Six athletes with ties to York competing in the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru

Six athletes with ties to York University will be wearing a different shade of red and white during the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

From left: Lions alumnae Khamica Bingham and Brittany Crew will compete for Canada in track and field, while Pierce LePage and Asia Hogan-Rochester, both of whom completed their first seasons with the Lions last year, will compete in track and field and rugby sevens competitions respectively

Lions alumnae Khamica Bingham and Brittany Crew will compete for Canada in track and field, while Pierce LePage and Asia Hogan-Rochester, both of whom completed their first seasons with the Lions last year, will compete in track and field and rugby sevens competitions respectively. Also attending the games are recent graduate Haya Jumaa, who will compete in karate, and current student Jason Ho-Shue, who will compete in badminton.

The Pan Am Games began Friday, July 26 and will run until Sunday, Aug. 11.

Bingham competed for the Lions for two seasons,from 2013 to 2015, and became a dominant force at the post-secondary level. She captured five individual gold medals and one team bronze medal at the national championships during her career, in addition to four gold medals at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships. She was also named the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship’s most outstanding performer in 2014 and won York’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2013-14. Now a seasoned international competitor, Bingham is competing in her second Pan Am Games after placing sixth in the 100 metre and winning a bronze medal in the 4×100-metre relay in 2015. She also competed for Canada at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and will compete for Canada this time around in the 4×100-metre relay.

Crew, one of the Lions’ most decorated track and field athletes of all time, will compete in her first Pan Am Games in the women’s shot put. Like Bingham, Crew is now an experienced international competitor and was a teammate of Bingham’s on the 2016 Olympic team. After spending two years competing internationally, Crew returned last year for one final season with the Lions and won her third York Female Athlete of the Year award thanks to an outstanding 2018-19 season. In four seasons with the Lions, Crew racked up six U SPORTS gold medals and one silver medal as well as seven OUA championship gold medals in the shot put and weight throw events combined. She comes into the Pan Am Games ranked 11th in the world in shot put.

LePage will compete in the men’s decathlon following an incredible first season with the Lions. The multitalented athlete burst onto the international stage last summer when he won a silver medal in decathlon at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and followed that up with a dominant indoor season at York. He won two gold medals at the U SPORTS championships in the 60-metre hurdles and long jump events, a silver medal in the men’s 4×200-metre 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 60-metre hurdles, high jump and long jump. LePage was named the U SPORTS field athlete of the year and male athlete of the meet at the U SPORTS championships and also received the Hec Phillips award as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships.

Hogan-Rochester made her Multi-Sport Games debut just a few weeks ago when she competed for Canada with the women’s rugby sevens team at the 2019 FISU Games. A dual-sport athlete who also suited up for the Lions track and field team last year, Hogan-Rochester started all seven games for the rugby team and used her speed to score one try in the regular season and three more in the Lions’ 36-24 playoff win over the Trent Excalibur. She also scored a try for Canada in their 14-12 victory over Italy at the FISU Games.

Approximately 6,700 athletes will represent the 41 competing countries from North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean in 424 events at the 2019 Pan Am Games. The Pan Am Games were last hosted in 2015 in Toronto, with the track and field events being hosted on York University’s Keele Campus in the then brand-new CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium (now the York Lions Stadium). Canada ranked second overall in total medals behind the U.S. in 2015, earning 78 gold medals, 70 silver and 71 bronze for a total of 219.

For the competition schedule and more information on the 2019 Pan Am Games team, visit the Canadian Olympic Committee website.

Lions women’s wrestlers reach podium at Ontario Cup, bring home gold and silver

A trio of York University Lions women’s wrestlers reached the podium earlier this month at an Ontario Cup event in Guelph, Ont., where they won gold and silver medals.

Lions wrestlers Bailey Agard, Christelle Lans and Mary Adarkwa all claimed a medal for the squad in an impressive display from the three talented wrestlers. The three podium performances also earned the team first place in the overall standings as they brought home the junior women’s Ontario Cup title.

