2013-14 Athletes of the Week
2014-15 Athletes of the Week
2015-16 Athletes of the Week
2016-17 LIONS OF THE WEEK
Week of Mar. 13
Steven Janes, Hockey
York hockey player Steven Janes was named the Porter Airlines player of the game in the Queen’s Cup after scoring the game winner with 4:34 remaining to lead the Lions to their first OUA championship since 2004. The second-year forward pounced on a juicy rebound given up by Queen’s goaltender Kevin Bailie and fired the puck home to seal a thrilling victory in which the Lions erased a two-goal deficit in the second period. He also assisted on the tying goal in the second. Janes picked up four goals and two assists in six OUA playoff games, ranking fourth on the team and 12th in the OUA, after also finishing the regular season fourth in team scoring with 17 points in 24 games.
Holly Pitters, Track & Field
York track and field athlete Holly Pitters won the gold medal in the long jump at the U SPORTS championships with a distance of 6.14m, just one centimetre off the school record of 6.15m she set earlier this season. The two-time reigning OUA champion came into the event seeded second and was looking for her first national medal after a fourth-place finish last year. She hit 6.14m in the third round and the distance held up as the winning mark after the top seed, Regina’s Joy Becker, came up just short at 6.12m. Pitters contributed 10 of York’s 15 points in the team standings.
Week of Mar. 6
Reid Jackman, Hockey
York hockey player Reid Jackman put up three points in as many games, including the series clinching goal, to defeat the Windsor Lancers and send the Lions to the Queen’s Cup final for the first time since 2004. In the deciding third game on Saturday, the third-year forward scored on an unassisted effort 6:48 into the second period for the team’s fourth goal of the contest that stood as the game winner with a 6-3 final. Earlier in the game, he assisted on Scott Feser’s opening goal of the game, sending a beautiful cross-crease pass to his linemate just 8:01 into the first period. He also earned an assist on the winning goal in the first game of the series on Wednesday, and generated numerous scoring opportunities in the Game 2 loss. Jackman has five points in seven playoff games on this run.
Week of Feb. 27
Nick Fyffe, Track & Field
Fyffe, a kinesiology and health science student from Vancouver, successfully defended his title in the triple jump by winning the gold medal in the event at the OUA championships this past weekend. The fourth-year jumper made things interesting to start as he fouled on his first two attempts and needed a solid performance in his third just to advance. He rose to the challenge and then put down four straight big jumps, all of which would have won him the gold medal. His winning leap of 14.94m came in the final round. Fyffe is ranked No. 4 in the triple jump ahead of the U SPORTS championships and will be in the mix for his first national medal after finishing in fourth place last year.
Holly Pitters, Track & Field
Pitters, also a kinesiology and health science student from Mississauga, Ont., won her second straight gold medal in the long jump at the OUA championships this weekend. The fourth-year jumps specialist put down a winning mark of 6.06m, which was short of her school record of 6.15m that she set earlier this year but still enough to win the competition. She hit the mark on her fourth attempt and was the only competitor in the line-up to jump past the six-metre mark, winning the event by 15cm. Pitters is ranked No. 2 in the event heading into the U SPORTS championships and will be looking to win her first medal after a fourth-place finish last year.
Week of Feb. 20
Scott Feser, Hockey
Feser, an administrative studies student from Red Deer, Alta., recorded three points in two games, including the series-clinching goal, to lead the Lions to a opening-round playoff win over the Lakehead Thunderwolves last week. In Game 2 on Saturday, just 52 seconds into the second period, the rookie forward scored on a power play to give the Lions a 2-0 lead they converted into a 3-1 win. On Wednesday in Game 1, he scored the tying goal to help the Lions erase a 2-0 deficit and then added an assist Daniel Nikandrov's game winner with 5.3 seconds remaining. Feser was the team's top rookie scorer in the regular season with 11 points in 28 games, and he is the early team leader in the playoffs. The series win was the first for the Lions since 2004.
