WINDSOR, Ont. (CIS) 鈥� The national season award winners were announced Thursday morning prior to the start of the 2015 CIS indoor track and field championships.
Championship website:
On the women鈥檚 side, Rebecca Haworth of the AV俱乐部 Tigers received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award for the third straight year. She was accompanied in the winner鈥檚 circle by Toronto鈥檚 Sasha Gollish (outstanding track event performer), York鈥檚 Brittany Crew (outstanding field performer) and Trinity Western鈥檚 Claudette Allen (rookie of the year).
In men鈥檚 competition, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of the Laval Rouge et Or was voted track MVP for the second time in three seasons. The other recipients were York鈥檚 Eric Brathwaite (field MVP), Windsor鈥檚 Angelo Bortolin (top freshman) and Moncton鈥檚 Alexandre Coholan (Student-Athlete Community Service Award).
The three-day CIS meet runs from Thursday to Saturday at the University of Windsor鈥檚 St. Denis Centre. Selected events will be webcast throughout the championships on .听
WOMEN鈥橲 AWARDS
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (TRACK EVENTS): Sasha Gollish, Toronto
Gollish won three individual titles at the OUA championships and was a member of a Canadian record-breaking relay team in leading the Varsity Blues to their first women鈥檚 title since 2004. She, along with teammates Gabriela Stafford, Rachel Jewett and Honor Walmsley, set a new York University field house, U of T, OUA and Canadian standard in the 4x800, clocking a time of 8:37.18.
The Toronto native also set a new OUA mark in the 600m, breaking Giselle Plantz鈥檚 1982 time of 1:30.56 with a 1:30.41 performance. Gollish, a civil engineering PhD candidate, also earned the OUA gold medals in the 1,500m (4:22.15) and 3,000m (9:21.58) races. She currently holds the top time in CIS in the 1,000m (2:41.45) and ranks among the top five runners in the 600m, 1,500m and 3,000m events.
鈥淪asha is听truly a University of Toronto developed student athlete. She started in our junior development track program back in 1996,鈥� said head coach Carl Georgevski. 鈥淪he is an extremely听bright, talented and compassionate woman. From a coaches鈥� perspective, she is the total package, a leader on and off the track. She has had a wonderful competitive season and we are looking forward to summer for even a better season.鈥�
Nominees from other regional associations were Sarah Myatt of UNB (AUS), Laurence Beaudet of Sherbrooke (RSEQ) and Rachel Fran莽ois of Victoria (Canada West).
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (FIELD EVENTS): Brittany Crew, York
Crew had a record-breaking season in her second year with the Lions and swept the gold medals in the throwing events at the OUA championships. She dominated the shot put with a mark of 16.11 metres, breaking her old record by 31 centimetres to win by nearly two metres. The native of East York, Ont., followed that up with another impressive showing in the weight throw with a distance of 18.69, surpassing the OUA record by 62cm and again winning by more than one metre.
Crew, a silver medallist in the shot put in her first CIS championship last year, is undefeated in the event this season and has reached the podium in every weight throw competition she has participated in so far this year. She is ranked No. 1 in the country in both throwing events heading into the national meet.
鈥淚n her short time at York, Brittany has made a major impact on our program, rewriting the record book in the shot put and weight throw,鈥� said head coach Colin Inglis. 鈥淚 have no doubt that before her time is up at York, she will not only continue to rewrite our school and conference records, but that she will also set her own CIS records too.鈥�
The other nominees were Rebecca Haworth of AV俱乐部 (AUS), Laurence Beaudet of Sherbrooke (RSEQ) and Nicole Oudenaarden of Calgary (Canada West).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Claudette Allen, Trinity Western
After joining the Spartans this year as a highly-touted recruit, Allen, who hails from New Longville, Jamaica and competed at the 2014 world junior championships, proved to be very much as advertised.
Competing in her first Canada West championships, Allen earned a gold medal in the long jump with a CIS-leading mark of 6.22 metres and a silver medal in the triple jump, going 11.97m. Earlier this year, she posted a season-best 12.09m triple jump. Allen also finished seventh in the 60m at the conference meet and helped the Spartans to a fourth-place finish in the 4x200m relay.
鈥淐laudette is a championship performer,鈥� said head coach Laurier Primeau. 鈥淏asically, she gets through the 鈥榬egular season鈥� and then when the 鈥榩layoffs鈥� start, Claudette is ready to go. She had a phenomenal weekend at the Canada West championships and really shined when it mattered most.鈥�
The other nominees were Hayley Wilson of St. Francis Xavier (AUS), Ma茂t茅 Bouchard of Sherbrooke (RSEQ) and Maja Naruszewicz of Guelph (OUA).