Lions women’s wrestler Christelle Lans is shown here during a match

Agard led the way for the Lions with a gold medal in the 53kg division. The Lions’ second-year wrestler was dominant in her two victories, beating Ligaya Stinellis of the Hamilton Wrestling Club and Arely Torelas of Team Extreme by scores of 10-0 via technical superiority. The victory over Stinellis was particularly impressive, as she won a silver medal at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships for the McMaster Marauders in February.

Lans (68kg) and Adarkwa (72kg) both went 1-1 on the weekend to finish with silver medals. Lans was defeated via pin fall at 2:53 in her opening match by independent Elise Daynes, but rebounded to pick up a win over Kesia Lozarda of Team Extreme when she pinned her at 1:13. Adarkwa also lost via pin fall to Leigha Smith of Mariposa at 59 seconds in her first match, but came back to dominate Coralee Allaert of Wrestling New Brunswick by a score of 16-4.

The future looks bright for the Lions women’s wrestling program, as Agard and Adarkwa both had impressive rookie seasons last year and will return for their second campaign with Lions in 2019. Lans is entering her third year with the squad and is already an OUA championship medallist, winning a bronze medal in her rookie season.

York’s Merv Mosher recognized for decades-long contribution to volleyball

A long-serving faculty member in York University’s Faculty of Health, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, has received recognition as one of the leading volleyball coaches in Canadian history.

Merv Mosher
Merv Mosher

Merv Mosher was inducted into the Ontario Volleyball Hall of Fame on June 1, and was credited with outstanding contributions to the sport over the past four decades. His involvement in volleyball as a teacher, program developer and overall fan of the sport has inspired many young athletes, both nationally and internationally.

“I have been very fortunate to work with some of the finest volleyball players in the province and country,” said Mosher. “They are the reason I have been honoured with this recognition.”

Mosher, a senior lecturer in kinesiology, led the women’s volleyball team at York University as head coach from 1979 to 1997, and made significant changes to the women’s program. During that time, the team qualified for the Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA) Championships in each of his 18 years as head coach. The team captured 13 OWIAA championships and five Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) bronze medals.

Mosher is a 10-time OWIAA coach of the year recipient, who also earned CIAU coach of the year in 1984-85 and was recognized for his incredible coaching record of 192 wins and 17 losses.

In addition to York University, Mosher also coached at the provincial, national and international levels, including the 1984 Olympic Games and the World University Games (1983, 1985, 1987, 1991).

“Coaching and teaching has been a lifelong passion for me,” he said. “Being honoured in this fashion is a bonus which adds to the pleasure I get from coaching and teaching.”

Merv Mosher (bottom left) with the Lions women’s volleyball team of 1996-97

He has earned many accolades, including being inducted into the York University Sport Hall of Fame (2002), being named Coach of the Year by the Ontario Volleyball Association (2009) and receiving the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Community Coach Developer Award (2015).

Mosher obtained a bachelor of religious education from the University of British Columbia in 1976 and a master of arts in physical education from York in 1982. He has volunteered for several organizations, including Volleyball Canada, the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU – now recognized as U SPORTS) and the Ontario Volleyball Association.

His expertise has led him to be a recognized contributing editor and technical advisor with the NCCP volleyball coaching program. He is also an advanced development coach evaluator and master learning facilitator.

York students, alumna to play for 2019 FISU Summer Universiade Team

Brittany Crew and Asia Hogan-Rochester
Brittany Crew and Asia Hogan-Rochester

The York red and white will be well represented at the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade as former Lion Brittany Crew, current Lion Asia Hogan-Rochester and current Lion Kaitlyn Wiens were named members of the team by U SPORTS.