Adrien Sparling, Fencing
Sparling, a graduate engineering from Winnipeg, won two gold medals at the OUA championships this past weekend to lead the Lions to a fifth-place finish in the team standings. The first-year student-athlete captured the Schwende-Tully Trophy as the men's sabre individual champion, and then joined his teammates to win the men's sabre relay by a single point over the Toronto Varsity Blues, giving York its first team medal since 1986. Sparling was also named an OUA all-star at the conclusion of the meet, becoming York's first recipient of the honour since 1997, and the Lions' fifth-place finish was a six-place improvement over last year.
Week of Feb. 13
Logan Mend, Volleyball
Mend, a biology student from Naramata, B.C., had 54 assists and 11.5 points in the Lions' big comeback victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues on Sunday afternoon. The third-year setter averaged nearly 11 assists per set and also chipped in with six kills, 3.5 blocks, two service aces and five digs as the Lions erased a two-set deficit to win 3-2. The victory was the team's sixth in a row and keeps them tied for first place with Ryerson in the OUA East. Mend is currently ranked second in the OUA with 9.69 assists per set, and he is also averaging an impressive 1.6 digs and 1.2 points per set.
Erin Locke, Hockey
Locke, a kinesiology and health science student from Toronto, scored two goals, including the game winner, to lead the Lions to a big 4-0 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks in their regular-season home finale on Sunday afternoon. The second-year forward opened the scoring at 9:02 of the second period, and added her second just over seven minutes later when she tallied a shorthanded marker to make the score 2-0. The game represented the first multi-goal game of her career. Heading into the final weekend of the season, Locke is the team's leader in total points (11) and tied for the team lead in assists (six).
Week of Feb. 6
Robbie Thompson, Volleyball
York volleyball player Robert Thompson was a dominant force for the Lions in their huge 3-1 victory over the Nipissing Lakers on Saturday. The third-year left side had 13 points, on 10 kills and three blocks, and also added four assists and four digs, to help the Lions knock off a Nipissing team that had beaten them earlier this year and move into second place in the OUA East Division. Thompson was most impressive at crucial times in the match, recording four kills in the final set and the winning kill in the third, and his 10 kills and 13 points were both career highs.
Mikeisha Bobb, Track & Field
York track and field athlete Mikeisha Bobb won three medals and qualified for the OUA championships in three events at the York Open this past weekend. The fourth-year sprints/hurdles specialist captured a medal of each colour, winning the gold in the 60m hurdles with a season-best time of 8.65 seconds, a silver in the 4x200m relay and the bronze in the 300m in a time of 40.66 seconds. She qualified for the OUA championships in both individual events as well as the 60m, where she finished 11
th this weekend. Bobb is ranked among the top 12 in U SPORTS in the 60m hurdles and the 300m.
Week of Jan. 30
Alex Duncan-Thibault, Volleyball
York volleyball player Alex Duncan-Thibault had a monster weekend with 43 points and an average of 6.14 points per set to lead the Lions to a pair of victories over Waterloo and Guelph on the road. The fifth-year middle blocker was unstoppable in a three-set sweep of the Gryphons, putting up 21.5 points (an average of 7.17 per set) on 16 kills and 5.5 blocks to lead all players in the match. He was also dominant against the Warriors, recording 21.5 points on 17 kills, 2.5 blocks and two service aces in a four-set win. The two victories helped the Lions keep pace with the top teams in the tight OUA East standings, and Duncan-Thibault moved into second place in OUA scoring with 5.1 points per set, one of only two players to be averaging more than five.
Shauney Fischer, Basketball
York basketball player Shauney Fischer averaged 15.5 points and six rebounds and shot an efficient 56 per cent from the floor this past weekend to lead the Lions to a pair of victories over Laurentian and Nipissing on home court. In a 65-61 win over the Voyageurs on Friday night, the fifth-year forward led all Lions with 19 points, including a jumper with 39 seconds left that proved to be the winning points, and also added five rebounds, one assist and one steal. The following night, she had 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists in a thrilling 68-64 comeback triumph over the Lakers. The Lions are in the midst of a season-best three-game winning streak, and Fischer is averaging 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, both career highs.
Week of Jan. 23
Mack Shields, Hockey
York hockey player Mack Shields made 31 saves and allowed only one goal in two games to lead the Lions to a pair of wins last weekend. With the Lions trailing the No. 3 Queen’s Gaels 4-2 after two periods, the rookie goaltender came on at the start of the third and shut the door, making 10 saves and stopping all three shooters in the shootout as the Lions came back to win 5-4. He made the start the next night and stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced in a 2-1 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks. Shields is ranked second in the OUA in goals against average (1.75) and tied for third in save percentage (.928) and wins (10).
