By Blake Talabis
With the post-season on the horizon for multiple Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold squads, it’s only right to look back on some of the best performances this season by athletes around the university.
From gold medals to unbeaten streaks, this year’s sports season has been filled with moments that won’t soon be forgotten. Here are some of the top showings from TMU athletes from 2023-24 so far:
Foreman feasts against Ridgebacks
A midseason matchup against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks was a game where third-year women’s basketball guard Jayme Foreman reminded everyone that she could ball out. The Nov. 25 matinee started tight but Foreman blew it wide open by hitting five threes to boost the Bold over the Ridgebacks. She ended with 29 points just 10 days after she was named U Sports Player of the Week.
This performance from Foreman was part of a 10-game win streak for the Bold that saw them go undefeated throughout the first semester. Ultimately, their run ended in the new year and they went 6-6 since the turn of the calendar. Nonetheless, Foreman and her team will be looking to get back to their early season form with playoffs in sight.
Dominguez goes for gold
After finishing as the runner-up in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) fencing championship for foil-weapon in 2023, fourth-year Oakville, Ont. product Erika Dominguez set her sights on getting gold. Dominguez was clearly up for the challenge as she went undefeated through her run to the championship and went on to claim the grand prize—her second gold medal in three seasons. Dominguez also received OUA all-star status this season to top off the run.
Bollers hits ‘The Michigan’
There are very few things in hockey that are more exciting than the coveted lacrosse-style goal. Contrarily, there are also a very select number of players with the skill—and courage alone—to attempt it during an actual game. So, when Kyle Bollers picked up the puck near the boards against the Brock Badgers and swooped around the back of the net to score one of the most elusive goals in the whole sport, everyone was in awe—including himself.
“I usually blackout after doing a play or scoring or something like that,” the third-year men’s hockey forward said, as previously reported by The Eyeopener. “I don’t know, I kind of just lose my mental state.”
Despite the 6-3 loss for the Bold, this moment was enough to be a staple on the best plays of the entire season.
Walker smokes inner-city rivals
While there is room for two universities in downtown Toronto, there can only be one winner when their sports teams face off. Luckily for the Bold men’s basketball team, fourth-year guard David Walker came out to play on Nov. 15 against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The game saw some exceptional plays from the Bold but Walker was the star of the show, dropping 33 points and nailing five three-pointers. His impact helped TMU come out on top with a 96-91 win over their hometown foes. Walker’s point total was also the highest-tallied by any Bold player this season.
Veltman forges win in ‘The Hammer’
The TMU women’s volleyball team’s matchup with the then-unbeaten McMaster Marauders on Nov. 25 was the chance to prove they were not a team to take lightly. The duel at McMaster’s Burridge Gym was tight until the very last serve and would eventually need a final fifth set to decide the outcome. Ultimately, an inspiring performance by fifth-year outside hitter Lauren Veltma—who posted a game-high 20 kills—helped boost the Bold to grab the win and hand the Marauders their first loss of the season. Following their five-set statement victory over the Marauders, the Bold won 10 of their last 12 to close their year.
Although there have been many top moments, plays and showings from TMU athletes throughout this sports season, the year isn’t over just yet. Many varsity teams are gearing up for the playoffs—a time when heroes can be made from legacy-defining performances. And, some of those performances might be added to this list in the future.
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