Graduates of the Ontario Junior Hockey League received honours when Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced its 2024-25 class of all-stars and award winners Thursday.
Former Oakville Blade Christian Purboo was named OUA East Goaltender of the Year.
Purboo backstopped Queen’s University for 21 games, collecting 16 victories along the way to put him tied for first in the OUA win column. His efforts in the crease helped Queen’s secure a 22-6-0-0 record, good for second spot in the OUA East.
Purboo’s 2.25 goals-against average ranked fourth in the province, allowing only 45 pucks to get past him.
The fourth-year economics major took his spot amongst the best in the nation with a .927 save percentage, good for fourth with his counterparts across the country and third in the province.
Purboo was also named to the OUA East First All-Star Team.
Liam Fedak of the Waterloo Warriors was named the Champion of EDI West winner. The former captain of the OJHL’s Toronto Jr. Canadiens is a changemaker in his community, led largely in his work coordinating an Indigenous hockey event at Waterloo.
In 2024, members of the Waterloo Warriors men’s hockey team worked with an Indigenous studies professor at Waterloo to offer a two-day hockey and academic engagement event on campus with Indigenous youth.
The Indigenous kids were bussed in from Cape Croker about two hours from Waterloo and, while on campus, participated in on-ice practices led by Fedak. They also visited Waterloo’s campus Indigenous center, and other academic spaces.
Fedak, who was a member of the Jr. Canadiens for three years. is once again contributing to a similar event set to take place this April with youth coming from the Beausoleil First Nation.
Beyond Fedak’s work off the ice, the Oakville resident had his best season in his university career with eight goals and 14 points in 27 games.
Windsor Lancers captain Matt McNamara was recognized with the OUA West True Sport Award, making a tremendous impact on the Lancer Culture since his arrival four years ago.
McNamara, who played parts of two seasons with the Lindsay Muskies in the OJHL, is a team leader both on and off the ice and demonstrates this with his actions. McNamara, from Peterborough, was instrumental in Windsor’s humanitarian trip to Merritt, B.C. where his team helped an Indigenous community get back in their homes after the fires and floods out west.
Not only is the defenceman the heart and soul of the Lancers’ squad, he continues to contribute solid numbers on the ice. McNamara has been building throughout his career with the blue and gold, playing in 15 games and recording five assists in his rookie season and stepping up with 25 games and 17 points in his second year. He then saw the ice 21 times in his junior season with a 16-point tally for the year, and finally in his senior year, the human kinetics student boasted a 21-point season with eight goals and 13 assists.
Three OJHL alumni were named to the OUA West Second All-Star Team.
Former Milton Menace forward Holden Rogers is in his second year at Brock following one season at Toronto Metropolitan. He had 33 points (14 goals/19 assists) in 28 games this season,
Jaden Condotta, who played defence for Georgetown and North York in the OJHL, is in his second year with Toronto Metropolitan. He had 23 points (5 goals/18 assists) in 28 games.
Former Mississauga Chargers defenceman Jake Gravelle had 24 points (5 goals/19 assists) in 25 games during his fourth season with the Western Mustangs
One-time Markham Royal and Georgetown Raider Luca Fasciano was selected to the OUA West All-Rookie Team. The defenceman had 19 points (5 goals/14 assists) in 28 games at Lakehead this season.