Brittany Crew and Asia Hogan-Rochester
Brittany Crew (left) and Asia Hogan-Rochester (right)

The 2019 FISU Games will take place from July 3 to 14 in Naples, Italy. Canada will compete in 12 sports, including athletics, basketball (men and women), diving, fencing, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), soccer (women only), swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, rugby sevens (men and women), volleyball (men and women) and water polo (women only). All teams were selected in partnership with each respective national sports organization or are being managed by the U SPORTS national office. The full delegation totals more than 300, including student-athletes, coaches, staff and medical personnel.

Crew, one of the Lions’ most decorated track and field athletes of all time, will compete in her third FISU Games after winning the bronze medal in shot put in 2015 and gold in 2017. The 2016 Olympian just completed her final season at York, where she won her third York female athlete of the year award thanks to an outstanding 2018-19 season. In four seasons with the Lions, Crew racked up six U SPORTS gold medals and one silver medal as well as seven Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship gold medals in the shot put and weight throw events combined. She is ranked seventh in the world in the shot put and is currently on the road to qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Hogan-Rochester, a teammate of Crew’s last season on the Lions track and field team, will suit up on the Canadian women’s rugby sevens team, as the dual sport athlete will make her FISU Games debut. She was a rookie in 2018-19 on both the Lions track and field and rugby teams, starting all seven games for the rugby team and using her speed to score one try in the regular season and three in the Lions’ 36-24 playoff win over the Trent Excalibur.

Wiens, a student at York’s Glendon Campus, will represent Canada in taekwondo. The Lions will also be represented on the FISU Games mission staff, as Lions Sports Medicine & Sports Injury Clinic manager Andrea Prieur was named chief therapist for Canada’s medical staff.

Canada finished in 16th at the 2017 FISU Summer Universiade in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei, with 13 medals (four gold, five silver, four bronze). This year’s games will feature more than 9,300 athletes from 128 countries. The opening ceremony will be held on July 3 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT (9 p.m. local time).

See the full schedule for the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade.

Current and former Lions begin summer with Toronto Premier Volleyball League

Current members and alumni of the York Lions volleyball program will begin their summer seasons on May 29 as the Toronto Premier Volleyball League kicks off its third season of play.

On the women’s side, two current Lions will suit up this season. Senior Sarah Williams will play in the league for the second year for the Madawaska Madness and Aleksandra Steins will play her first year in the league for the Soul Machine.

Williams, an outside hitter who is majoring in communication studies, will return to York for her fifth and final season in 2019-20. She has had a stellar career so far with the Lions, as she was named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-rookie team in her first year and earned an OUA second-team all-star award and team MVP in 2017-18. Steins, a 6-foot-6 middle who transferred from Niagara University to York ahead of last season, stepped into the Lions’ starting lineup right away and led the team in several offensive categories. The classical studies major led the Lions with 191.5 points, 139 kills, 2.9 points per set and 51 blocks.

In the men’s division, four current Lions and four alumni will represent York in the Premier League this season. Middle Grant Lynch and outside hitter Andrew Shotbolt will team up for the Beaches Brewing Co., while middle Toure Nwakwesi will patrol the net for the Magnes Spartans. Shotbolt and Nwakwesi are both former OUA all-stars who are returning for their fifth years at York next year, while Lynch returned to the program last year after taking two years off and had his most impressive season yet, averaging 2.0 points and 1.55 kills per set.

Current Lions outside hitter Kirsten Duncan-Thibault will join his older brother and Lions alumni Alex Duncan-Thibault on the men’s Soul Machine team. Alex is playing for the Soul Machine for the second consecutive season after graduating from the Lions in 2016-17 following a decorated five-year career. His final season with the Lions coincided with Kirsten’s rookie season, and the younger brother is now one of seniors on the Lions as he heads into his fourth year with the squad.

The Duncan-Thibault brothers will be joined on the Soul Machine team by Lions alumni Gregory Ivan (2009-14) and Felipe Humana-Parades (2009-13), who is also the current assistant coach of the Lions men’s volleyball team and was the first-round draft pick of the team. John May, the Lions women’s team’s former head coach and fellow current assistant coach with Humana-Parades on the men’s team, is also the head coach of the Soul Machine.

