Five former Ontario University Athletics (OUA) athletes led the Canadian National Women's Hockey Team to a 3-2 victory over the United States last night, giving Canada its first Olympic gold medal in hockey since 1952.

The five former OUA players on the team are captain Cassie Campbell, Lori Dupuis, Jayna Hefford, Cheryl Pounder, and alternate captain Vicky Sunohara. In addition to the five players, the OUA was represented on Team Canada by two assistant coaches: Karen Hughes, currently the head women's hockey coach at the University of Toronto, and David Jamieson, a former player on the Toronto men's hockey team

Campbell, Team Canada's captain and a veteran of five World Championships, played with the University of Guelph between 1992 and 1996. While at Guelph, she was a four-time All-Star and led Guelph to the OWIAA Championship in 1995.

Pounder, a defensive stalwart for Team Canada, played for the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks for three seasons, and was named a league All-Star all three times. She was also Laurier's Athlete of the Year in 1997-98.

Hefford, who scored last night's game-winning goal, is one of three former University of Toronto Varsity Blues who are on the National Team. She played for one season with Toronto (1996-97) and was named Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Star and led the league in scoring with 34 points in 12 games.

Hefford's short career is in contrast to that of Lori Dupuis, the second ex-Varsity Blue on the National Team. Dupuis played for Toronto for six seasons, and was the team captain for three of those years. She won the league Championship four times, and remains the OUA's all-time leading women's hockey scorer with 136 points.

The fifth OUA player is alternate captain Vicki Sunohara, who played for the University of Toronto from 1990-92. Sunohara won the OWIAA championship twice, and was named a Second Team All-Star in 1991-92.

Jamieson played goal with the Varsity Blues men's team, and was a member of their 1981-82 Queen's Cup Championship team.

Hughes is in her eighth season with the Varsity Blues, and has won four Provincial championships, and led the Blues to an undefeated season last year as they won their first CIAU Championship. Hughes will return from Salt Lake City in time to lead her Blues into the 2002 OUA Women's Hockey Championship, to be held this weekend at the University of Guelph. Hughes will be in attendance at tonight's banquet, which is to be held at the Holiday Inn (601 Scottsdale Drive) in Guelph, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Hughes' Varsity Blues, who are 17-2-1 this season, will take on the Guelph Gryphons tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. in the first of two OUA semi-final games. The undefeated Laurier Golden Hawks will face the Queen's Golden Gaels at 7 p.m. in the other semi-final. The OUA Championship is scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m.