Lakehead Orillia celebrates athletic achievements
(Above) 2017-18 athletes of the year Andrew Dobson (left) and Chauntelle Palmer (right) are pictured with Elana Weber (centre), Student Athletics and Wellness Coordinator.
(Above) Athletes awarded most valuable player and rookie of the year in each of Lakehead Orillia's sports teams: equestrian, men’s and women’s hockey, dance, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s basketball.
April 6, 2018 – Orillia, ON
Lakehead University Orillia capped off a successful 2017-18 athletics season on Friday, April 6 with a celebration of its student athletes during the annual Athletic Awards Banquet at Hawk Ridge Golf and Country Club.
“This is a night to highlight our Thunderwolves athletes,” said Elana Weber, Student Athletics and Wellness Coordinator. “It’s an opportunity for all our athletes and coaches to receive well-deserved recognition surrounded by their coaches and teammates.”
To cap off the celebration, Andrew Dobson was named Male Athlete of the Year, while Chauntelle Palmer was recognized as Female Athlete of the Year. Palmer was also recognized as most valuable player for women’s varsity indoor soccer.
Other major award winners included Brennan Kaffer and Lukas Katinas who were named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) All-Academic Award recipients. The OCAA All-Academic Award is presented to full-time student athletes who also meet honours academic standards at Lakehead University.
Awards were also presented to top student athletes in each of the University’s sports teams: equestrian, men’s and women’s hockey, dance, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s basketball. Most valuable player and rookie of the year were announced and presented by the team coaches, who were also recognized and thanked by the University.
“Being an athlete is a lot of work on top of being a full-time student, and in some cases, juggling a part-time job,” said Chris Glover, Director of Student Affairs, who addressed the student athletes at Friday night’s banquet. “Although today you are being recognized as athletes, together you represent so much more. You are leaders, passionate members and ambassadors of Lakehead University, and proud Thunderwolves who make this university a special place for so many.”
Since Lakehead Orillia began offering athletic programs back in 2010, the menu of sports offered through the Orillia campus has grown to a multi-level, multi-sport program with almost 100 athletes.
“If it wasn’t for the perseverance and hard work of our athletes and volunteer coaches, we simply wouldn’t have the athletic program we do here at Lakehead Orillia,” said Glover. “We know how important it is to our students to be able to offer these types of programs and we’re hoping to continue to see growth and diversity in what we offer.”
A complete list of award winners from the evening can be found below.
Major Award Winners
Female Athlete of the Year
Chauntelle Palmer – Women’s Varsity Indoor Soccer
Male Athlete of the Year
Andrew Dobson – Men’s Hockey
OCAA All-Academic Awards
Brennan Kaffer – Men’s Varsity Indoor Soccer
Lukas Katinas – Men’s Varsity Indoor Soccer
Team Awards
Equestrian
MVP: Bradi Moore
Rookie of the Year: Sierra Tregear-Paton
Men’s Hockey
MVP: Evan Alexiou
Rookie of the Year: Dexter Bridge
Women’s Hockey
MVP: Clara Hall
Rookie of the Year: Tiffany White
Dance
MVP: Ella Baker
Rookie of the Year: Elizabeth Reynolds
Men’s Varsity Indoor Soccer
MVP: Mozeed Labinjo
Rookie of the Year: Cody Hewett
Women’s Varsity Indoor Soccer
MVP: Chauntelle Palmer
Rookie of the Year: Breann Sharma
Men’s Basketball
MVP: Cesar DeGuzman
Rookie of the Year: Breanna Shaw
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Media contact: Jaclyn Bucik, Marketing & Communications Associate, 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or jbucik@lakeheadu.ca
Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2018 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, as well as first in Total Research Dollars, second for Citations, and third for Scholarships and Bursaries. In 2017, Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the third consecutive year. Visitwww.lakeheadu.ca.