Katrina Collins-Samuels, Basketball
York basketball player Katrina Collins-Samuels led the Lions in scoring, assists and steals on Saturday night in a big 52-48 win over the Brock Badgers. The second-year guard scored 12 points and added four assists and four steals, as well as five rebounds, to lead the Lions to victory. She also had nine points and three rebounds in a loss to the No. 1 nationally-ranked McMaster Marauders on Friday night. Collins-Samuels has reached double digits in scoring five times this year and is third in team scoring with 8.3 points per game. She is also the Lions’ leader in assists per game (1.4) and steals per game (1.8).
Week of Jan. 16
Mohab El-Nahas, Wrestling
El-Nahas, a kinesiology and health science student from Mississauga, Ont., won the bronze medal in the men's 90kg weight class at the Brock Open in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday. The second-year wrestler defeated 2016 U SPORTS bronze medallist Clayton Pye from the Brock Badgers in the bronze-medal match to put himself on the podium. The victory also avenged an earlier loss to Pye in their first match of the tournament. To get to the bronze-medal bout, he defeated Jeremy Poirier of Montreal and Connor Flinders of Guelph. El-Nahas has now won four medals this season, including a gold at the Concordia Open in October.
Holly Pitters, Track & Field
Pitters, also a kinesiology and health science student from Mississauga, Ont., set a new school record en route to winning the gold medal in the long jump at the Can Am Classic in Windsor, Ont., on Saturday. The fourth-year jumps specialist hit a personal-best distance of 6.11m in the third round to finish 41cm ahead of the rest of the field. The mark also surpassed the previous York record of 6.03m that stood for 32 years. Pitters, the reigning OUA long jump champion, is currently ranked No. 1 in the event in U SPORTS.
Week of Jan. 9
Brandon Ramirez, Basketball
York basketball player Brandon Ramirez averaged 32.5 points and 11.5 rebounds and shot 58% from the floor in a pair of games against Windsor and Western this past weekend. The second-year forward was unstoppable in a loss to the Lancers on Friday night, scoring 31 points on 68% shooting (13-of-19) and picking up 15 rebounds for the first double-double of his career. One night later he set a new career high with 34 points and also added eight rebounds in a loss to the Mustangs. Ramirez, who last year reached double digits in scoring only once and had a career high of 12 points, is now fourth in OUA scoring with 21 points per game and also 11
th with 7.7 rebounds per game.
Shauney Fischer, Basketball
York basketball player Shauney Fischer recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lions to a win over Western on Saturday night. The fifth-year forward set a new career high in scoring – her previous high was 13 points – while shooting 67% from the floor (8-of-12) and accounted for nearly half of her team’s 48 points. One night earlier, she led the Lions with seven rebounds and also chipped in with four points in a loss to the nationally-ranked Windsor Lancers. Fischer is averaging career highs in scoring and rebounding with 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season.
Week of Dec. 5
Ishanaa Seupersadsingh, Basketball
York basketball player Ishanaa Seupersadsingh tallied 30 points over two games to lead the Lions to a 1-1 record on the final weekend of action in 2016. The fifth-year guard led the team with 14 points and also had two rebounds, two assists and a steal in a 59-52 victory over Algoma on Friday night, the team’s first win of the season. The next night on the road in Guelph, she again led the Lions with 16 points and also added one assist in a 71-62 loss. The two games represent Seupersadsingh’s two best point totals of the season thus far, and she leads the Lions and is 29
th in OUA scoring with an average of 10.8 points per game.
Mukonka Siakalenge, Track & Field
York track and field athlete Mukonka Siakalenge won a silver medal and qualified for the OUA championships in two events at the annual Xmas Open on Saturday. The third-year jumps and sprints specialist recorded a personal best in the long jump with a distance of 6.33 metres to surpass the OUA standard and finish in second place. He also reached the OUA standard in the 60m, crossing the finish line in a time of 7.23 seconds, his best time this season. Siakalenge was one of seventeen Lions to qualify for the OUA championships this past weekend.
