2015-16 YORK AWARD WINNERS

History & Traditions


2015-16 AWARD RECIPIENTS
Male Athlete of the Year
Michael Cox, Soccer
Complete List
8053Cox, of Calgary, was the top player on the best men’s soccer team in the country in 2015. He was the leading goal scorer in the CIS with 24 total goals on the season, and he was especially clutch in the playoffs scoring 8 goals in 6 games including a hat-trick in the CIS quarter finals. He was named the CIS Championships Tournament MVP, a CIS Tournament All-star, and OUA first-team star during the regular season. After the season Michael signed a pro contract with the Orlando City B of the United Soccer League.

Female Athlete of the Year
Brittany Crew, Track & Field
Complete List
8045Crew, of East York, Ont., won nearly everything possible in 2015-16 en route to establishing herself as the best thrower in the country. She set personal bests in the weight throw and shot put at the York Open in the middle of the season and swept the gold medals in the shot put and weight throw events at the OUA and CIS championships. She also set the CIS Championships record in the shot put and earned the OUA and CIS field events athlete of the year awards and was also a first-team OUA all-star and CIS first-team all-Canadian.
 

Bryce M. Taylor Award
Sheereen Harris, Track & Field
Complete List
8041Harris, from Toronto, was an extremely engaged student-athlete in her five years with the Lions. On the track, she is a five-time medallist at the CIS Championships and seven-time medallist at the OUA Championships. She is also a multiple time CIS first-team and second-team all-Canadian, and first-team and second-team OUA all-star. She was captain of the women’s track and field team from 2012-2016 and was also a leader within the varsity athletics community. She served as President of York Sport Council for hert two years, coordinated the Lions 4 Lions program, volunteered as a peer mentor in the PAWS program, and helped organize many community and charitable events. She is also a three-time CIS academic all-Canadian and in 2016 she was recognized by both the OUA and CIS as the Student-Athlete Community Service award winner for her outstanding contributions as a student-athlete. 
Outstanding Male Graduate Award
Colm Vance, Soccer
Complete List
8048Vance, of Bradford, Ont., established himself as one of York's top student-athletes in his five years with the Lions. His athletic accomplishments are numerous: he is a three-time OUA Champion and two-time CIS Champion and was an OUA West First-team all-star in 2015. He also only allowed 1 goal in the 2015 CIS playoffs and was named MVP in the CIS semi-final. He was the co-captain of the men’s soccer team in 2014 and 2015 and was an incredible leader and role model for his teammates. In addition to his success on the field, he is a four-time CIS academic all-Canadian, a student-mentor in the PAWS program, a team representative on the York Sport Council and was involved in numerous community outreach initiatives and charitable causes.
 
 
Lions Legacy Awards
Sheereen Harris (Track & Field), Marty Alaimo (Rugby), Megan Lee (Hockey), Colm Vance (Soccer)
Complete List
8233
 
Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy
Ayo Agusto, Track & Field
Complete List
8043Agusto, from Lagos, Nigeria, has epitomized perseverance throughout his York career. He started as a walk-on athlete and became an individual champion at the CIS Championships in the 300m.  This year Ayo fought through a groin injury that limited him to 2 meets in early January. He sacrificed running his individual 300m at the OUA Championship to help the men’s 4x400m team qualify for the CIS Championships. In his 5 years at York, Ayo grew not only as an athlete but more importantly as an individual. He grew into one of the leaders on the track and field team and was always an athlete who would lay it on the line for his team and teammates in each and every race he was in always gave his 100% effort.
 

Coach of the Year
Carmine Isacco, Soccer
Complete List
8044Isacco is York's coach of the year for the third time after also winning the award in 2011 and 2014. He was tremendous in 2015, leading the Lions men’s soccer team to a 19-1-2 record and the OUA and CIS banners. The Lions were far and away the best team in the CIS this year and they have consistently been among the top programs in the CIS since Carm took over in 2007. The team has now won three CIS Championships under Carm and won back-to-back national titles for the first time in school history.
 

Male Rookie of the Year
Jesse Amankwaa, Football
Complete List
8047Amankwaa, from Etobicoke, Ont., put together one of the best seasons ever by a Lions rookie. He was the first York Lions player to be named the OUA rookie of the year since 1996 and was also named to the OUA all-rookie team. He ranked sixth overall in the OUA with 689 rushing yards and was first among OUA rookies in carries, rushing yards, and touchdowns.
 

Female Rookie of the Year
Nikki Carnovale, Tennis
Complete List
8046Carnovale, of Woodbridge, Ont., was dominant this season in helping the women’s tennis team to a Canadian University Tennis Championship and OUA Silver medal. She was named as OUA Player of the Year in her rookie season and was also named an OUA All-Star.

Team Most Valuable Players Complete List
8054
Men's Basketball – Nathan Culbreath
Women's Basketball – Ishanaa Seupersadsingh
Men's Cross Country – Suraj Sharma
Women's Cross Country – Nina Sieh
Field Hockey – Paige Warner
Football – Hussein Hazime
Men's Hockey – Mark Cross
Women's Hockey – Megan Lee
Rugby – Marty Alaimo
Men's Soccer – Michael Cox
Women's Soccer – Nour Ghoneim
Men's Tennis – Filip Obucina
Women's Tennis – Nikki Carnovale
Men's Track and Field – David McKay
Women's Track and Field – Brittany Crew
Men's Volleyball – Arthur Szwarc
Women's Volleyball – Celeste Witzell
Men's Wrestling – Tyler Tate-Austin
Women's Wrestling – Alexandria Town

Most Improved Team
Men's Hockey
Complete List
8050
Sport Council Award
Sheereen Harris, Track & Field
Complete List
8052
Roar Cup
Women's hockey team
Complete List
8049
Student Athlete Therapist of the Year
Nick Halkidis
Complete List
8042
Spirit Cup Award
Men's Volleyball Bench Players
Complete List
8051