Lion’s Cup golf tournament raises $154,000 for athletes
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It was a successful day on the golf course Wednesday, May 31 as York University Athletics & Recreation raised $154,000 for athletic scholarships at the 20th annual Lions Cup, presented by TD Insurance.
Nearly 100 golf enthusiasts convened at the Wyndance Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ont., coming together with a mission to extend financial assistance to student-athletes. Notably, a number of York’s current student-athletes, who have similarly benefited from financial aid in their educational pursuits, actively interacted with the golfers.
Organizers led a variety of events on the course, such as the accuracy challenge and the longest-drive competition, all the while embracing the opportunity to establish valuable connections with professionals in their respective fields of study.
From left: Janae Brown (track and field), Joselyn Gagliardi (women’s soccer), Jasmine Heath (track and field), David D’Agostino (men’s hockey), Guy Burry (co-chair, Lions Cup), Corrado Messina (senior relationship manager, Ontario Market Lead, TD Insurance), Bart Zemanek (associate director, advancement, Athletics & Recreation), Lucas Van Den Driesschen (track and field), Lexy Anonech (women’s hockey), Agostino Principato (men’s soccer), Nicholas Mohammed (summer intern, Athletics & Recreation)
Inaugurated as the Chair’s Cup in 2001, the Lions Cup carries a rich history. Its creators, Marshall Cohen, the former Chair of the York University Board of Governors, and his wife, Judi, had a visionary goal: to establish an event that not only generated funds but also cultivated bonds and backing among friends, alumni, and other supporters. Recent years have witnessed a notable shift in the tournament’s emphasis, now centred on bolstering varsity student-athletes by channeling all proceeds directly into athletic scholarships for the Lions.
The success of the scholarships is made possible through the generous contributions of both new and returning sponsors of this year’s tournament. Their support plays a vital role in promoting excellence in athletics and recreation, granting tomorrow’s athletes the opportunity to achieve their academic and athletic aspirations.
For a complete list of this year’s tournament sponsors and donors, please visit the tournament webpage.
C4 team receives teaching innovation award
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Members of York University’s Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4) team were awarded the 2023 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), which recognizes post-secondary collaborative teams for their innovative approaches to promoting student-centered teaching and learning.
C4, launched in 2019, enables students to work on real-world challenges with social impact, promoting team-based collaboration, advanced research and design, critical and strategic thinking, and more.
The award was bestowed on those associated with C4’s innovative approach to pan-university interdisciplinary experiential education, including:
Danielle Robinson, co-founder and academic co-lead of C4, as well as associate professor in the Department of Dance;
Franz Newland, co-founder and co-lead of C4, as well as associate professor of Space Engineering;
Rachelle Campigotto, classroom coordinator assistant for C4 and contract faculty in the Faculty of Education;
Dana Craig, Libraries liaison for C4 and director of student learning and academic success in the Libraries;
Danielle Dobney, team culture strategist of C4 and assistant professor in Kinesiology and the Athletic Therapy Certificate program;
Andrea Kalmin, curriculum lead, classroom coordinator for C4 and adjunct faculty in the Department of Social Science;
Alice Kim, scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) research lead for C4 and interim assistant program head for Psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber; and
Natasha May, Teaching Commons liaison for C4 and educational developer in York’s Teaching Commons.
The D2L Innovation Award is an international recognition, open to applicants from all countries. It evaluates and rewards innovations in pedagogical approaches, teaching methods, course design, curriculum development, assessment methods, and more. It is named after D2L, a cloud-based learning analytics platform.
Award recipients are invited to a retreat held the day of the pre-conference at STLHE’s Annual Conference. This retreat includes a facilitated session, lunch, and a social and learning excursion focused on innovation. At the conference they will be recognized at the Conference Awards Ceremony and receive a certificate in recognition of their work.
Edmonton Elks pick York Lions receiver for 2023 CFL season
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Gabriel Appiah-Kubi, Lions receiver and social sciences student at York University, was drafted to the Edmonton Elks for the upcoming Canadian Football League (CFL) season.
Gabriel Appiah-Kubi
Among Appiah-Kubi’s many noteworthy achievements, he most recently made waves at the inaugural New Era 2023 CFL invitational combine in March, where he placed first in three different events, tied for second in a fourth, and secured his spot at the following national CFL combine.
