goalie consultant with St. Lawrence University and Plattsburgh State University of the NCAA as well as the Cobourg Cougars of the OJHL. He is also the goalie coach for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL.
Meyers joined the Ridgebacks in 2018 in a role that sees him assist with scouting and recruiting players for UOIT, track and analyze game data and assist with other team management behind the scenes. A Whitby native, Meyers is a Laurentian University grad that worked with the Laurentian Voyageurs from 2013-15, followed by the Oshawa Generals in 201718. He was also a scout for the Espanola Express of the NOJHL in 2017-18. Meyers is looking forward to assisting in the development and growth of the Ridgebacks up-and-coming hockey program, leaning on his years of diverse experience on the business side of hockey to the program.
Family weekend 2018
montreal herita ge trip 2017
Family weekend
2018
ridgebacks day at
grandview
s tour 2018
g detroit red win
montreal heritage trip 2017