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Rebecca Haworth, AV俱乐部
In her fifth and final year of eligibility, Haworth continues to impress both on and off the field of play. The Waverly, N.S., native is a four-time academic all-Canadian and is currently enrolled in her first year of medicine.
A CIS silver medallist in the high jump last year, she is a three-time AUS field athlete of the year, four-time AUS champion and five-time AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner. When not training or going to school, she somehow manages to find time to represent her fellow students on AV俱乐部鈥檚 Board of Governors, serve as a councilor with the student union and is a member of the student experience committee. She is a student representative on AV俱乐部鈥檚 academic affairs and research committee and is a member of the Canadian Foundation for Women in Medicine.
A former varsity council co-president, Haworth founded AV俱乐部鈥檚 Special Tigers in 2012 that partners children with intellectual disabilities with AV俱乐部鈥檚 varsity-student athletes and continues to be an active volunteer to this day. She also volunteers with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Operation Christmas Child and is a researcher with AV俱乐部鈥檚 Craniofacial Research Group and the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research. She also coaches Special Olympics track and field and volunteers with Dal鈥檚 Medical School Health Mentors and Volunteer Patient programs.
鈥淩ebecca continues to astound our coaching staff and fellow student-athletes with her ability to combine athletics, academics and community involvement,鈥� said head coach Rich Lehman.听 鈥淓ven in her first year of medicine, her work with our team and in the community is as impressive as it鈥檚 ever been.鈥�
The other nominees were Caila Kucheravy of McGill (RSEQ), Rachel Jewett of Toronto (OUA) and Regan Yee of Trinity Western (Canada West).
MEN鈥橲 AWARDS
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (TRACK EVENTS): Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Laval
A native of Quebec City, Philibert-Thiboutot, who had previously been named CIS track athlete of the year in 2013, was nothing short of spectacular in his fifth and final season with the Rouge et Or.
At the RSEQ conference championships, he won gold in the 600, 1,000 and 1,500-metre events, added silver in the 3,000 and guided the Laval men to the team banner. He is currently ranked first in CIS in the 1000m, second on 3000m and third on 1500m. Over the course of the season, Philibert-Thiboutot set new Quebec provincial records in the 1,000 (2:21.02), 1,500 (3:43.21) and 3,000 (7:53.99), the latter coming on January 31st at the prestigious Boston Terrier Invitational.
鈥淐harles has set new standards for our program,鈥� said head coach F茅lix-Antoine Lapointe. 鈥淭o shatter the RSEQ records on 1,000, 1,500 and 3,000 metres is exceptional. He is without a doubt one of the best athletes in our club鈥檚 history, and the best proof of that is he can now dream about competing at the Olympics.鈥� 听听
The other nominees were MacKenzie Munroe of StFX (AUS), Corey Bellemore of Windsor (OUA) and Thomas Riva of Victoria (Canada West).
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (FIELD EVENTS): Eric Brathwaite, York
Brathwaite, a Brampton, Ont., native in his fifth year of eligibility, has asserted himself as the best thrower in the country. He won his second consecutive OUA field events MVP award this season after sweeping the throwing events at the OUA championships for the second straight year.
He won the weight throw with a distance of 19.59 metres, more than a full metre further than the silver medallist. He was even more dominant in the shot put, with his winning distance of 17.56 measuring nearly two metres better than any other throw in the competition.
Brathwaite, who won gold and silver medals at the CIS championships last year, swept the throwing events at four regular-season meets this year and won a total of 11 medals this season. He is ranked No. 1 in CIS in both events ahead of the national championships.
鈥淓ric has become a dominant thrower in CIS during his five years at York, and he has been a key part of our team鈥檚 success over the past three years,鈥� said head coach Colin Inglis. 鈥淗e is a leader for our program and we are so proud of what he has accomplished, and it will be a big loss for us when he graduates this spring.鈥�
The other nominees were Jordan Bruce of AV俱乐部 (AUS), Marc-Antoine Lafrenaye-Dugas of Sherbrooke (RSEQ) and Peter Millman of Lethbridge (Canada West).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Angelo Bortolin, Windsor
Bortolin had an outstanding first season with the nationally-ranked Lancers. The Windsor, Ont., native captured a bronze medal in the triple jump at the OUA championships, while placing seventh in the long jump to be the top first-year athlete in both events.
Not having reached the 14.0-metre distance in the triple jump prior to post-secondary competition, Bortolin heads into the national championships ranked third in the country in the event with a personal-best jump of 14.71m, and is currently 11th overall in the long jump.
