HIGH ACHIEVERS: Undefeated Algonquin men’s, women’s soccer teams facing challenging weekend

By Martin Cleary

The 50-year-old Algonquin College Wolves men’s soccer program has only one team goal and it has been used for many years – win the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.

Winning is at the heart of every game for the Wolves, whether it’s a game in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association regular season or the playoffs, which are the launching pad to reach the national championship tournament.

And winning has been everything the Wolves have experienced so far this 2025 OCAA regular season as they lead the East Conference with a 7-0 win-loss record. The Wolves won their seventh game on the weekend by default, when Fleming College Phoenix was unable to field enough players for the game.

The Algonquin Wolves women’s soccer team is keeping pace with the men as it also holds a 7-0 record to top the East Conference standings.

As the regular season winds down with three games remaining, both the men’s and women’s teams will see if they have the potential to be national tournament worthy, when they face the undefeated Seneca Polytechnic Sting and Centennial College Colts on the road on the weekend.

Seneca and Centennial are right behind Algonquin in the men’s standings at 5-0-1 and 4-0-2. In the women’s standings, Algonquin is shadowed by Seneca and Centennial, who are both 6-0.

Despite losing almost half of its team to graduation last year, the Wolves men’s squad has seen its returning players grow and develop, while talented recruits have been added to the roster.

~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~

Algonquin had an impressive men’s season in 2024 with silver medals at the provincial and national championships, but head coach Angus Wong hopes to go one step higher at both levels this season.

“We knew we would have a strong team as last year we were close to having success with silver medals at nationals and provincials,” he said in a phone interview this week. “We have had a lot of turnover with our starters, but we knew the guys coming back from last year would be emerging players and are starters now.

“We were optimistic we’d have a good season. But we have a big test this weekend against Seneca and Centennial, which will let us know where we really stand.”

While the players, coaches and staff believe in the men’s team, so do the officials in charge of compiling the weekly national CCAA rankings.

For the third straight week, the Wolves are ranked No. 2 behind defending national champion Humber Polytechnic Hawks. Humber defeated Algonquin in the 2024 Canadian college final.

“It’s our goal every year – a national championship,” added Wong, who played for Algonquin’s varsity team from 2002-04, was an assistant coach from 2017-19 and has been the head coach since 2022. “We’re always telling the guys there’s only one goal and we don’t need to write down smaller goals. The national championship is the benchmark of our program, the players and the staff. It has been our benchmark for the last 20 years.”

For the past 50 years, Algonquin has registered plenty of success on the soccer field, whether provincially or nationally.

At the OCAA championship, the Wolves have won 18 medals, since 1975. Algonquin has earned 10 provincial titles (2014, 2004-09, 1999, 1976 and 1975), is a seven-time silver-medal finalist (2024, 2015-17, 2013, 2003 and 2001) and a one-time bronze medallist (1996).

At the CCAA championship, Algonquin has nine medals – gold in 2006 and 2002, silver in 2024, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, and 1999, and bronze in 2015.

Wong, who was inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame earlier this year, and his coaching staff of Kieran Spring (assistant) and Colin Gibson (goalkeeper) started filling the gaps for the 2025 team at a winter tryout session.

They also held a combine session plus identification camps before the start of school as well as the opening day of classes to find the best talent available. Between 60 and 70 players attended two one-day identification sessions. The team has had 100 student-athletes in the past.

“We have a good network in the city and are able to find talent,” Wong explained. “The guys on the team also bring in players from multiple avenues. The success of the program also helps as people want to be a part of it.”

Alessandro Vivolo is the leading scorer for the Wolves, who have notched 46 goals in six games and only allowed two. Vivolo has counted 13 goals and added four assists.

Gershom Dupuy has seven goals and two assists, while Alex Basa has recorded five goals and six assists. Brothers Abdul and Azeez Al-Hammood have scored five and four goals respectively.

Fourth-year player Cristian Aviles-Molina provides strong leadership as the captain, after two years as a co-captain. Steady goalkeeper Nick Parry returns for his third season, after missing last year’s Ontario and Canadian championships because of injury.

“Our success this season has a lot to do with continuity and playing together at nationals last year,” Wong continued. “We have some very talented players, especially in the attacking area.

“There’s a mix of talented players and some good leaders in the room. With the experience last year … they’ve seen the next level. It’s hard to tell them what it takes to win a national championship. It’s easier to see what it takes (by being there).”

On the women’s side, Algonquin is looking to win its eighth OCAA title, after claiming the gold medal in 2015-17, 2013, 2002, 1986 and 1985. The Wolves women, who have not won a national championship medal, also captured provincial silver medals in 2014, 2011, 2008, 2006, 2003, 2001, 1997 and 1984, as well as bronze in 2010, 2007 and 1996.

Alex Aubin is third in the OCAA points scoring race with nine goals and four assists for the Wolves, who have climbed to No. 8 in the national rankings after being No. 15 three weeks ago.

Danika Mader has counted five goals and two assists for Algonquin, while Samantha Jones has contributed three goals. Kassandra Da Cruz has struck for two goals and five assists.

Goalkeeper Paige King has earned four shutouts from seven wins and has made 11 saves.

At the midpoint of the OCAA rugby sevens season, Algonquin is 2-5 in women’s play and 1-2 in the men’s league.