TERWILLEGAR & JACK NAMED ATHLETES OF THE YEAR AT ANNUAL ATHLETIC BANQUET

With team awards delivered, Student-Athlete Advisor, Dave Templar got on stage to present the Academic Award of Excellence. But before announcing the winner, Templar congratulated the room on their outstanding academic achievements throughout the season. He noted that, of the 40 athletes who played on an outdoor sport team this year, 26 Lancer student-athletes boasted an 80% average or better, 10 of which attained an average over 90%. 

" I clearly don't need to tell this group of dedicated students, but that's 65% of our student-athletes from outdoor sports who were honours students in the first semester. Not to be outdone, when we add in our two semester sports that number increases to 53 student-athletes receiving 80% averages or higher across all 8 Varsity programs, including 18 student-athletes with averages over 90%, and the highest average reaching 96.4%."  

While 4 of 8 varsity programs achieve over 80% team average, the X-Country team topped the list with an 85% overall average and was named the winners of the Academic Award of Excellence.  

With team and academic awards handed out, it was time to move on to the major awards portion of the evening.  

The first of the final awards was the Andree Mathurin-Scott award which is presented to a member of the Lancer community who through their commitment and dedication as a fan and supporter of the Loyalist Lancers embodies our virtues of passion, pride, and tradition. 
The Andrée Mathurin Scott Award was presented to Jatin Kumar (@SOPX) whose passion for the Lancers and appreciation of sport is only outdone by his incredible videography talents and kind spirit.  

The Bob Young Award is presented to the student-athlete who demonstrates both academic and athletic excellence.  
With not 1, not 2, but 3 marks of 100% in their first semester, Charlie Cudmore pulled off an impressive 92% average in the Fall.  Averaging 2.1 points per set and a hitting average of .373, they were named the OCAA East Rookie of the Year.  

The Larry Cook Award is presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the values of fair play, integrity, and commitment. 

This year's recipient has shown exceptional dedication to fair play, unwavering integrity, and relentless commitment to excellence on and off the court. She demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, leadership, and respect for her teammates and opponents alike. She's the backbone of her team's defense and a constant source of positivity and focus. The Larry Cook Award was presented to Erika Robertsonfrom the women's volleyball team. 

The Dave Butler Award is presented to the student athlete who through their enthusiasm and love of the game attracts others to participate. 

The co-recipients of this award embody what it means to play for the love of the game. Their energy is infectious, drawing others in and making sports feel like more than just competition- it is about the gifts that sports can give - joy, camaraderie and hope. The Dave Butler Award was presented to Hannah Bender from women's rugby and Taj'ae Sylvester-Wynnfrom men's basketball.  

The Peter Williams award is presented to the student-athlete who has been selfless in their dedication to athletics, Loyalist College, and the community. 
Whether she's excelling on the basketball court, lending a helping hand to a friend in need, or representing our college with grace and dignity, Jessyka Maliksi consistently demonstrates an undeniable dedication to excellence that embodies the Peter Williams award.  

The Greg Gavin award is presented to a student-athlete for their outstanding commitment and dedication to varsity athletics.  

The Greg Gavin Award was awarded to Emily Mealing and Nick Dales. Mealing's reliability is a cornerstone of her character—always one of the first to arrive for games and practices, rarely missing anything, and consistently putting in the work to excel. Equally as impressive, Dales has made a monumental leap, transforming himself into a true force. This remarkable progress is a testament to the countless hours he devoted to off-season training, tirelessly honing his skills, and improving his physical conditioning. 

For the very first time, the Jim Buck award was presented to the student-athlete who through their integrity, commitment, open and honest interactions with others, and clear leadership both on and off the field of play inspires a culture of excellence within their team, program of study, and community at large. 

The recipient of this award is an outstanding student-athlete who brings integrity, commitment, and leadership to every aspect of their life. Whether on the field, with her patients, or in the classroom, her genuine warmth, care, and compassion shine through. 

The Jim Buck Award was presented to Christine Vandertoorn. 

Four members of the women's volleyball team were called to the stage for a special presentation of the CCAA Academic All-Canadian and All-Canadian awards.  

To receive a CCAA Academic all-Canadian banner, you must be recognized by the OCAA as a league all-star or Championship All-star, which for perspective is only 12 athletes in the entirety of the eastern OCAA women's volleyball conference. Not only must you be a star in your respective sport, but you must also be an honours student obtaining an average of 80% or higher. To be recognized as an All-Canadian athlete is also the individual pinnacle of sport, requiring you to be voted in by coaches as the top athlete in your division. Only 3 of these are given out in Ontario each year out of approximately 280 student-athletes in a sport such as volleyball.  

Congratulations to Academic-All Canadians, Alyssa Diemert, Georgie Williams, and Erika Robertson,and to CCAA All-Canadian & Academic All-Canadian, Allyson Terwillegar. These four athletes have cemented themselves in the history of Loyalist College and will have banners proudly hanging in the gym for years to come.  

Next up were the Rookie of the Year Awards. These awards are presented to the first-year student-athlete who has shown outstanding performance in their respective sport. 

These two remarkable individuals have not only excelled within their teams but have also become standout leaders within our campus, community, and the OCAA.  

One was the OCAA Women's Rugby 7s Rookie of the Year, the other was the OCAA East-Division All-Rookie team and OCAA East Division Rookie of the Year. Individual accolades aside, both athletes played critical roles in bringing home hardware as they, along with their teams, will be forever known as 2023-2024 OCAA Bronze Medalists.  

The 2023-2024 Rookies of the Year award was awarded to Ryan Fitzgerald and Charlie Cudmore.  

The final presentation of the evening brought Latham back to the stage to announce the prestigious Athlete of the Year Award, which is presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies athletic excellence at Loyalist College. 

This award went to two individuals who embody the essence of leadership, athleticism, and humble excellence. Through their dedication to their teams, and their commitment to bettering themselves as athletes, these two athletes have earned the respect and admiration of their peers and the OCAA.   

"While these accolades are incredibly impressive, what stands out to me the most is their character," says Latham as she announced the recipients. "Each serving as Captains of their teams, these athletes remained humble and passionate. When it is easy to be selfish in sport, these athletes choose to bring their wealth of experience to the team and use it for the betterment of everyone. They uplifted and inspired those around them- and approached challenges with grace and unwavering determination." 

The Female Athlete of the Year is OCAA first-team All-Star, East Division Player of the Year, and CCAA All-Candian, Allyson Terwillegar.  

The Male Athlete of the Year is the OCAA East Scoring Champion and first-team All-Star, Jayden Jack.  

Congratulations to all award winners & all teams on an exception year with many successes!

Photos coming soon