James Battiston, who played with York from 2003 to 2008 and is a former beach national team athlete and professional player in the Netherlands and Austria, rounds out the Lions alumni and will team with Shotbolt and Nwakwesi on the Beaches Brewing Co.

The Toronto Premier League, which also has a counterpart league in Calgary, hosts its games in different locations throughout the Greater Toronto Area starting with Humber College on May 29. The league was established in 2017 to provide an opportunity for elite male and female volleyball players to play professional volleyball in Canada. The league features four men’s teams and four women’s teams made up of current and former professional athletes, national team members and top U SPORTS and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association players. Interested players apply to become eligible for an athlete draft, where they have the opportunity to be selected by one of the league’s teams.

York will take its turn hosting the Premier League on Thursday, July 11, as two first-round playoff games will take place at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

For more information on the Premier League, visit premiervolleyballleague.org.

Three York Lions selected in 2019 CFL draft

York University Lions football players Nikola Kalinic, Jacob Janke and Colton Hunchak had their names called earlier this month when they were each selected in the 2019 Canadian Football League (CFL) entry draft.

Kalinic was selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the second round, 10th overall; Janke was tabbed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fourth round, 35th overall; and Hunchak was selected by his hometown Calgary Stampeders in the eighth round, 73rd overall.

In 2018, Kalinic – a 6-foot-4, 245-pound fullback/tight end – became the first York Lions player in team history to be named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star team twice in one season. The Toronto native was named an OUA first-team all-star for both offence and special teams, after being named an offensive second-team all-star in 2017. Kalinic has caught 38 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns in his four-year career and has been making waves on both sides of the border. In addition to attending the CFL National Combine in March, he was also on the Washington Redskins draft board, visiting the team twice to be evaluated.

Janke, a native of Edmonton, was finally able to prove he is one of the top defensive players in the OUA this year after missing most of the previous two seasons with injuries. He returned to full health to play a full eight games and led the team with 47.5 tackles, which ranked him ninth overall in the OUA. He also had three tackles for a loss and broke up three passes. Janke has also represented Canada on two occasions, competing the U19 International Bowl in both 2015 and 2016.

Hunchak, from Calgary, has spent his four years at York etching his name into the school’s history books. In the 2018 season he became the team’s career leader in receptions with 162, and he currently ranks second all-time in reception yards (1882) and touchdown receptions (17). He’s coming off a season where he was named an OUA second-team all-star for the second time, and despite missing one game due to injury, he ranked fourth in the OUA with 58 receptions, eighth in receiving yards with 610 and tied for third in touchdown receptions with six.

The three Lions add to a growing list of Lions drafted by CFL teams in recent years, as offensive linemen Chris Smith (2018, Saskatchewan), Jamal Campbell (2016, Toronto), Chris Kolankowski (2016, Toronto) and James Tuck (2014, Montreal) were each drafted in the past number of years.

Lexie Sananes named lead assistant coach of Lion’s women’s basketball

The York University Lions announced April 30 that Lexie Sananes has been named lead assistant coach of the women’s basketball team.

Lexie Sananes
Lexie Sananes

Sananes, who has served as an assistant coach in a part-time capacity with the Lions since 2012, becomes the first full-time lead assistant coach in the history of the women’s basketball program.

“I am ecstatic to be able to hire Lexie as our lead assistant coach in a full-time capacity here at York,” said Erin McAleenan, head coach of the women’s basketball team. “She is an experienced coach who is committed to her own personal growth and development as well as an unparalleled passion and commitment to help York succeed. Lexie’s involvement coaching at the provincial level, as well as her experience as a head coach in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA), is very valuable to us. Lexie is well-known for building strong relationships with her players which will be a big help towards our recruiting efforts. I know that Lexie will make an immediate impact to our program as our first full-time assistant coach.”

