The hardware was flying this week as Simon Fraser University celebrated its athletes at the 2017 Athletics Awards Banquet.
Receiving the Lorne Davies Athletes of the Year awards were Adam Jones, Alison McKay, Mallory Velte and the women’s volleyball team.
Jones, who was the offensive leader with the men’s soccer team, had already received the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's and West Region's player of the year honours, as well as being named the Clan's first-ever NCAA All-American first-team spot.
McKay was the women’s volleyball team’s libero and held opponents to a .157 hitting percentage. Earlier she was presented with the GNAC defensive player of the year award for a second straight season, as well becoming the first Clan volleyball player to receive an All-American honour. The team captain, McKay would also earn the Terry Fox Most Inspirational Athlete, as did track and field's Marc-Antoine Rouleau.
Veltre went undefeated in collegiate competition as she dominated the 143-lb weight class for a second straight year, going on to win her second WCWA national title.
The women’s volleyball team was celebrated for posting a best-ever 21-8 record and its first trip to the NCAA championships.
Among the finalists for the Davies awards were women's basketball's Ellen Kett, sophomore runner Addy Townsend, wrestler Morgan Smith, golfer Chris Crisologo and swimmer Adrian VanderHelm.
Collecting Bill DeVries Senior All-Around Athletes of the Year honours were midfielder Olivia Aguiar and goalkeeper Brandon Watson. The award recognizes senior student-athletes who best exemplify excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
Aguiar has been a charismatic face for SFU Athletics over the past five years. As the president of the student-athlete advisory committee, Aguiar has been instrumental in bringing Clan athletes together through various initiatives and into the community. In addition, the midfielder is one of the top 10 Clan scholars, sporting a 3.87 GPA as a Kinesiology major.
Watson holds a number of Clan and GNAC records for wins, clean sheets, and games played among others. However, this four-year starter might be more impressive in the classroom, as he boasted a 4.14 GPA as a kinesiology major, and earned a coveted $7,500 NCAA graduate scholarship. Watson is a student-athlete learning coach and first-year student peer mentor.
McKay and runner Chantel Desch were also up for the Bill DeVries award among the Clan’s female athletes, while football’s Jordan Herdman and track’s Lorenzo Smith were up on the men’s list.
Freshman of the Year awards went to swimmer Jessica Gibson and guard Michael Provenzano of the men’s basketball team.
Meg Wilson was a well-deserved recipient of the Rick Jones Award for Courage, awarded to a student-athlete who overcomes adversity. After a lengthy rehab to come back from a pair of devastating leg injuries early in 2016, the senior captain starred for the women’s basketball team, finishing top 10 in the GNAC in points, rebounds, and steals, en route to a first-team all-conference nod, and helping the Clan to a Sweet 16 NCAA tournament appearance.
Women’s soccer defender Carli Grosso was honoured as the department’s Top Scholar Athlete, as the sophomore earned a 4.19 GPA out of a possible 4.33, while majoring in kinesiology.
The Margaret Jones Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on Clan wrestling head coach Mike Jones, who led the Clan to 13 combined national championships across the NAIA, NCAA, CIS, and WCWA during his illustrious 41-year career. Enshrined in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame back in 2011, Jones was also the driving force behind the recent success of Canadians at the international level, with his most notable pupils including Clan alumni and Olympic gold medallists Daniel Igali, Carol Huynh, and Helen Maroulis. Jones, who is retiring this year, was honoured with a moving tribute from alumna and Canadian Olympian Danielle Lepage.
Howard Tsumura, who covered high school and university sports for The Province newspaper for decades until recently, was presented the Director’s Award for lasting contributions to SFU over a multi-year period.
Kelly Weber, compliance manager and senior women’s administrator for the athletic department, received the Fred Dietrich award. Weber works with coaches and student-athletes to ensure the integrity of student-athlete eligibility requirements and she plays a leadership role in advising the department and championing the student-athlete experience.
The V.W. Kip Dougherty Award, bestowed on an SFU student trainer or manager who has made an outstanding contribution to an athletic program, was given to Raymond Sidhu of the football program.
