Photos courtesy of Ellery Platts @ellerysphotography
The 2018/19 King’s athletics season can perhaps best be described by a familiar saying: ‘brains and brawn.’
The Blue Devils student athletes celebrated their successes—on the court and in the classroom—at the annual athletic awards night on Saturday, with 19 athletes receiving conference All-star awards and 34 athletes receiving academic excellence awards given to student-athletes with a GPA above 3.7. Each King’s team had both all-stars and honour roll students.
It was a perfect coda to a year where, thanks to a generous gift from the Deane Little family, King’s was able to announce the establishment of 56 new scholarships in support of scholar athletes. In his remarks, King’s President William Lahey thanked the Deane Little family and spoke of how these scholarships affirm the importance of Athletics to King’s.
“I believe we have one of the best athletic programs anywhere,” said Lahey, toasting the hard work of students, coaches and Athletic Coordinator Trish Miles. He also credited the leadership of Athletic Director Neil Hooper, saying the ultimate reason for the new Debra Deane Little and Robert Little Academic Scholarships for Varsity Athletes is the donors’ admiration for Neil Hooper, adding “I’d say it’s love for Neil Hooper.”
Benn Van Ryn and Bryce Mason, co-MVPs of the Badminton team and winners of King’s first ever national medal.
Special recognition was given to the Badminton team, who captured their second consecutive Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association championship this season, sent three Badminton players to the Canada Games and won King’s its first-ever national medal, a silver for the men’s doubles duo of Benn Van Ryn and Bryce Mason.
Before awarding the Norman Grant Award for Outstanding Contribution and Dedication, King’s was honoured to recognize Norman’s mother Barbara Grant, and family friends Linda and Scott Cooke, who were in attendance.
Here is the full list of award recipients:
Special Awards
Special Recognition Maya Palacio
CCAA Silver Medalists Bryce Mason / Benn Van Ryn
The Calvin Headley Award (Male College Rookie of the Year) Ewout van Wassbergen / Ben West
Female College Rookie of the Year Molly Lash-Burrows
Gary MacLean Award (Outstanding Contribution and Dedication) Ali Cooper
Norman Grant Award (Outstanding Contribution and Dedication) James Wyse
Academic Excellence Meagan Campbell
E.E. Bisset Award (Male Athlete of the Year) Sam White
H.L Puxley Award (Female Athlete of the Year) Sam Lawther
Team Awards
Women’s Soccer
Rookie of the Year Lily Wright
Most Valuable Player Natalie Crawford
Men’s Soccer
Most Improved Player Shinji Yamamoto
Aiden Harrington Award Jack Creaser
Most Valuable Player Brendan Irish
Women’s Basketball
Most Improved Player Kallie MacKinnon
Blue Devil Grit Award Jessica Simm
Men’s Basketball
G.H. McConnell Award Joe Karam
Rookie of the Year Ben West
Coaches Award Nicholas Frew
Women’s Volleyball
Rookie of the Year Rebecca Worden
Bleed Blue Award Sophia Josenhans
Women’s Rugby
Unsung Hero Award Cassie Hayward
Most Valuable Player Isla Littlewood
Men’s Rugby
Most Improved Player Philip Dorsett
Most Valuable Player Josh Williams
Badminton
Most Valuable Player Benn Van Ryn
Most Valuable Player Bryce Mason
Academic Excellence Awards
34 King’s athletes received Academic Excellence awards, for achieving honour roll standing, a GPA of at least 3.7.
Connor Adsett
Danielle Arseneau
Carl Baxter-Zink
Madison Bennett
Miriam Burnett
Meagan Campbell
Alison Clarke
Ryleigh Dodd
Klara Doelle
Gina Grattan
Lydia Hanson
Laura Hughes
Brendan Irish
Alex Jackson
Claire Jansen-Faught
Sylvie Julien
Sam Lawther
Nika Lennox
Morgan MacIntosh
Ethan Merlin
Taryn Neufeld
Sian Nielsen
Lindsey aPuddicombe
Edie Reaney-Chunn
Katharine Richter
Isabelle Roach
Elizabeth Scott-Black
Renata Serio
Jessica Simm
Julia Swail
Riel Tetreault
Sophia Tonks
Heather Wall
Ben West
Atlantic All-Stars
King’s had 19 All-Star selections in 2018/19. Each team had at least one player selected to their league’s All-Star team.
Women’s Rugby
Cassie Hayward
Isla Littlewood
Men’s Rugby
Adam MacLaren
Josh Williams
Women’s Soccer
Natalie Crawford
Morgan MacIntosh
Men’s Soccer
Brendan Irish
Jack Creaser
Shinji Yamamoto
Ewout van Waasbergen
Women’s Basketball
Jessica Simm
Chloe Oxner
Men’s Basketball
Campbell Colpitts
Ben West
Women’s Volleyball
Abby Hourigan
Badminton
Sam White
Sam Lawther
Bryce Mason
Benn Van Ryn