In addition to her assistant coaching role with the Lions, Sananes has a wealth of experience that includes head coaching roles with the Team Ontario U17 team and with the Redmond Basketball Academy in the OSBA. She has also served as an assistant coach with Team Ontario’s U17 and U15 programs and with Bill Crothers Secondary School in the OSBA. Sananes is also a well-educated coach, having earned NCCP certifications in Learn to Train, Train to Train and Train to Compete.

“I am humbled and honoured to be named the first lead assistant in the history of the York women’s basketball program and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and grow under Coach McAleenan’s leadership,” said Sananes. “The team and culture we’ve built since Erin arrived at York has me excited to begin working more closely on a full-time basis with our student-athletes.”

As a player, Sananes was a forward with the Advantage Titans of the JUEL league for two seasons before suiting up for the Lions for two seasons from 2010-12. Sananes will make her debut as lead assistant coach with the Lions when the team tips off their season in October.

Lions bring gold medals home from University of Buffalo Invitational

Current members, recruits and alumni of the York University Lions track and field team got their outdoor seasons underway this weekend as they competed at the University of Buffalo Invitational on Saturday, April 27.

Two current Lions grabbed gold medals, as did one of the Lions’ top recruits for next season and one of their prominent alumni.

Current Lions sprinters Monique Simon-Tucker and Quinn Charles both brought home gold medals respectively in the women’s and men’s 100m races. Simon-Tucker, the reigning Ontario University Athletics championship silver medalist in the 60m, won the women’s race in a time of 12.78 seconds while Charles took home the gold in the men’s race in a time of 11.46 seconds.

Natasha Russell, a Lions recruit who will make her debut on the team next season, won the women’s 100m hurdles race in a time of 14.27 seconds, while Holly Pitters, a two-time York female athlete of the year who graduated in 2018, continued her successful post-York career by winning the long jump with a leap of 5.92m. Coming in behind Pitters in second place was Lions sophomore Leah Jones who earned the silver medal with a jump of 5.45m

Other Lions competing this weekend included Rasheeda Gurley, who placed seventh in the women’s long jump (4.69m), and Nicolette Witherspoon, who finished in 13th in the women’s 200m (27.37).

Men’s Lions hockey team hands out 2018-19 awards

The York University Lions men’s hockey team hosted its year-end banquet on April 15 and handed out nine team awards to players and staff from the 2018-19 roster.

Jack G
Left to right: Assistant coach Jesse Messier, defenceman Jack Goranson, head coach Russ Herrington and assistant coach Jesse Cook

Now in its second year, after the inaugural event last season, the banquet was attended by York hockey players, coaches, staff, alumni and team supporters. Lions defenceman Jack Goranson received the top award of the night as he was named the Mark Cross Heart of a Lion Award winner. Named in honour of Lions alumnus Mark Cross, who passed away in the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash on April 6, 2018, the award is presented to the player who best embodies Mark’s spirit by exhibiting elite levels of character, respect, optimism, sacrifice and selflessness.

A native of Red Deer, Alta., Goranson has grown into one of the Lions’ top defencemen in his three years with the team, playing in 58 games and racking up 12 points (three goals, nine assists). As good as Goranson has played on the ice, he’s been even better inside the classroom as he’s a two-time academic all-Canadian and has earned multiple men’s hockey academic awards and scholarships. He’s also an active member of the York Lions community and just completed his first year as a PAWS mentor for first-year students after serving as a mentor-in-training in 2017-18.

Head coach Russ Herrington presented the Bill Maguire Yeoman’s Service Award to the Lions’ co-ordinator of equipment services, Geoff Carson, for his extraordinary level of dedication, commitment, service and loyalty to the program. One of the hardest working Lions, Carson, who has been with the Lions since 2007 and has been the co-ordinator of equipment services since 2009, spends countless hours before and after practice and games tending to the team’s equipment needs and travels with the team on road trips throughout the season. He not only works with the men’s hockey team but is the co-ordinator of equipment services for all Lions varsity athletics teams.

