2018-19 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Male Athlete of the Year Pierce Lepage, Track & Field

Complete List

Lepage was outstanding this year for the Lions track & field team in his first season with the team. He won two gold medals at the U SPORTS championships in the 60m hurdles and long jump events, a silver medal in the men's 4x200m relay and a bronze medal in the men's high jump. He also dominated the competition at the OUA championships, winning three gold medals in the 60m hurdles, high jump and long jump. Lepage was named the U SPORTS field athlete of the year and male athlete of the meet for U SPORTS championships and also receive the Hec Phillips award as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships.

Female Athlete of the Year Brittany Crew, Track & Field

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Crew, a now three-time female athlete of the year, had another phenomenal season for the Lions as she was named both U SPORTS field events athlete of the year and the OUA field events MVP. She won gold medals in the weight throw and shot put events at both the U SPORTS championships and the OUA championships and received the Wendy Jerome Trophy as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships. She also broke her own OUA championships records in both the shot put and weight throw and her own U SPORTS championship record in the shot put. Crew graduates from York this year with a degree in kinesiology and health science as one of the most-decorated athletes in the history of the track & field program. In her Lions career, Crew won a total of six gold medals at the U SPORTS championships and seven gold medals at the OUA Championships.

     

Lions Legacy Awards Cadence Currie (women's volleyball) Bailey Francis (women's track & field), Jenna Gray (women's hockey), Sara Vollmerhausen (field hockey)	Complete List

Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy Christy Ihunaegbo, Track & Field

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After migrating to Canada from Nigeria ten years ago after competing on the Nigerian national track & field team, Ihunaegbo enrolled at York after a few years in Canada. She began competing with the Lions track & field team in 2015 after giving birth to her second child, and throughout her time at York has had to balance the responsibilities of being a mother of two and a full-time student-athlete, while also working night jobs after a full day at York to support her family. Despite having an extremely busy schedule, Ihunaegbo was a leader on the track & field team and a role model to her teammates. She always displayed a tremendous work ethic, went out of her way to give other athletes advice to help them improve, and was always willing share her experiences from on and off the track. Ihunaegbo was always an outstanding performer for the Lions as an athlete and is the York University record holder in the 300m and 4x400m relay and is a four-time U SPORTS medalist and three-time OUA championship medalist.

Coach of the Year Erin McAleenan, Women's Basketball

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The Lions have improved in every season since McAleenan took over the program in 2015. Despite losing their leading scorer from last year's team and battling a significant amount of injuries all season long, she led the Lions to their first playoff win since the 2007-08 season, an upset victory on the road over the Queen's Gaels in the first round of the playoffs. The Lions also achieved their first five-game win streak since the 2007-08 season and finished in fifth-place in the OUA East. Their biggest victory of the regular season was a huge win over the No. 4-ranked Ryerson Rams during the final weekend of regular season to clinch a playoff berth.

Male Rookie of the Year DeAndrae Pierre, Basketball

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Pierre becomes the first basketball player to win the rookie of the year since 2010. The Lions guard had a massive impact in his first season with the team and was a huge part of the team's improvement. He made an immediate splash in the OUA, scoring a career-high 31 points early in the season against the Waterloo Warriors and he led the team by playing almost 30 minutes per game and ranked second on the team with 13 points and 2.5 assists per game. He was named to the OUA East all-rookie team and ranked second in the OUA among rookies in total points, points per game, field goals made and total assists. Pierre also scored 26 points in the team's victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues which clinched a playoff berth and was named York's male athlete of the week twice during the season.

Female Rookie of the Year Kalifornia Mitchell, Soccer

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Mitchell stepped into the Lions starting lineup right away and started all 16 games at midfield for the Lions. She scored the first goal of the season for the team in her first career game and played strong on both the offensive and defensive ends of the field all season long. Mitchell also ranked third on the team in goals and fourth in points and shots on goal and fifth in shots. She was a big part of the Lions lineup and helped the team finish in second place in their division and earn a bye in the first round of the OUA playoffs. In addition to winning the York female rookie of the year award, Mtichell was recognized for her outstanding rookie season by winning the OUA rookie of the year award and by being named the U SPORTS all-rookie team.

Team Most Valuable Players

Complete List

Men's Basketball – Chevon Brown Women's Basketball – Katrina Collins-Samuels Men's Cross Country – Ali Ghadghoni Women's Cross Country – Katrianna Pisani Field Hockey – Sara Vollmerhausen Football – Nikola Kalinic Men's Hockey – Scott Feser Women's Hockey – Erin Locke Rugby – Megan Pakulis Men's Soccer – Daniel Gogarty Women's Soccer – Christina Morelli Men's Tennis – Jeremy Guttman Women's Tennis – Heather Hills Men's Track and Field – Pierce Lepage Women's Track and Field – Brittany Crew Men's Volleyball – Logan Mend Women's Volleyball – Celeste Witzell Men's Wrestling – Shevonne Witter-Watts Women's Wrestling – Bailey Agard

 

Most Improved Team Men's Basketball	Complete List

 

Sport Council Award Tara Leithead, Women's Volleyball	Complete List

 

Roar Cup Women's Hockey	Complete List

Student Athlete Therapist of the Year Brian Richard	Complete List

 

Spirit Cup Award Men's Hockey Team	Complete List