At the March showcase, Appiah-Kubi posted a 4.48-second 40-yard dash time; a ten-foot-seven and five-eighths inches broad jump; a 37-inch vertical jump, a full inch higher than the runner-up; and a 4.25-second short shuttle, just seven hundredths of a second behind the first-place runner in that event.
Both the regional and national combines welcomed an array of CFL scouts, coaches and team managers, and Appiah-Kubi’s breakout performance at the former made him a name to watch for following the commencement of the 2023 CFL draft.
Appiah-Kubi maintained similarly impressive stats throughout the 2022 football season, and the four seasons prior that he played with the Lions. The five-foot-eleven, 160-pound Brampton, Ont. local played a crucial role in all eight games of the most recent season, earning seven receptions totalling 89 yards – the longest of which was a 29-yard pass during the Lion’s final game against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
He likewise played all six games of the 2021 season, during which he tied for team lead with 13 receptions for a total of 116 yards. Prior to the cancelled 2020 season, Appiah-Kubi took the field in all eight games throughout 2019, starting in two of those games and securing six receptions for 104 total yards.
In total, through the last three season of Lions football, Appiah-Kubi earned an impressive 26 receptions across 22 games played.
The Edmonton Elks will make their debut on Sunday, June 11 when they face down the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their home city of Regina. At that bout, Appiah-Kubi will reunite with once-teammate turned rival Matt Dean, a former captain and linebacker for the Lions.
This year marks the sixth consecutive season wherein York footballers have been drafted, with Appiah-Kubi being the 11th Lion in that timeframe.
To view the York Lions football schedule for the upcoming season, click here.
York Lions football captain drafted by CFL’s Roughriders
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Matt Dean – a Lions football linebacker, captain through the 2022 season and graduate student at York University – was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL) 2023 draft.
Matt Dean
Dean garnered no shortage of attention throughout the Lions’ most recent season, having topped the majority of the team’s defensive statistics this year. Dean led the team in tackles, including 41 solo and an additional 13 assisted, for a total of 47.5. During the Lions’ mid-October bout with the Ottawa Gee Gees, Dean posted a season-high of 11 tackles – 10 solo and two assists. He earned 115 all-time tackles with the Lions – 90 solo and 53 assists. Dean also secured both of the Lions’ interceptions this season and averaged 5.9 tackles per game for a total of four yards lost.
Dean started in all eight of the Lion’s games this year and, for his impressive display throughout, was recognized as the latest Lions football MVP at York’s 54th annual Varsity Athletics Banquet in April.
Having ended his time with the Lions on what is arguably his best season to date, Dean had previously earned himself a variety of coveted accolades during his undergraduate and even high school football careers.
The six-foot-two, 220-pound, Oshawa, Ont. local joined the Lions for the 2018 season, during which he blocked a would-be game-winning field goal attempt to secure a victory against Waterloo. He was also named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) 2018 all-rookie team. In 2019, Dean started for all eight games and led the team in tackles for yards lost at 5.5. In 2021, he started for five games and led the Lions for total tackles at 23 – 18 solo and 10 assists. At Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School, Dean earned consecutive Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics (LOSSA) gold medals in 2015 and 2016, as well as the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Eastern Bowl title in 2015.
Dean was selected in the second round of the latest CFL draft, going 21st overall. His newest team – the Saskatchewan Roughriders – are one of the CFL’s preeminent franchises, having won four Grey Cups throughout their history in 1966, 1989, 2007 and most recently in 2013.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that a York Lions footballer has been drafted into the CFL, with Dean being the 10th drafted Lion in that timeframe.
To view the York Lions football schedule for the upcoming season, click here.
Four York Lions headed to East-West Bowl
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East West Bowl image
The table is set for the 2023 East-West Bowl, and the York University Lions football team has four players selected for covered roster spots.
Evan AnseeuwJason Janvier MessierAlfred OlayNathan Brennan
York’s group of athletes heading to the Bowl is headlined by Olay, who was an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) first-team all-star and a U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian in 2023. He was the first Lion to be named to the national first team since 2004. On special teams, Olay had a year to remember. The native of Courtice, Ont. was an elite special teams option, tallying 35 kickoff returns for 739 yards and 26 punt returns for 349 yards. Olay led his team in all-purpose yards with 1,377 and produced one of the highlight-reel plays of the entire OUA season when he returned a missed Carleton field goal 119 yards for a score in a matchup on Sept. 10, 2022.
This is the second straight year that the event has been at McMaster University (and the third time overall), and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual all-star contest, which was launched in 2003.
