In 2008, the OCAA’s Ontario College Committee on Campus Recreation (OCCCR) created a year-end invitational non-contact hockey tournament that features Ontario’s top college men's extramural hockey teams competing for the Challenge Cup in March. In 2012, the committee added a women's Challenge Cup.
The 2009 Challenge Cup was won by the College Boreal Viperes, the #9 seed in a 10 team tournament who qualifed as a wildcard by virtue of a "B" championship win at the Georgian Shootout in early March. In 2010, the #8 Sheridan Bruins roared to the title in a 12-team tournament. In 2011, the #7 St. Lawrence Cornwall Sharks emerged as the champions. In 2012 the #2 George Brown Huskies held off Georgian-Barrie and Fleming to win the title. Last season, Wilfred Laurier-Brantford made bridesmaids of Seneca again to claim the title. Each of these victories show that at any given tournament any team can win and that every game and every tournament counts, no matter what round a team is playing in.
In the inaugural Women's Challenge Cup last season, powerhouses Fanshawe and St. Lawrence Cornwall met in the final, with Fanshawe winning the title.
There are currently 12 men's extramural hockey tournaments and 7 women's extramural tournaments between November and March each year. The hosts of both the men's and women's Challenge Cups receive an automatic entry into the tournament. The remaining spots are filled according to the men's and women's Extramural Hockey Power Ratings.This season, five women's teams and 11 men's teams will be invited to the tournament based on these ratings.
The Power Ratings slot teams according to their record, tournament results and strength of schedule. Teams who do not qualify by winning a tournament must play in at least two tournaments to be included on the year end EHPR. Also, if a tournament winner declines an invitation or if one team wins two or more tournaments, then invitations to fill vacancies will be issued based on the Power Ratings, starting with the top-rated non-qualifier.
Potential teams who may qualify via this route will be contacted in February to confirm interest if they qualify. Only OCCCR affiliated schools will be eligible for Challenge Cup qualification. Participants in the Challenge Cup will be seeded on the basis of the final EHPR.
In additon to regular updates on the Extramural Hockey News, a Challenge Cup update is issued in December, January, February and early March, then sent to all extramural hockey contacts. Also, the latest EHPR updates will be published in December, January, February and March and will be distributed accordingly.