鈥淎ngelo definitely made his rookie season a memorable one,鈥� said head coach Dennis Fairall. 鈥淣ot only is he the top-ranked Lancer in the triple jump but his jump of 14.71 metres ranks him third in CIS. Combine this with a 7.0m long jump and he is the top rookie in two events. He will play a big role if the Lancers hope to win the national team title.鈥�
The other nominees were Joshua Lunda of AV俱乐部 (AUS), Simon Beaulieu of Laval (RSEQ) and Eric Guy of Manitoba (Canada West).
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Alexandre Coholan, Moncton
Coholan, a local product from Moncton, had a solid showing at the AUS championships, finishing fourth in the 600-metre final and seventh in the 300m, while helping the Aigles Bleus 4x400 relay capture a bronze medal.
A fourth-year biochemistry student, Coholan has been an academic all-Canadian and a member of the Dean鈥檚 List every year since he arrived on the Moncton campus and has received numerous research and academic scholarships. An accomplished musician, he is involved in the community in a number of fields, including music, sports, education and health.听
鈥淎lexandre is an exceptional student. He maintains an academic average of over 4.27 while dedicating countless hours to training and his community service,鈥� said coach Steve LeBlanc. 鈥淗e suffered an ankle injury last spring and came back did season to set personal records at the AUS championships. He is a very determined and dedicated athlete.鈥�
The other nominees were Stephen Douglas of McGill (RSEQ), Cam Gilles of Brock (OUA) and Eric Guy of Manitoba (Canada West).
2014-2015 CIS SEASON AWARDS
Women
Athlete of the year (track events): Sasha Gollish, Toronto
Athlete of the year (field events): Brittany Crew, York
Rookie of the year: Claudette Allen, Trinity Western
Student-athlete community service award: Rebecca Haworth, AV俱乐部
Men
Athlete of the year (track events): Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Laval
Athlete of the year (field events): Eric Brathwaite, York
Rookie of the year: Angelo Bortolin, Windsor
Student-athlete community service award: Alexandre Coholan, Moncton
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2015 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (selected events webcast daily at )
Thursday, March 12
14:00听听 Weight Throw (W) Final
15:15听听 60m Hurdles (W) Pentathlon
15:45听听 60m Hurdles (M) Pentathlon
16:00听听 High Jump (W) Pentathlon
16:30听听 Long Jump (M) Pentathlon
18:00听听 Shot Put (M) Pentathlon
18:00听听 60m (W) Heats
18:15听听 60m (M) Heats
18:30听听 600m (W) Heats
18:45听听 600m (M) Heats
19:00听听 Shot Put (W) Pentathlon
19:00听听 60m (W) Final
19:10听听 60m (M) Final
19:20听听 60m Ambulatory (W) Exhibition Final
19:30听听 60m Ambulatory (M) Exhibition Final
19:30听听 High Jump (M) Pentathlon
20:00听听 Long Jump (W) Pentathlon
20:00听听 4x200m Relay (W) Heats
20:20听听 4x200m Relay (M) Heats
21:00听听 800m (W) Pentathlon
21:15听听 1000m (M) Pentathlon
Friday, March 13
15:00听听 Weight Throw (M) Final
16:25听听 Long Jump (W) Final
16:30听听 High Jump (M) Final
16:30听听 60m Hurdles (W) Heats
16:45听听 60m Hurdles (M) Heats
16:50听听 Pole Vault (W) Final
17:00听听 1000m (W) Final
17:10听听 1000m (M) Final
17:30听听 60m Hurdles (M) Final
17:40听听 60m Hurdles (W) Final
17:50听听 300m (W) Heats
18:05听听 300m (M) Heats
18:25听听 Long Jump (M) Final
18:30听听 3000m (W) Final
18:40听听 Shot Put (W) Final
18:50听听 3000m (M) Final
19:50听听 300m (W) Final
20:00听听 300m (M) Final
20:15听听 4x800m Relay (W) Final
20:30听听 4x800m Relay (M) Final
Saturday, March 14
12:30听听 Triple Jump (W) Final
12:35听听 Shot Put (M) Final
13:00听听 Pole Vault (M) Final
13:15听听 600m (W) Final
13:30听听 600m (M) Final
14:15听听 4x200m Relay (W) Final
14:25听听 4x200m Relay (M) Final
14:30听听 High Jump (W) Final
14:35听听 Triple Jump (M) Final
14:45听听 1500m (W) Final
15:00听听 1500m (M) Final
15:45听听 4x400m Relay (W) Final
16:00听听 4x400m Relay (M) Final
AV俱乐部 Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, over 11,500 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 56 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit or follow us on:
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