Week of Nov. 28
Alex Duncan-Thibault, Volleyball
Duncan-Thibault, a kinesiology and health science student from Scarborough, Ont., scored 48 points, and averaged an astonishing 6.0 points per set, to lead the Lions to a pair of wins over Ryerson and Toronto this past weekend. In Sunday's five-set thriller over the Varsity Blues, the fifth-year middle blocker was unstoppable, recording 30 points and six digs in the match. He had 20 kills on only 26 attempts and also had nine solo blocks and one service ace, and his 30 points and nine solo blocks were both the most in a single match in U Sports so far this season. He was also impressive in a straight-sets win over the Rams on Saturday, leading all players with 18 points on 13 kills, two service aces and three blocks, as well as adding five digs. Duncan-Thibault currently ranks first in the OUA in blocks per set (1.36), second in kill percentage (.569), seventh in points (4.5) and ninth in kills (3.07).
Amy Locke, Hockey
Locke, a kinesiology and health science student from Toronto, tallied three points in two games to lead the Lions to four of a possible six points against Ryerson and Toronto last week. In Thursday's 4-3 victory over the Rams, the fourth-year forward scored her third goal of the season early in the third period to give the Lions a 3-2 lead they turned into their third win of the season. She also assisted on the game's opening goal and had one assist on York's third goal on Saturday in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Varsity Blues. Locke, the team captain, ranks third in Lions scoring with six points.
Week of Nov. 21
Shady El-Nahas, Wrestling
El-Nahas, a kinesiology and health science student from Toronto, was named the male tournament MVP at the York Open on Sunday after claiming the gold medal in the 100kg weight class to lead the Lions to a third-place finish. The rookie was dominant in each of his four matches. He won each of the first two by pin and then defeated Guelph's Javir Boal 9-6 in the semifinals, followed by a thrilling 16-14 victory over Montreal's Hamed Rowshani in the final. The result was his third straight first-place finish after also winning his weight class at Concordia and McMaster earlier this year. El-Nahas, who is also a national-level judoka, is undefeated on the season at 12-0 and has won 10 of his matches by pin.
Celeste Witzell, Volleyball
Witzell, a marketing student from Kitchener, Ont., scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Lions to a four-set win over the Trent Excalibur on Saturday evening in Peterborough, Ont. The third-year outside hitter recorded 11 kills and only one attack error, and also had four assisted blocks and one service ace. The Lions got back into the win column with the victory, their third of the year, and Witzell continued a strong season that has her ranked 17
th in OUA scoring with 3.1 points per set, including 13 service aces that rank third.
Week of Nov. 14
Alex Duncan-Thibault, Volleyball
Duncan-Thibault, a kinesiology and health science student from Scarborough, Ont., scored 48 points, and averaged an astonishing 6.0 points per set, to lead the Lions to a pair of wins over Ryerson and Toronto this past weekend. In Sunday's five-set thriller over the Varsity Blues, the fifth-year middle blocker was unstoppable, recording 30 points and six digs in the match. He had 20 kills on only 26 attempts and also had nine solo blocks and one service ace, and his 30 points and nine solo blocks were both the most in a single match in U Sports so far this season. He was also impressive in a straight-sets win over the Rams on Saturday, leading all players with 18 points on 13 kills, two service aces and three blocks, as well as adding five digs. Duncan-Thibault currently ranks first in the OUA in blocks per set (1.36), second in kill percentage (.569), seventh in points (4.5) and ninth in kills (3.07).
Ryan Telfer, Soccer
Telfer, a civil engineering student from Mississauga, Ont., was named to the U Sports championship tournament all-star team after helping the Lions to a sixth-place finish at nationals. The second-year midfielder was named York's player of the match in both the quarter-finals and semifinals and finished the tournament with two goals. Against Alberta in the quarters, he used his speed to make a number of tremendous plays and finished with three shots on goal, although he could not bury one. The next day against Toronto he was again impressive, scoring the team's final two tallies including a gorgeous strike for the fourth goal. Telfer, in his first season as a starter with the Lions, earned OUA West second-team all-star honours for the first time this year.
