Durham College Athletics

Lesley Hatt (Balson) played for the Durham Lords women's softball team in 1997 and 1998. Her standout abilities behind the plate and her powerful arm quickly garnered attention across the province. Lesley's leadership, defensive skills, and exceptional game-calling were instrumental in leading the Lords to consecutive OCAA championships during her time at Durham.

In her freshman season, she guided the team to a 9-1 record in regular season play and an impressive 16-4 overall record. In 36 at-bats over 10 league games, Lesley hit .333, scoring 12 runs and driving in six RBIs. The following year, she recorded nine hits, 13 runs, and six RBIs as the Lords went undefeated in conference play with a 12-0 record and 20-1 overall.

Lesley's rock-solid defense behind the plate was a key factor in Durham’s continued dominance in fastball throughout the 1990s. Few base runners managed to steal against her arm. Under her leadership, the team captured back-to-back regular season titles and OCAA gold medals.

Lesley was recognized as an OCAA league all-star, an OCAA championship all-star, and the OCAA Championship MVP. In 2008, she was named to the OCAA All-Millennium Team, and in 2009, she was inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame.