October 25, 2005
OUA ANNOUNCES WOMEN'S RUGBY ALL-STARS
HAMILTON – Ontario University Athletics is pleased to announce the 2005 women’s rugby all-stars awards as voted by the league’s coaches.
Western Mustang flanker Barbara Mervin (Peterborough, ON) was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the Sheils Division. Mervin, a third-year player and former CIS Rookie of the Year in 2002, had an OUA-best eight tries on the season. As the stage gets bigger, Mervin gets better. She added five more tries in Western’s 52-0 semi-final win over the Waterloo Warriors this week.
The Mustangs were a force throughout the 2005 season and the two-time defending OUA champions have four all-stars named to the Sheils side, including Mervin. Flanker hooker Jennifer Kryszak (Courtice, ON), the 2004 division MVP, inside centre Jayne Cation (Terra Cotta, ON), the 2004 Sheils Rookie of the Year, and wing, fly half Tanja Ness (Orillia, ON) were all key performers for a team that out-scored its regular season opponents 349-5 in five matches.
While Western proved they were the top team in the OUA in the regular season, the Guelph Gryphons manufactured a fine year, winning four of its five matches. That lone loss came against the Mustangs, who scored a season-low 33 points and allowed their only try of the year to the Gryphons. Guelph has three representatives on the all-star team – fly half Meg Howat (Toronto, ON), flanker Shannon Kane (Ottawa, ON) and lock Kendra Kryszak (Courtice, ON). Howat makes her second consecutive appearance on the team.
Laura Muddiman (Oakville, ON), Leah Yeomans (Napanee, ON) and Megan Taylor (Barrie, ON) from the third-place Brock Badgers all make their first appearances on an all-star team. The McMaster Marauders and Waterloo Warriors each have two representatives on the Sheils team. McMaster’s fourth-year veteran Colleen George (Guelph, ON) and second-year inside centre Jessica Panzer (Toronto, ON) were named to the team, as were flanker hooker Nisha Wellstein (Ottawa, ON) and centre Sam Kristoferson (Forest, ON) both of the Warriors. Third-year player Tara Connolly (Toronto, ON) was the lone representative for the Toronto Varsity Blues.
Paul Robinson of Brock was named Sheils Coach of the Year. Robinson won the honour in the Russell Division in 2004. Guelph’s Michelle Joslin (Waterloo, ON) was named Sheils Rookie of the Year, making an immediate impact on the veteran Gryphons.
York Lions fly half Cheryl Phillips is a deserving recipient of the Most Valuable Player award in the Russell Division. Of the 69 points the Lions scored on the year, Phillips accounted for 64 of them, proving her value to the York program. She was the top scorer in the OUA.
Joining Phillips on the Russell Division all-star team are five members of the first-place Queen’s Golden Gaels. After a 1-4-0 year in 2004, Queen’s went 6-0-0 in the regular season with help from a talented lineup that features flanker Erin Bailey (Peterborough, ON), outside centre Kelly Lagace (Burlington, ON), prop Vicki Ward (Barrie, ON), number 8 Laura Cooney (Amherstview, ON) and fly half Charlene Barter (St. John’s, NFLD). Bailey was an all-star in the Sheils Division last season.
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks have five players named to the Russell Division all-stars. They are inside centre Karen Andrychuk (Collingwood, ON), fly half Missy Paterak (Fort Erie, ON), outside centre Tracie Thomson (Seagrave, ON) and scrum half Lindsay Wood (Fergus, ON). Wood, a second-year Kinesiology/Phys Ed. Major who was the 2004 Russell Rookie of the Year and an all-star, led the Golden Hawks with four tries and 20 points this season.
York players Linda Manzo (Woodbridge, ON), Natalie Tam (Toronto, ON) and Lori-Anne Krausewetz (Barrie, ON) join their teammate Phillips as all-stars. The Trent Excalibur has two all-stars, open side flanker Laura Storey-Fleming (Douro, ON) and blind side flanker Catherine Buckman (Brampton, ON).