Week of Nov. 7
Trevor Petersen, Hockey
York hockey player Trevor Petersen scored one goal and added two assists to lead the Lions to a big 6-2 upset victory over the No. 8 nationally-ranked Ryerson Rams on Thursday night. With the Lions holding a narrow one-goal lead midway through the third period, the third-year forward scored on the power play to give his team an important two-goal advantage. He also assisted Scott Feser on the game winning goal late in the second period and added his second assist on Greg Milner’s goal just four minutes after his own. Petersen, who was an OUA West first-team all-star last year, is tied for fifth in OUA scoring with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) this season.
Melissa Monkhouse, Volleyball
York volleyball player Melissa Monkhouse tallied 20 points and 11 digs to lead the Lions to a 1-1 record against Nipissing and McMaster this past weekend. In a three-set sweep of the Lakers on Friday night, the fourth-year outside hitter led all players with 17 points, on 15 kills, one service ace and one block, and added seven digs. One night later, she had three points, all on kills, and added four digs in a 3-0 loss to the Marauders. Monkhouse, who returned to the Lions this season after two years away from the team, is tied for 12
th in the OUA with 3.3 points per set.
Week of Oct. 31
Milan Beader, Soccer
York soccer player Milan Beader scored two goals, including the game winner, to lead the Lions to a 3-0 victory over the Western Mustangs in their OUA quarter-final match on Sunday afternoon. In the 77
th minute, the first-year striker redirected a beautiful cross into the back of the net to break open a scoreless game, and six minutes later he scored again when he gained control of the ball off of his chest and slid the ball past the Western goalkeeper. Beader is one of only three players to score more than once in the playoffs so far this year, and he was 15
th in the OUA in the regular season with seven goals. The win advanced the Lions to the OUA Final Four Championships for the seventh straight year and kept their undefeated season intact.
Rebecca Titus, Field Hockey
York field hockey player Rebecca Titus scored two goals, and another in penalty strokes, to help the Lions finish in fifth place at the OUA championships this past weekend. The fourth-year defender scored the team’s lone goal in penalty strokes in a 1-0 loss to the Western Mustangs in the OUA quarter-finals on Friday. The team rebounded with a pair of wins in the consolation draw and Titus scored in each as the Lions defeated McGill 3-0 and Queen’s 4-0. Titus, who earlier in the week was named a conference all-star for the second straight year, tied for second in OUA playoff scoring with the two goals.
Week of Oct. 24
Taylor Grant, Soccer
Grant, a sociology student from Brampton, Ont., made four saves to lead the Lions to a 1-0 victory over the Western Mustangs in the regular season finale, clinching the top seed in the OUA West Division in the process. In a game where the winner would finish in first place and earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the fourth-year goalkeeper kept the ball out of the net and made one big save in the dying minutes, jumping up to catch a high arcing ball and prevent it from sailing over her head and into the net. She also made five saves on Saturday in a 1-0 loss to the Windsor Lancers. Grant started 14 games this season and posted a 9-2-3 record while posting a save percentage of .893 and a goals against average of 0.43.
Derek Sheppard, Hockey
Sheppard, a liberal arts and professional studies student from Ajax, Ont., scored two goals in as many games, including the double overtime winner, to lead the Lions to a pair of upset victories over nationally-ranked opponents last week. With time winding down in double overtime against the No. 6 and undefeated Ryerson Rams, the third-year defenceman stole the puck inside his own blue line and went the length of the ice before burying it on a gorgeous backhand shot for the winner. Two nights earlier, he scored the opening goal as part of a 3-1 win over the No. 10 Guelph Gryphons on the road. Sheppard, an OUA West first-team all-star last year, has recorded at least one point in five of the team's six games this season and is tied for first in OUA scoring by defencemen with nine points.
Week of Oct. 17
Claudia Poluga, Tennis
Poluga, a biomedical science student from Toronto, went undefeated in singles and doubles to help the Lions win the silver medal at the OUA championships this past weekend. The rookie student-athlete played out of the second spot in singles and earned one of two points for the Lions in the gold-medal final against Western. She also teamed with Nikki Carnovale in the final and Vanesa Ereqi in the semis for a pair of doubles victories.
