The UBC Okanagan Heat 9th Annual Awards Ceremony celebrated a season's worth of Heat accomplishments and handed out the yearly awards, such as the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year. Thanks on the night to MC's Grant Sonnenberg and Susan Traynor.
KELOWNA, B.C. -- UBC Okanagan hosted the ninth annual Heat Athletics Awards Banquet at the Coast Capri Hotel Tuesday night in Kelowna. The 2016/17 season's best were honoured as a range of awards, both academic and athletic, were given out throughout an evening that highlighted the campus' vibrant student athlete community.
As it has been consistently the past few years, the Capri Ballroom was full with well over 200 student athletes celebrating the achievements of their friends at teammates at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
Outstanding Athlete of the Year was won by Mitch McCaw on the men's side and Veronika Fagan on the women's side. This was the first time since the 2003-2004 season in which the winner of the men's award came from the soccer team. It marked the first time in the Heat's history that a Cross Country athlete won the award on either the men's or women's side.
Student MC's Susan Traynor and Grant Sonneberg. (GreyStoke Photo)
Th 32 graduating athletes were given a a chance to speak on the night and six took advantage to thank their teammates and the athletics department for the memories and the opportunities that being a part of the Heat provided. But it was a heartfelt and emotional speech from men's volleyball player, and one of the two master of ceremony's for the evening, Grant Sonnenberg, that brought together the room and resulted in a standing ovation.
The final speech was on a lighter note when men's rugby member Colin Stonier, who could not attend but recorded his speech from Australia. The other seniors who spoke included: Devon Frame (women's soccer), Cam Friesen (men's basketball), Mitch Goodwin (men's basketball), Cailan Libby (men's cross country) and Anna Merino (women's cross country).
Lars Bornemann won his second consecutive Male Student Athlete of the Year award while Siobhan Fitzpatrick took home the award on the women's side.
The rookies of the year were swept by the two volleyball teams as Kyle Hinchey and Sara McCreary took home the awards for their respective genders.
The Graduating Athlete of the Year went to Megan Festival on the women's side and Alex Swiatlowski on the men's.
After past year’s success with student athletes as the Masters of Ceremony, the athletic department once again utilized the talented group to handle the job on Tuesday night. As mentioned Grant Sonnenberg, a fifth year men’s volleyball and Susan Traynor, a third year women’s soccer player, had the honor of hosting the event.
For a detailed description of the awards, and more information for all of the nominees, see the Preview for the banquet.
A breakdown of each genders winners can be found here. FEMALE WINNERS | MALE WINNERS | Below are the winners for the headlining individual awards.
Departing Student Athlete Appreciation
Fifth Year Athlete Appreciation:
(These athletes have used their five years of Athletic Eligibility)
Mitch Goodwin
Men’s Basketball
Emily Kanester
Women’s Basketball
Chloe Kennedy
Women’s Basketball
Anna Merino
Women’s Cross Country
Devon Frame
Women’s Soccer
Katie Smillie
Women’s Soccer
Grant Sonnenberg
Men’s Volleyball
Alex Swiatlowski
Men’s Volleyball
Megan Festival
Women’s Volleyball
Kaitlynn Given
Women’s Volleyball
Emily Oxland
Women’s Volleyball
Graduating Athlete Appreciation:
(These athletes have finished school but have not used their five years of Athletic Eligibility)
Cam Friesen
Men’s Basketball
Claire Elliott
Women’s Basketball
Olivia Johnson
Women’s Basketball
Cailan Libby
Men’s Cross Country
Rachel Parker
Women’s Cross Country
Alea Stockton
Women’s Cross Country
Jed Anderson
Men’s Rugby
Nathan Brown
Men’s Rugby
Jonah Hann
Men’s Rugby
Carlin Marshall
Men’s Rugby
Sam Overton
Men’s Rugby
Colin Stonier
Men’s Rugby
Monique Beaulieu
Women’s Rugby
Jacqueline Dubreil
Women’s Rugby
Hanujah Ganesh
Women’s Rugby
Danelle Gibson
Women’s Rugby
