Bio

Montana Champagne was the first Gee-Gee swimmer to establish a U SPORTS national record and the first Gee-Gees men's swimmer to win multiple national gold medals. He would finish his career with four national gold medals: winning the 400 metre IM in both 2017 and 2019, as well as the 200m butterfly in 2018 and the 200 IM in 2019 (establishing a U SPORTS record which remains intact).

The Ottawa native's breakthrough season at nationals was the 2016-17 season which saw him claim silver medals in the 200 fly and 200 IM alongside his first national gold in the 400 IM. Champagne also won the OUA's Dr. Jeno Tihanyi Individual Medley Excellence Award in 2016-17, and again in 2017-18. He added two national bronze medals in 2018 and represented Canada at the 2019 Summer World University Games.

His career total of 20 conference medals, including eight gold medals, is second in men's team history and he retains five team records. When he graduated with a degree in Human Resources Management Champagne's national medal total of eight was the most by a Gee-Gee swimmer and now ranks third. Champagne also helped lift the team onto the OUA podium with a bronze medal placing in 2017, followed by RSEQ conference bronze medals in 2018 and 2019. He was selected as uOttawa's Athlete of the Year for 2016-17.

TEAM RECORDS HELD:

Short Course:

200 fly: 2018 - 1:56.58

200 IM: 2017 - 1:57.93

400 IM:  2017 - 4:10.15

100 fly:  2018 - 53.55 (broken in 2022)

200 medley relay: Ruttan, Champagne, Kerr, Parsons, 2017 - 1:42.19 (broken in 2021)

400 medley relay: Bonomo, Champagne, Ruttan, Parsons, 2017 - 3:43.49 (broken in 2021)

Long Course:

200 IM: 2019 - 2:02.09 (U SPORTS Record)

400 IM: 2019 - 4:24.25

50 breast: 2019 - 30.01 (broken in 2023)

100 fly: 2018 - 55.35 (broken in 2023)

800 free relay: Nickerson, Casarin, Pilling, Champagne, 2019 - 7:44.34 (broken in 2020)

400 medley relay: Casarin, Demers, Champagne, Nickerson, 2019 - 3:54.41 (broken in 2023)

U SPORTS MEDALS:

CONFERENCE MEDALS: 

2018-19 RSEQ Gold Medal 100m Butterfly

2018-19 RSEQ Gold Medal 400m IM

2018-19 RSEQ Silver Medal 200m IM

2018-19 RSEQ Bronze Medal 200m Freestyle

2018-19 RSEQ Gold Medal 400m Freestyle Relay Team

2018-19 RSEQ Gold Medal 800m Freestyle Relay Team

2017-18 OUA Gold Medal 200m IM

2017-18 OUA Gold Medal 200m Butterfly

2017-18 OUA Silver Medal 800m Freestyle Relay Team

2017-18 OUA Bronze Medal 400m Medley Relay Team

2016-17 OUA Gold Medal 200m Butterfly

2016-17 OUA Gold Medal 200m IM

2016-17 OUA Silver Medal 400m IM

2016-17 OUA Silver Medal 400m Medley Relay Team

2016-17 OUA Bronze Medal 200m Medley Relay Team

2015-16 OUA Silver Medal 200m IM

2015-16 OUA Silver Medal 400m IM

2014-15 OUA Silver Medal 200m IM

2014-15 OUA Bronze Medal 400m IM

2014-15 OUA Bronze Medal 400m Medley Relay Team

CONFERENCE AWARDS:

2017-18 Jeno Tihanyi Award for IM Excellence (OUA)

2016-17 Jeno Tihanyi Award for IM Excellence (OUA)