The two teams’ coaching staffs will be announced, along with any updates to the team rosters, on Friday, May 12.
The 2023 U SPORTS football prospects game (the East-West Bowl) is set for Saturday, May 13 at 1 p.m. ET at McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Field in Hamilton, Ont.
Athletics awards return in-person at annual banquet
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York University Athletics & Recreation hosted its 54th annual Varsity Athletics Banquet on April 6. The event marked the return of the in-person banquet following the live-streamed iteration of the 53rd award ceremony in 2021.
Jotam Chouhan
Women’s soccer player Jotam Chouhanand men’s soccer player Soji Olatoyewere named the Lions female and male athletes of the year, respectively. Chouhan also earned the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West MVP award in 2022 and was named an OUA first-team. Olatoye likewise won the OUA West MVP and was an OUA first-team all-star along with being named a U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian.
A full list of award winners and MVPs named at the ceremony is included below.
Female Athlete of the Year
Awarded to one female who has exhibited outstanding athletic skill, character and fair play in their sport, and, as a result, contributed to the success of their team. Chouhan was named the female athlete of the year.
Male Athlete of the Year
Awarded to one male who has exhibited outstanding athletic skill, character and fair play in their sport, and, as a result, contributed to the success of their team. Olatoye was named the male athlete of the year.
Female Rookie of the Year
The recipient of this award must be compliant with U SPORTS and OUA rookie of the year sport-specific regulations, and be in their first year of eligibility in university competition. The award is presented to a female member of a York varsity team who exhibited outstanding athletic skill in their rookie season. Women’s soccer player Nia Fleming-Thompsonwas the female rookie of the year.
Male Rookie of the Year
The recipient of this award must be compliant with U SPORTS and OUA rookie of the year sport-specific regulations, and be in their first year of eligibility in university competition. The award is presented to a male member of a York varsity team who exhibited outstanding athletic skill in their rookie season. Badminton player Victor Lai was the male rookie of the year.
Bryce M. Taylor Award [Outstanding Female Graduate]:
Presented to a graduating female athlete, who has, throughout their undergraduate years, made outstanding contributions to Varsity Athletics at York University. Leadership, dedication, enthusiasm and participation in all aspects of Varsity Athletics will be considered qualifications for this award. Field hockey player Frankie St. Louis won this year’s Bryce M. Taylor Award.
Outstanding Male Graduate Award
Presented to a graduating male athlete, who has, throughout their undergraduate years, made outstanding contributions to Varsity Athletics at York University. Leadership, dedication, enthusiasm and participation in all aspects of Varsity Athletics will be considered qualifications for this award. Men’s hockey player Xavier Pouliotwas this year’s outstanding male graduate.
Coach of the Year
Presented to a coach who has demonstrated leadership and earned the respect of both athletes and coaches in setting high expectations which have led to significant improvements and/or accomplishments over the past season for their program. Coach of the Year was presented to field hockey Coach Zeeshan Minhas.
Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy
Presented to a student-athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, enthusiasm for life and consideration of others. This trophy is open to male and female student-athletes. The Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy was awarded to basketball player Prince Kamunga.
Most Valuable Players
Group photo of 54th Varsity Athletics Banquet MVPs
The York University Lions men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams will lead a variety of youth basketball camps this summer over the course of six weeks. Three separate camps, organized by age and difficulty, are now open for registration.
Mighty Lions (age eight to 13)
The Mighty Lions will have the chance to develop and enhance their fundamental movements through basketball specific skills training, drills, and games.
Participants will have the opportunity to apply their skills throughout the camp and have fun through game scenarios and competitions.
The camp is instructed by the York Lions players and coaching staff.
Registration for the camp includes a t-shirt, recreational swims, and WOW Factor Fridays.
Junior Lions (age 10 to 15)
The Junior Lions will have the chance to develop and enhance their fundamental movements through basketball specific skills training, drills, and games.
Participants will have the opportunity to apply their skills throughout the camp and have fun through game scenarios and competitions.
The camp is instructed by the York Lions players and coaching staff.
Registration for the camp includes a t-shirt, recreational swims, and WOW Factor Fridays.
Elite Camp (age 14 to 17)
This is the most advanced of all camps, and offers the most challenging skills and drills, while concentrating on various aspects of the game.
Led by the Lions players and coaching staff, this camp is designed for players looking to take their game to the next level.
