Varsity Athletics | 10/26/2026 4:54:00 PM

York University Lions women's soccer player Nia Fleming-Thompson and football player Jayden Shallow have been named York athletes of the week for the period ending Oct. 25.

Fleming-Thompson, in her third year of eligibility from Mississauga, Ont., single-handedly sent the Lions to the OUA semi-finals this past weekend, scoring twice in a 2-1 win to set up a rematch of the 2022 OUA championship. After opening the scoring in the 33rd minute, the fifth-year biology student took a feed from Amelia Joseph, cut in around a couple of Brock defenders and fired one off the fingertips of the outstretched Brock keeper and in, putting the Lions ahead late in the final seconds of extra time to send York to the nation's capital.

Fleming-Thompson and the Lions will battle the undefeated Ottawa Gee-Gees Saturday afternoon at 12:00 p.m., with a trip to the OUA championship on the line. The red and white will look to avenge a 1-0 loss in that 2022 final and advance to their first OUA title game – and U SPORTS championship – since the 2022 campaign.

Shallow, a Barrie, Ont., native in his third year of eligibility, capped off his first OUA season with a bang – albeit in a losing cause – on Saturday afternoon against the Waterloo Warriors. The former St. Joan of Arc Knight, St. Clair Saint and Huronia Stallion star made six catches for 173 yards, including an 85-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Despite the Lions falling painfully short, 26-25, and missing out on the playoffs, the first-year interdisciplinary social science student finishes his first OUA season with 37 catches for 581 yards, to lead the team in both categories, while he finishes eighth in the OUA in receiving yards.

Shallow and the Lions now turn their focus to 2027 after another tremendous year of growth under head coach Dexter Janke. 2026 saw the Lions earn their third straight Argo Cup title as well as their first three-win season since 2018.