CRISTY LATHAM NAMED OCAA ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

TORONTO - The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is proud to announce that Cristy Latham of Loyalist College has been named its 2025-26 Athletic Administrator of the Year.

Since 2023, Latham has served as the Director of Athletics & Recreation at Loyalist, where she has made a transformative impact on the Lancer culture by fostering a more welcoming, collaborative and community-focused environment. Simultaneously, Latham has elevated the standard of excellence across the varsity program by implementing enhanced strength and conditioning expectations, coordinating nutrition education, establishing structured athlete off-boarding processes, and expanding academic support initiatives.

Latham establishes high expectations for Loyalist's student-athletes, coaches and staff, consistently upholding these standards with integrity. Through her leadership, she has not only strengthened the Lancer community but also driven continuous improvement across all facets of the varsity athletics program.

The Lancers had a memorable 2025-26 season, culminating with both basketball teams advancing to their respective OCAA championships. The women's team went undefeated to win the East Division championship, and featured an All-Canadian recipient in Grace Callahan (Corbyville). Romain McCalla (Durham) led all OCAA men's basketball players in scoring.

Latham spearheaded Loyalist's inaugural athlete onboarding week, a highly successful initiative that fostered greater camaraderie across all teams. This effort has led to a palpable increase in team spirit and Lancer pride throughout the department.

Building on her foundational work in introducing safe sport to campus, Latham has prioritized athlete safety and well-being by implementing the Year 1 recommendations from the Safe Sport report. This initiative has established a consistent, prevention-focused framework that aligns varsity programs with industry best practices.

Latham hosts bi-monthly meetings for all varsity team captains, providing a dedicated forum for them to share feedback on key events, including the athletics banquet and the annual Jingle & Mingle. Additionally, she conducts comprehensive end-of-season debriefs with both athletes and coaches. Following these sessions, she ensures that actionable insights are implemented to drive the program's continuous and positive evolution.

Latham is deeply committed to student-athlete development and holistic growth. By actively engaging with a wide range of resources — including podcasts, articles, books, and webinars — she stays at the forefront of the latest trends in sports, mental health, and performance development.

Latham spearheaded the development and delivery of The Leader Within, an on-campus leadership conference for local high school girls. Featuring inspiring guest speakers and interactive small-group sessions, the event is centred on its core values: igniting hope, embracing courage, and radiating confidence. By providing a dedicated space for mentorship and dialogue regarding resilience and leadership, the conference helps participants envision their future in a post-secondary environment, equipping them with tangible skills while fostering a stronger sense of belonging and possibility.

Latham is an accomplished mindset and leadership coach who facilitates sessions for numerous local club teams on topics ranging from mental performance and nutrition to the fundamentals of being a strong teammate. She has quickly become a trusted resource, frequently sought out by local coaches for her expert guidance on coaching philosophy and athlete development.

PREVIOUS OCAA ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATORS OF THE YEAR
2024-25 — Matthew Ferreira, Mohawk 
2023-24 — Gillian McCullough, Seneca 
2022-23 — Ray Chateau, Humber

- OCAA -

ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

For nearly 60 years, the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association has been a dedicated leader in amateur athletics through the provision of quality varsity and recreational athletic opportunities at the collegiate level.

For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com