In addition to all of this, registration includes a t-shirt, recreational swims, and off-court video sessions.
York hosts annual Women and Girls Leadership and Sport Conference
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In recognition of International Women’s Day, York University Athletics & Recreation will host the fourth annual Women and Girls Leadership and Sport Conference (WGLSC) on Friday, April 28.
Following a successful online conference last year, the 2023 conference promises to be outstanding, with a number of speakers presenting under the theme “Aim High, Play Safe.” The in-person setting will allow for important, meaningful conversations to be fostered.
Registration for this conference, taking place at the Second Student Centre, is now open with tickets for general audience priced at $125; students can purchase tickets for $75.
“We are proud to present the fourth annual conference here at York, and to be live in person,” said Jennifer Neilson, Chair of the WGLSC organizing committee and head coach of the Lions women’s volleyball team. “The high-performance sport environment is growing, changing and evolving and the discussion around safe sport policies, implementation, and practices is at a critical juncture, one I know the topics and incredible speakers will engage with this April.”
Canadian gymnast Ellie Black will take a break from preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to lead off the conference schedule with her opening keynote, “Defying Gravity the Landscape of High-Performance Sport.”
The schedule will then shift to an interactive discussion with the mid-day powerhouse panel. Moderated by York’s own Sarah Bay-Cheng, dean of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, the panel will engage attendees in cutting edge research and best practices in the safe sport world and features the brilliant minds of Jessica Fraser-Thomas (Faculty of Health), Gretchen Kerr (University of Toronto), Hilary Findlay (Brock University), Sabrina Razack (University of Toronto), and Shauna Bookal (OUA EDI director).
Allison Forsyth, former Canadian olympian and safe sport advocate, will close out the day by sharing her experience as a survivor of abuse. Her closing keynote, “The Future of Safe Sport in Canada,” will articulate the need for action towards safe sport and safe sport education.
For more information and to register for the event, visit the official WGLSC webpage. Tickets are available here.
Learn more about repetitive strain injury prevention, Feb. 28
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Do you know what a repetitive strain injury (RSI) is, or how to prevent one?
RSIs are disorders of the musculoskeletal system – which comprises tendons, muscles and nerves – that can develop gradually over weeks, months or even years. Symptoms can include tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness, burning, tingling or numbness occurring most often within the hands, wrists and arms. These conditions account for over 40 per cent of all lost-time injuries (WSPS, 2023). Increasing and varying position and movement during work hours is one way to help reduce the risk of RSIs.
Learn more about RSI prevention on International Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day on Feb. 28. In support of – and in partnership with – Athletics & Recreation, a “Learning to Explore Your Body Through Movement” class will be offered on Feb. 28 at noon. In this 30-minute virtual session, participants will be shown various exercises to add more movement into the work day. No special equipment or experience is needed. To register for the event, click here.
For information regarding other services provided by York’s Athletics & Recreation team, such as fitness group sessions and intramural sports, visit https://yorkulions.ca/index.aspx.
Questions related to workstations should be directed to your manager.
Lions volleyball coach to lead Team Ontario in 2025 Canada Summer Games
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She has led the York University Lions women’s volleyball program since 2018, and now head coach Jennifer Neilson will lead the next generation of Ontarian high performance athletes after she was named head coach of Team Ontario’s indoor volleyball program for the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, Nfld.
Jennifer Neilson
“It’s a privilege and an honour to be selected for this role and be the first female coach in several cycles,” said Neilson. “I see it as an opportunity to inspire women in coaching, and an opportunity to support young women in Ontario. The goal is to build off past cycles and support these young women to be champions both on and off the court.”
Neilson has coached at all levels of the Canadian high-performance pathway. Prior to joining the Lions, Neilson had a heavy involvement with the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA).
She began her journey with the OVA as the high-performance apprentice coach while also coaching at the club level with the Halton Hurricanes for 2017-18. She then moved on to become a head coach of Team Ontario Red in 2018 where she led the team to the Canada Cup competition.
She then made the jump to the national programming, transitioning to the national team as a guest coach with the youth national team in 2019.
“Since I got into coaching, it has been a goal of mine to lead a cycle of players and develop the province’s most elite,” she said. “This gives me that opportunity, and I’m so excited to get to work.”
Neilson will begin the process of leading the program in the new year, when scouting for roster selection begins. The team will begin to prepare as a group for the Canada Games in the following calendar year.