Brantford native Lauren Young was voted the Russell Division Rookie of the Year after chipping in three tries for the strong Golden Gaels.
Laurier’s Jen Armitage is the Russell Division Coach of the Year, leading the Golden Hawks to a 4-2-0 regular season and a playoff berth.
SHEILS DIVISION
Player School Hometown
Barbara Mervin Western Peterborough, ON
Jennifer Kryszak Western Courtice, ON
Jayne Cation Western Terra Cotta, ON
Tanja Ness Western Orillia, ON
Meg Howat Guelph Toronto, ON
Shannon Kane Guelph Ottawa, ON
Kendra Kryszak Guelph Courtice, ON
Laura Muddiman Brock Oakville, ON
Leah Yeomans Brock Napanee, ON
Megan Taylor Brock Barrie, ON
Sam Kristoferson Waterloo Forest, ON
Nisha Wellstein Waterloo Ottawa, ON
Colleen George McMaster Guelph, ON
Jessica Panzer McMaster Toronto, ON
Tara Connolly Toronto Toronto, ON
Most Valuable Player – Barbara Mervin – Western
Rookie of the Year – Michelle Joslin – Guelph
Coach of the Year – Paul Robinson – Brock
RUSSELL DIVISION
Player School Hometown
Erin Bailey Queen’s Peterborough, ON
Kelly Lagace Queen’s Burlington, ON
Vicki Ward Queen’s Barrie, ON
Laura Cooney Queen’s Amherstview, ON
Charlene Barter Queen’s St. John’s, NFLD
Karen Andrychuk Laurier Collingwood, ON
Missy Paterak Laurier Fort Erie, ON
Tracie Thomson Laurier Seagrave, ON
Lindsay Wood Laurier Fergus, ON
Cheryl Phillips York Scarborough, ON
Linda Manzo York Woodbridge, ON
Natalie Tam York Toronto, ON
Lori-Anne Krausewetz York Barrie, On
Laura Storey-Fleming Trent Douro, ON
Catherine Buckman Trent Brampton, ON
Most Valuable Player – Cheryl Phillips – York
Rookie of the Year – Lauren Young – Queen’s
Coach of the Year – Jen Armitage – Laurier
Western Mustang flanker Barbara Mervin (Peterborough, ON) was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the Sheils Division. Mervin, a third-year player and former CIS Rookie of the Year in 2002, had an OUA-best eight tries on the season. As the stage gets bigger, Mervin gets better. She added five more tries in Western’s 52-0 semi-final win over the Waterloo Warriors this week.
The Mustangs were a force throughout the 2005 season and the two-time defending OUA champions have four all-stars named to the Sheils side, including Mervin. Flanker hooker Jennifer Kryszak (Courtice, ON), the 2004 division MVP, inside centre Jayne Cation (Terra Cotta, ON), the 2004 Sheils Rookie of the Year, and wing, fly half Tanja Ness (Orillia, ON) were all key performers for a team that out-scored its regular season opponents 349-5 in five matches.
While Western proved they were the top team in the OUA in the regular season, the Guelph Gryphons manufactured a fine year, winning four of its five matches. That lone loss came against the Mustangs, who scored a season-low 33 points and allowed their only try of the year to the Gryphons. Guelph has three representatives on the all-star team – fly half Meg Howat (Toronto, ON), flanker Shannon Kane (Ottawa, ON) and lock Kendra Kryszak (Courtice, ON). Howat makes her second consecutive appearance on the team.
Laura Muddiman (Oakville, ON), Leah Yeomans (Napanee, ON) and Megan Taylor (Barrie, ON) from the third-place Brock Badgers all make their first appearances on an all-star team. The McMaster Marauders and Waterloo Warriors each have two representatives on the Sheils team. McMaster’s fourth-year veteran Colleen George (Guelph, ON) and second-year inside centre Jessica Panzer (Toronto, ON) were named to the team, as were flanker hooker Nisha Wellstein (Ottawa, ON) and centre Sam Kristoferson (Forest, ON) both of the Warriors. Third-year player Tara Connolly (Toronto, ON) was the lone representative for the Toronto Varsity Blues.