Aliyah Rodminski
Women’s Rugby
Jessica Sulz
Women’s Rugby
Madelaine Thomsen
Women’s Rugby
Kara Ware
Women’s Rugby
Tait Cuthill
Men’s Soccer
Conference Recognition
Team Performances Provincially in the PACWEST Conference
Team
League Finish
Provincial Championships
Men’s Golf
4th, 4th, 3rd, 5th
4th place overall
Women’s Golf
2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd
2nd place overall
PACWEST Provincial All-Stars
James Casorso
Men’s Golf
PACWEST Provincial Academic Excellence Awards
(80% average and above (27 credit min.) while competing on a team in the PACWEST)
Lauren Siemers
Women's Golf
Team Performances in Canada West (Canada West University Athletics Association)
Team
League Finish
Canada West Playoffs
Men’s Basketball
(2-18) 17th place
Did not qualify
Women’s Basketball
(4-16) T14th place
Did not qualify
Men’s Soccer
(6-8-2) 4th Place
Lost in CW Quarter-finals
Women’s Soccer
(4-9-1) 6th Place
Lost in CW Quarter-finals
Men’s Volleyball
(9-15) T9th place
Did not qualify
Women’s Volleyball
(15-9) 5th place
Final 4 (4th Place)
Canada West Athlete of the Week (3 Stars)
Name
Sport
Week Ending
Mitch McCaw
Men’s Soccer
Sep. 19, 2016 (1st Star)
Canada West All-Rookie Team
Kyle Hinchey
Men’s Volleyball
Sara McCreary
Women’s Volleyball
Canada West All-Stars
Mitch McCaw
Men’s Soccer
Kaitlynn Given
Women’s Volleyball
National Recognition
Team Performances Nationally | Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
Team
Rankings*
National Championships
Men’s Cross Country
11, 13, 11
12th place
Women’s Cross Country
2, 3, 3
National Champions
Men’s Golf
NR, NR, NR
Did not qualify
Women’s Golf
6, 6, NR
Did not qualify
CCAA All-Canadians
James Casorso
Men’s Golf
Veronika Fagan
Women’s Cross Country
CCAA National Scholar Award
(Fall 2015 – Winter 2016 Academic Year)
Niels De Vries
Men's Cross Country
Camille Galloway
Women's Cross Country
Rachel Garrett
Women's Cross Country
Alison Gill
Women's Cross Country
Alexander Hansen
Men's Cross Country
Carolyn Lee
Women's Golf
Michael Lee
Men's Golf
Anna Merino
Women's Cross Country
Travis Miller
Men's Golf
Michael Mitchell
Men's Cross Country
Julianna Neudorf
Women's Cross Country
Lauren Siemers
Women's Golf
Cael Warner
Men's Cross Country
Team Performances Nationally | U Sports
Team
Rankings*
National Championships
Men’s Basketball
Not ranked
Did not qualify
Women’s Basketball
Not ranked
Did not qualify
Men’s Soccer
Not ranked
Did not qualify
Women’s Soccer
Not ranked
Did not qualify
Men’s Volleyball
Not ranked
Did not qualify
Women’s Volleyball
2nd for 2 wks | 16 of 16
Did not qualify
*<highest spot in ranking><# of weeks at High Spot><Total # of weeks ranked out of number of rankings > U Sports is top 10
CIS Academic All-Canadians
(Fall 2015 – Summer 2016 Academic Year)
James Bell
Men's Volleyball
Lars Bornemann
Men's Volleyball
Vanessa Botteselle
Women's Basketball
Sarah Coghlin
Women's Soccer
Christopher Cuthill
Men's Soccer
Bret Depner
Men's Soccer
Justine Drosdovech
Women's Soccer
Claire Elliott
Women's Basketball
Madelyn Ellis
Women's Soccer
Megan Festival
Women's Volleyball
Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Women's Volleyball
Hannah Friesen
Women's Basketball
Cameron Friesen
Men's Basketball
Sophia Furlan
Women's Volleyball
Haylie Gibb
Women's Basketball
Daimon Gill
Men's Soccer
Kaitlynn Given
Women's Volleyball
Mairi Horth
Women's Soccer
Emma Johnson
Women's Basketball
Olivia Johnson
Women's Basketball
Kailin Jones
Women's Volleyball
Cole Kingzett
Men's Soccer
Katy Klomps
Women's Volleyball
Joella Koblischke
Women's Soccer
Jordan Korol
Women's Basketball
Katinka Krahn
Women's Volleyball
Kieran Large
Men's Soccer
Kayla McFadden
Women's Basketball
Rachel Parker
Women's Soccer
Chandler Proch
Women's Volleyball
Kristof Schlagintweit
Men's Volleyball
Michelle Smith
Women's Soccer
Shenelle Tamminen
Women's Basketball
Buster Truss
Men's Basketball
Academic Awards
(Academic Achievement focus)
Heat Scholar-Athlete Awards
(In order to receive this award, student-athletes must have maintained a minimum cumulative average of 80% over at least 27 credit hours while competing on a varsity team.)
