Varsity Athletics | 9/3/2025 1:42:00 PM
A trio of York University Lions student-athletes have been named the first athletes of the week for the 2025-26, covering the first two weeks of regular season competition.
Football player Keagan Hall wins the award for his performance in Week 1 against the McMaster Marauders, while women's rugby player Mistura Are and men's soccer James Fidalgo are bestowed the honour after being top contributors to their teams' offensive outputs during the opening week of play for those sports.
Hall, a graduate student completing a master's in commerce, went off in his Lions debut on Aug. 23 against his old team, the McMaster Marauders. The new Lions signal caller went, unofficially, 29-for-41 for 332 yards and two passing touchdowns, as well as a pair of rushing majors on six carries, calling his own number twice in the fourth quarter to solidify a 31-24 Lions win.
After dropping to 1-1 with a loss to Ottawa this past weekend, Hall and the Lions return home to host the 55th annual Red & Blue Bowl against their downtown rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 1:00 pm.
Are, a third-year health studies major from Barrie, Ont., had a career performance on Saturday in the Lions loss to the Laurier Golden Hawks. The veteran accounted for the entirety of her team's offence, scoring four tries, including a penalty try, in the match.
Are will look to continue her hot start to the season when she and the Lions head to Kingston to take on the Queen's Gaels on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm.
Fidalgo, a second-year commerce major from nearby Maple, Ont., played a key role in the Lions season-opening win over the Laurier Golden Hawks on Thursday night. The alum of St. Joan of Arc C.H.S., potted York's first goal of the season just beyond the hour mark, potting the go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute to help propel the Lions to a 2-0 win over the Hawks. With that goal, Fidalgo equals his goal total from his entire rookie season.
He and the Lions will open a home-and-home series with the McMaster Marauders on Friday night at Ron Joyce Stadium, beginning at 8:15 pm.
