Varsity Athletics | 8/31/2026 3:18:00 PM
York University Lions women's soccer player Charlotte Phillips and football player Nathan Walker were named the inaugural York athletes of the week for the 2026-27 season on Monday, for the period spanning from Aug. 24-30.
Phillips, a third-year goalkeeper from nearby Markham, Ont., made her return to the crease after missing the 2025 season, and did so in style. The gender & women's studies student stopped all seven shots on target in the Lions 2-0 season-opening win over the Windsor Lancers. She then followed that up with a three-save shutout on Sunday afternoon in a 1-0 victory over the Western Mustangs in York's home opener.
Phillips and the Lions are right back at it Thursday night hosting the McMaster Marauders in their annual orientation game. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. You can get tickets at yorkulions.ca/tickets, or watch the game free of charge on OUA TV.
Walker, a fifth-year kicker and seventh-round draft pick of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts in 2026, had perhaps the best game of his OUA career on Saturday in York's dramatic season-opening win over the Carleton Ravens. He went 4-for-5 on field goals – including the game winner with zeroes on the clock – with his only miss coming from 52 yards out. Three of Walker's four makes came from 40+ yards, including the 47-yard walk-off winner and another from 50 yards in the third quarter. The Bowmanville, Ont., native and criminology major also punted six times for 285 yards, an average of 47.5, and a long of 65, and converted all three of his extra points.
Walker and the Lions will head to London on Sunday night to battle the Western Mustangs. This will be the Lions first game at Western in the Dexter Janke era, and the first for the program since 2018. You can watch the game live on OUA TV.