Nathan Brown
Men's Rugby
Nursing
Lars Bornemann
Men's Volleyball
Applied Sciences
Vanessa Botteselle
Women's Basketball
Arts
Matthew Clarke
Men's Rugby
Arts
Bret Depner
Men's Soccer
Applied Sciences
Erin Drew
Women's Volleyball
Sciences
Jacqueline Dubreuil
Women's Rugby
Sciences
Kai Duchnycz
Men's Rugby
Arts
Claire Elliott
Women's Basketball
Nursing
Megan Festival
Women's Volleyball
Management
Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Women's Volleyball
Sciences
Sophia Furlan
Women's Volleyball
Human Kinetics
Camille Galloway
Women's Cross Country
Nursing
Kaitlynn Given
Women's Volleyball
Arts
Emma Johnson
Women's Basketball
Nursing
Olivia Johnson
Women's Basketball
Management
Jeevin Kang
Men's Soccer
Management
Cole Kingzett
Men's Soccer
Sciences
Lauren Klassen
Women's Rugby
Arts
Joella Koblischke
Women's Soccer
Human Kinetics
Jordan Korol
Women's Basketball
Arts
Katinka Krahn
Women's Volleyball
Arts
Keiran Large
Men's Soccer
Arts
Cailan Libby
Men's Cross Country
Applied Sciences
Élizabeth Martel
Women's Rugby
Applied Sciences
Anna Merino
Women's Cross Country
Graduate
Michael Mitchell
Men's Cross Country
Applied Sciences
Samuel Overton
Men's Rugby
Management
Lauren Siemers
Women's Golf
Sciences
Andrea Stinson
Women's Soccer
Human Kinetics
Alea Stockton
Women's Cross Country
Sciences
Jessica Sulz
Women's Rugby
Sciences
Brittany Swanson
Women's Rugby
Masters of Nursing
Buzz Truss
Men's Basketball
Sciences
Cael Warner
Men's Cross Country
Applied Sciences
Trevor Yip
Men's Rugby
Human Kinetics
Excellence in Academics | Team
Women's Basketball
Men's Rugby 7s
Men's Cross Country
Women's Student Trainers
Women's Cross Country
Men's Student Trainers
Women's Golf
Women's Volleyball
Women's Rugby
Female Provost Award for Excellence | Single Semester | Finalists
Cammile Galloway
Women’s Cross Country
Joella Koblishke
Women’s Soccer
Anna Merino
Women’s Cross Country
Andrea Stinson
Women’s Soccer
Alea Stockton
Women’s Cross Country
Female Provost Award for Excellence | Single Semester
Anna Merino
Women’s Cross Country
Male Provost Award for Excellence | Single Semester | Finalists
Tait Cuthill
Men’s Soccer
Bret Depner
Men’s Soccer
Cole Kingzett
Men’s Soccer
Michael Mitchell
Men’s Cross Country
Cael Warner
Men’s Cross Country
Male Provost Award for Excellence | Single Semester
Cole Kingzett
Men’s Soccer
Female Provost Award for Excellence | Two Semesters | Finalists
Claire Elliott
Women’s Basketball
Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Women’s Volleyball
Kaitlynn Given
Women’s Volleyball
Emma Johnson
Women’s Basketball
Olivia Johnson
Women’s Basketball
Female Provost Award for Excellence | Two Semesters
Olivia Johnson
Women’s Basketball
Male Provost Award for Excellence | Two Semesters | Finalists
Lars Bornemann
Men’s Volleyball
Cameron Friesen
Men’s Basketball
David Manshrek
Men’s Basketball
Buster Truss
Men’s Basketball
Male Provost Award for Excellence | Two Semesters
Buster Truss
Men’s Basketball
UBC Okanagan Awards
Heat Rugby Female Inspirational Athlete of the Year