The remaining seven awards handed out were voted on by the members of the team. Thanks to an outstanding third season with the Lions, captain Scott Feser brought home two awards on the night. He won the Dave Chambers Most Outstanding Player Award, as well as his second consecutive Guy Burry That’s A Lion Award, which is presented to the player who best represents the ideals, values and behaviours of the York Lions men’s hockey program. Feser, who Herrington called the best 200-foot player in the OUA, led the Lions in scoring this year with a career-high 32 points in 28 games, while also leading the team with three game-winning goals and finishing 13th overall in the OUA in points and eighth overall in assists.

Reid Jackman, who signed a professional contract at the end of the season with the Fort Wayne Komets of the East Coast Hockey League, took home the Graham Wise Lasting Legacy Award for his overall impact on the program. Jackman played in 131 regular season games in five years with the Lions and recorded 70 points (35 goals, 35 assists) and 144 penalty minutes. He was named a second-team OUA all-star for the first time last season and leaves York holding the record for most playoff games played (24) in program history.

Goaltender Alex Fotinos was awarded the Bob Hedley Unsung Hero Award for putting forth the greatest effort towards team success while sacrificing his own personal success, while second-year defenceman Sal Filice was named the recipient of the David Kosoy Best Teammate Award.

A pair of back-to-back winners rounded out the awards presentations as Dexter Bricker, the team’s leader with the York Sport Council, was named the recipient of the Bill Purcell Community Leadership Award for the second year in a row while forward Alex Mowbray took home the Ian Macdonald Academic Excellence Award for the second straight year.

The night concluded with the team announcing its leadership group for the 2019-20 season. Joining returning team captain Feser in the four-man group will be Filice, Goranson and forward Morgan Messenger as associate captains.

Student-athletes recognized with awards during Varsity Athletics Banquet

York University Lions track and field standouts Brittany Crew and Pierce Lepage were named the female and male athletes of the year, respectively, at the 51st annual Varsity Athletics Banquet on April 4.

2019 Varsity Banquet
From left to right: Christy Ihunaegbo, track and field – Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy winner; Erin McAleenan, women’s basketball – Coach of the Year; Brittany Crew, track and field – Female Athlete of the Year; DeAndrae Pierre, men’s basketball – Male Rookie of the Year; and Kalifornia Mitchell, women’s soccer – Female Rookie of the Year

Crew, who returned to the Lions this season after spending two years competing internationally, picks up her third Female Athlete of the Year award after winning the award in 2015 and 2016. Lepage earned his first Male Athlete of the Year award this year, in his first season competing with the Lions.

Four of the Lions’ graduating seniors were also recognized for their outstanding contributions to varsity athletics with the Lions Legacy Award. Women’s volleyball player Cadence Currie, track and field athlete Bailey Francis, women’s hockey player Jenna Gray and field hockey player Sara Vollmerhausen all took home the award, which recognizes the imprint they’ve left on York both on and off the field during their time with the Lions.

Also receiving major awards at the event were Christy Ihunaegbo from the track and field team, who was named the recipient of the Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy for exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, enthusiasm for life and the consideration of others; Kalifornia Mitchell from the women’s soccer team and men’s basketball player DeAndrae Pierre, who were named the top rookies of the year; and women’s basketball head coach Erin McAleenan, who received the Coach of the Year award.

Female Athlete of the Year: Brittany Crew, track and field
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 Ontario University Athletics (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 and 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.

Male Athlete of the Year: Pierce Lepage, track and field
Lepage was outstanding this year, his first season with the Lions track and field 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 received the Hec Phillips award as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships.

Lions Legacy Award: Cadence Currie, women’s volleyball
Currie played for five years on the women’s volleyball team as both an outside hitter and a libero. She had an outstanding career for the Lions on the court, appearing in 88 games and earning a total of 330 points and 660 digs. Off the court, Currie was also a great student in the classroom, earning academic all-Canadian honours last year and maintaining her AFA status for all five years she spent at York. She was always willing to help her teammates with their academics as well, and served as a PAWS mentor, guided the women’s volleyball study hall hours, and was the team academic lead and captain of academics. She was also a member York Sport Council, Lions Leadership and Athletes in Action, and was an active contributor to Shoreham sports clinics and the women’s volleyball reading buddies program as well as the driving force behind many Lions 4 Lions initiatives with the women’s volleyball program.