Filip Obucina, Tennis
Obucina, an administrative studies student from Etobicoke, Ont., went undefeated in singles and double to lead the Lions to a fourth-place finish at the OUA championships, their best result since 2012. The third-year student-athlete played out of the top spot in singles and won all three of his matches over the weekend, earning York's only point in a semifinal loss to eventual champion Western and one of two points in the bronze medal defeat to Montreal. He also teamed with Pranav Yardi to win all three doubles matches, and in the semifinals and consolation final they were the only York duo to claim victory.
Week of Oct. 10
Cristian Cavallini, Soccer
Cavallini, a liberal arts and professional studies student from Woodbridge, Ont., scored a hat trick and added an assist in a 6-1 victory over the Brock Badgers last Thursday evening. The first-year striker scored two goals nine minutes apart in the opening half, including his second tally in the 24th minute for what turned out to be the game winner, and added his third of the game in the 55thminute to make the score 5-0. He also assisted on Eddie Lay's goal in the 53rd minute. Cavallini is second in the OUA in points (13) and fourth in goals (10) and has scored in each of the Lions' last three games, including two game winners, and the Lions are at the top of the OUA West Division with a 10-0-2 record and 32 points.
Ravneet Kalkat, Field Hockey
Kalkat, a kinesiology and health science student from Mississauga, Ont., scored three goals in four games, including two game winners, to lead the Lions to an unbeaten record last week. In a 7-0 rout of McGill on Sunday, the fourth-year forward tallied two goals, including the winner just three minutes into the game and another marker in the 37th minute. She also scored the opening goal for the winner in the 60th minute in a 2-0 victory over Queen's later that same day. Earlier in the week, she started another two games at forward, helping the Lions defeat Waterloo 1-0 and tie Guelph 1-1. Kalkat's five goals this season are a new career high and she is tied for sixth in OUA scoring. Her strong play has helped the Lions to a 7-1-2 record and a tie for second place in the OUA standings with the Gryphons.
Week of Oct. 3
Suraj Sharma, Cross Country
Sharma, a geography student from Brampton, Ont., finished in fifth place at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo, Ont., on Saturday. The fifth-year runner was the first Lion to cross the finish line of the 10km race, recording a time of 33:57. It was the first top-five finish of his career and the first by a Lion since 2013, when Esteban Clavijo finished fifth at the Queen's Invitational.
Kiyani Johnson, Soccer
Johnson, a second-year psychology student from Markham, Ont., scored two goals in as many games, both game winners, to lead the Lions to victories over Waterloo and Laurier this past weekend. In a 2-1 triumph over the Warriors on Friday night, the second-year striker found the back of the net in the 38
th minute for her team's second goal, which stood as the winner when Waterloo got one back late in the second half. Two days later, she scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over the rival Golden Hawks to keep the team's season-long unbeaten streak intact. Johnson is currently tied for sixth in OUA scoring with five goals on the season.
Week of Sept. 26
Tre Eli, Tennis
Eli, an economics student from Toronto, went 5-1 in singles and doubles to lead the Lions to a 1-2 record in three ties this past weekend. The second-year player won two of his three singles matches and all three doubles contests to help the Lions record their first victory of the season, a 5-2 win over visiting Carleton. He won his singles match in straight sets out of the third spot against the Ravens, and also record a three-set triumph over his opponent from Montreal while playing out of the fifth spot. In doubles, Eli partnered with
Dylan Shanmugadhasan to defeat the Carabins, Toronto Varsity Blues and Ravens 8-6, 8-3 and 8-1, respectively.
Tobi Owotomo, Rugby
Owotomo, a biology and kinesiology and health science student from Mississauga, Ont., scored three tries to lead the Lions to a 45-25 victory over the Trent Excalibur on Saturday afternoon. The second-year flanker and prop led all players in the contest with 15 points to give the Lions their second win of the season and keep the squad in second place in the OUA Russell Division. Through three games, Owotomo is the team leader and ranks among the OUA's top 10 in scoring with seven tries for 35 points, and she has scored at least once in each contest this season.
