Durham Lords' coaching legend Dempster to be inducted into OCAA Hall of Fame

Longtime Durham Lords baseball coach Sam Dempster has been elected to the OCAA Hall of Fame. Photo: Durham College Athletics

March 17, 2025

Official Durham College Athletics News Release

OSHAWA, Ont. - The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) has announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2025, featuring former Durham College standouts Anthony Batchelor and Julie Pickell (Collins), along with longtime baseball head coach Sam Dempster.

The OCAA established a hall of fame in 2003 and the celebration will be the 10th induction ceremony in its history.

Dempster took over the Durham Lords men's baseball program in their inaugural season in 1992 and coached for 28 seasons until his retirement in 2020. Competing in the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association (CIBA), Dempster's team earned a bronze medal in 1994 and a gold medal in 2011. They also competed at nationals in every season from 2005 until making the move to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) in 2013.

Dempster was a driving force behind baseball's inclusion at the OCAA level, helping grow the sport and champion its place as a varsity offering across Ontario colleges through his leadership and passion.

In 2011, Durham won their first ever national championship, beating Humber College 6-1 in Moncton, N.B. At the national championship, Dempster also earned his 300th career victory. The Lords later won the National College Baseball Championship in 2019 under Dempster to finish off his career.

Durham were contenders in the OCAA right from the start with two silver medal finishes in their first two years and six consecutive final four appearances. In his final season, Dempster went out with another medal around his neck, earning silver after finishing 12-6 in conference play.

Over the course of his entire career with the Lords, Dempster recorded an all-time record of 443-296-1.

Being inducted as a coach, inductees such as Dempster are chosen on the basis of their ability to develop athletes, the success of their teams and/or athletes, as well as their integrity, fair play, leadership, and commitment to their college and the OCAA.

Batchelor played five seasons at Durham College between 2004 and 2009. Upon graduating and finishing his collegiate career, he was the all-time leading scorer in Canadian Collegiate basketball history.

As of 2023, Batchelor and his 1,833 career points are still top three in the history of the OCAA and at the top of the Durham College record book. Leaving his mark on the basketball program and the Durham College community, Batchelor had his number retired in 2012.

Well decorated from start to finish, Batchelor earned team MVP honours all five years, as well as team rookie of the year at the 2005 athletic banquet.

Batchelor was named a CCAA All-Canadian in 2007-08. The year prior, he was the OCAA men's basketball scoring champion, averaging 25.3 points per game. In the classroom, Batchelor won a number of OCAA All-Academic awards, a CCAA Academic All-Canadian, and the Dr. Gary Polonsky leadership award.

Pickell (Collins) was a star player for the Lords' women's softball program from 1993-94 through 1995-96.

In each of her three seasons, Collins led the Lords to a podium finish at the OCAA championship, taking home silver in her first and third seasons and winning a gold medal in 1994-95.

In her freshman season, Collins went 4-0 on the mound, striking out 19 batters over 25 innings pitched. Her 2.52 ERA placed the newcomer seventh among all pitchers in the OCAA for that season.

Collins broke two OCAA records in her second year. Her 0.75 ERA was the lowest in a season all-time to that point and she joined a three-way tie for most strikeouts pitched in a single game with 12. Collins was named top pitcher at the 1993 OCAA Championship in Hamilton. She finished the season with a perfect 4-0 record, only conceding six runs in 28 innings pitched.

She stayed perfect in her third and final season, posting a 5-0 record to finish her career an undefeated 13-0 on the mound.

An important piece to the team, she was named softball rookie of the year at the 1994 Durham College athletic banquet and team MVP in 1996.

Inducted as a player, inductees such as Collins and Batchelor are chosen on the basis of their athletic skills and abilities, fair play, leadership, individual statistics, and team accomplishments both while in the OCAA and/or at a higher level after their college career.

Batchelor, Pickell and Dempster were all previously inducted into the Durham College Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.

The induction ceremony is set to take place on Monday, May 5 at the Pan Pacific Toronto.