Lions Legacy Award: Bailey Francis, women’s track and field
An active member of the York Sport Council and a four-year member of the Lions track and field team, Francis spearheaded a number of initiatives with the Sport Council and was always a positive influence on her teammates throughout her career. She was also a strong student inside the classroom, maintaining a B+ average while earning her degree in criminology. She not only left her mark on the Lions, but in other areas of York as well. She was selected to be a part of the President’s Ambassador Program for emerging student leaders, she was a member of the Stong Student Council for three years and she participated in many intramural sports. She spent countless hours volunteering with local homeless shelters, Special Olympics Ontario and a number of other charitable causes. On the track, Francis finished in the top 10 at the OUA championships the past three years, including a career-best fifth place in the women’s triple jump this year, and she competed for the Lions at the U SPORTS championships the past two years.

Lions Legacy Award: Jenna Gray, women’s hockey
Gray was an ironwoman for the Lions during her outstanding career. She stepped into the Lions lineup right away in her rookie season and never came out of it, playing in all 120 games in her five-year career. She was one of the leaders on the ice and inside the locker room for the Lions and served as team captain for the past two years. She scored 39 points in her career and was named an OUA second-team all-star in her fifth and final season. Off the ice, Gray was a PAWS mentor, an academic all-Canadian, and won the 2018-19 U SPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award for excellence in athletics, academics and sport leadership. She was also an executive member of the York Sport Council, and she played a large role in the organization and execution of the Hockey Education Reaching Out Society, which gives local children from the Jane-Finch community the opportunity to play hockey as an education and leadership vehicle.

Lions Legacy Award: Sara Vollmerhausen, field hockey
Vollmerhausen played defence for five years on the Lions field hockey team and helped the team go from fifth place with a losing record in her rookie season to a two-time OUA champion by the end of her career. She was the team captain last season as well as a U SPORTS all-Canadian and OUA all-star, and she won the U SPORTS Fair Play Award for sportsmanship. Vollmerhausen was also a York Sport Council member for all of her five years and was in charge of Lions 4 Lions this year as part of the Sport Council’s executive team. She was an active participant in the Lions Adopt-a-Family program, Shoreham sports clinics and many field hockey team fundraisers – including the first-ever field hockey game for the cure, which raised more than $1,000. She also worked as a work-study student in facility operations, organized study hall sessions for the field hockey team and was instrumental in organizing the first-ever team lifts in the varsity gym.

Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy: Christy Ihunaegbo, women’s track and field
After migrating to Canada from Nigeria 10 years ago after competing on the Nigerian national track and field team, Ihunaegbo enrolled at York after a few years in Canada. She began competing with the Lions track and field team in 2015 after giving birth to her second child, and throughout her time at York she 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 and 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 both on and off the track. Ihunaegbo was always an outstanding athletic performer for the Lions. She is the York University record holder in the 300m and 4x400m relay, a four-time U SPORTS medallist and a three-time OUA championship medallist.

Coach of the Year: Erin McAleenan, women’s basketball
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 the regular season to clinch a playoff berth.

Male Rookie of the Year: DeAndrae Pierre, basketball
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, leading the team by playing almost 30 minutes per game, and ranking 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 he was named York’s male athlete of the week twice during the season.

Female Rookie of the Year: Kalifornia Mitchell, soccer
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, 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, Mitchell was recognized for her outstanding rookie season by winning the OUA Rookie of the Year award and being named the U SPORTS all-rookie team.

MVPs
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
Sport Council Award – Tara Leithead, women’s volleyball
Roar Cup – women’s hockey team
Student Athletic Therapist of the Year – Brian Richard
Spirit Cup Award – men’s hockey team