Week of Sept. 19
Jonathan Lao, Soccer
Lao, an economics student from Unionville, Ont., scored the winning goal in the 90
th minute to give the No. 1 Lions a 2-1 victory over the No. 9 Guelph Gryphons on Sunday afternoon on the road. The fourth-year midfielder put his 25-yard free kick over the wall and right into the back of the net just moments before the final whistle to complete the comeback after his team went down by a goal early in the second half. He finished the weekend, that also included a 2-0 win over McMaster on Saturday, with four shots and two shots on goal to help the Lions maintain their perfect record at 7-0-0 and hand two of their closest rivals losses. Lao, a CIS all-Canadian in each of his first three seasons with the Lions, has two goals on the season.
Nikki Carnovale, Tennis
Carnovale, a kinesiology and health science student from Woodbridge, Ont., helped the Lions start the season on a winning note by claiming victory in doubles and singles in a 6-1 win over the Western Mustangs on Sunday. Playing alongside rookie Claudia Poluga in the top doubles spot, they fought off three match points and came back to win the tiebreaker 7-5 to take the match 8-7. She also played in the top singles spot and cruised to a lopsided victory, winning 6-1, 6-2. Carnovale is the reigning OUA player of the year and was an OUA all-star as a rookie last season, and her play extended York's regular season unbeaten streak to 18 ties.
Week of Sept. 12
Adam Adeboboye, Football
Adeboboye, a kinesiology and health science student from Toronto, had the greatest receiving game in the CIS so far this season in the Lions' 56-32 victory over the Windsor Lancers on Saturday afternoon. The fourth-year wideout had the best game of his career, picking up 11 receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown, becoming the only receiver in the CIS to go over 200 yards in a single game this year. Adeboboye is ranked seventh in the OUA in receiving yards per game (99.7) and 10
th in yards per catch (15.7).
Dorrian Khouri, Rugby
Khouri, a kinesiology and health science student from Brampton, Ont., was a defensive standout and added one try to lead the Lions to a dominant 71-0 shutout victory over the Brock Badgers in their season opener on Friday night. The fourth-year flanker/lock made several huge tackles to keep the Badgers at bay, and she also added five points to the team's score with her try midway through the second half. Khouri, the 2014 OUA Russell Division most valuable player, was playing in her first conference game since that award-winning season after missing all of last year with an injury.
Week of Sept. 5
Dena Iezady, Soccer
York soccer player Dena Iezady scored the winning goal on Saturday afternoon to lead the Lions to a 3-1 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks in their home opener. The fifth-year midfielder found the back of the net just minutes after Laurier had tied the game at ones late in the first half, reinstating a lead the top-ranked Lions would not relinquish. He also had another recorded shot on goal and several chances throughout the contest. Iezady, who has 11 career goals with the Lions, helped his team improve to 3-0-0 to start the year.
Christina Morelli, Soccer
York soccer player Christina Morelli scored the winning goal to lead her team to a 2-0 victory over the No. 9 nationally-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks in their home opener on Saturday afternoon. The third-year midfielder finished off a nice pass from Sia Papadopoulos to open the scoring in the 18
th minute, a goal that would stand as the winner. The win was the No. 5 Lions’ third in a row over their fierce rivals from Waterloo, Ont., and improved the team to 3-0-0 on the season. Morelli is currently tied for fourth in OUA scoring with four goals.
Week of Aug. 29
Brett Hunchak, Football
York football player Brett Hunchak went 17-of-25 for 331 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Lions to a 57-13 victory over the Waterloo Warriors in the season opener on Sunday. The second-year quarterback, who exited the game after three quarters with a big lead, completed passes to eight different receivers and had three of his touchdowns go for 30 yards or more, including a massive 77-yard strike. He also added 32 yards on three rushes and also had one interception. Hunchak’s five touchdown passes were the most of any quarterback on the opening weekend of play and the one-game total was more than double the two he threw all of last season.
Nour Ghoneim, Soccer
York football player Brett Hunchak went 17-of-25 for 331 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Lions to a 57-13 victory over the Waterloo Warriors in the season opener on Sunday. The second-year quarterback, who exited the game after three quarters with a big lead, completed passes to eight different receivers and had three of his touchdowns go for 30 yards or more, including a massive 77-yard strike. He also added 32 yards on three rushes and also had one interception. Hunchak’s five touchdown passes were the most of any quarterback on the opening weekend of play and the one-game total was more than double the two he threw all of last season.