Paul Robinson of Brock was named Sheils Coach of the Year. Robinson won the honour in the Russell Division in 2004. Guelph’s Michelle Joslin (Waterloo, ON) was named Sheils Rookie of the Year, making an immediate impact on the veteran Gryphons.
York Lions fly half Cheryl Phillips is a deserving recipient of the Most Valuable Player award in the Russell Division. Of the 69 points the Lions scored on the year, Phillips accounted for 64 of them, proving her value to the York program. She was the top scorer in the OUA.
Joining Phillips on the Russell Division all-star team are five members of the first-place Queen’s Golden Gaels. After a 1-4-0 year in 2004, Queen’s went 6-0-0 in the regular season with help from a talented lineup that features flanker Erin Bailey (Peterborough, ON), outside centre Kelly Lagace (Burlington, ON), prop Vicki Ward (Barrie, ON), number 8 Laura Cooney (Amherstview, ON) and fly half Charlene Barter (St. John’s, NFLD). Bailey was an all-star in the Sheils Division last season.
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks have five players named to the Russell Division all-stars. They are inside centre Karen Andrychuk (Collingwood, ON), fly half Missy Paterak (Fort Erie, ON), outside centre Tracie Thomson (Seagrave, ON) and scrum half Lindsay Wood (Fergus, ON). Wood, a second-year Kinesiology/Phys Ed. Major who was the 2004 Russell Rookie of the Year and an all-star, led the Golden Hawks with four tries and 20 points this season.
York players Linda Manzo (Woodbridge, ON), Natalie Tam (Toronto, ON) and Lori-Anne Krausewetz (Barrie, ON) join their teammate Phillips as all-stars. The Trent Excalibur has two all-stars, open side flanker Laura Storey-Fleming (Douro, ON) and blind side flanker Catherine Buckman (Brampton, ON).
Brantford native Lauren Young was voted the Russell Division Rookie of the Year after chipping in three tries for the strong Golden Gaels.
Laurier’s Jen Armitage is the Russell Division Coach of the Year, leading the Golden Hawks to a 4-2-0 regular season and a playoff berth.
SHEILS DIVISION
Player School Hometown
Barbara Mervin Western Peterborough, ON
Jennifer Kryszak Western Courtice, ON
Jayne Cation Western Terra Cotta, ON
Tanja Ness Western Orillia, ON
Meg Howat Guelph Toronto, ON
Shannon Kane Guelph Ottawa, ON
Kendra Kryszak Guelph Courtice, ON
Laura Muddiman Brock Oakville, ON
Leah Yeomans Brock Napanee, ON
Megan Taylor Brock Barrie, ON
Sam Kristoferson Waterloo Forest, ON
Nisha Wellstein Waterloo Ottawa, ON
Colleen George McMaster Guelph, ON
Jessica Panzer McMaster Toronto, ON
Tara Connolly Toronto Toronto, ON
Most Valuable Player – Barbara Mervin – Western
Rookie of the Year – Michelle Joslin – Guelph
Coach of the Year – Paul Robinson – Brock
RUSSELL DIVISION
Player School Hometown
Erin Bailey Queen’s Peterborough, ON
Kelly Lagace Queen’s Burlington, ON
Vicki Ward Queen’s Barrie, ON
Laura Cooney Queen’s Amherstview, ON
Charlene Barter Queen’s St. John’s, NFLD
Karen Andrychuk Laurier Collingwood, ON
Missy Paterak Laurier Fort Erie, ON
Tracie Thomson Laurier Seagrave, ON
Lindsay Wood Laurier Fergus, ON
Cheryl Phillips York Scarborough, ON
Linda Manzo York Woodbridge, ON
Natalie Tam York Toronto, ON
Lori-Anne Krausewetz York Barrie, On
Laura Storey-Fleming Trent Douro, ON
Catherine Buckman Trent Brampton, ON
Most Valuable Player – Cheryl Phillips – York
Rookie of the Year – Lauren Young – Queen’s
Coach of the Year – Jen Armitage – Laurier
