OUA Announces 2015 Women's Rugby Major Awards and All-Stars
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is excited to announce the 2015 OUA women’s rugby major awards and all-stars.
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is excited to announce the 2015 OUA women's rugby major awards and all-stars.
For the third consecutive season, five Guelph Gryphons have been named Shiels Division all-stars – the most of any team in the division. The Gryphons finished the year with a perfect 5-0 record and have not lost a regular season game since the 2007 season.
Guelph was led this season by 8th man Daria Keane (Sarnia, Ont.) who has been named Shiels Division MVP and an OUA all-star. Keane, a fifth-year sociology student-athlete, led the conference in tries with 15 and finished second in OUA in points scored with 75 in just five regular season games.
Fly half Julia Schell (Uxbridge, Ont.) made an instant impact on the field in her rookie season as a Gryphon and has been named Shiels Division Rookie of the Year. Schell, a first-year psychology major scored two tries for the Gryphons in her inaugural season and looks to be a fixture in the Guelph lineup for years to come.
The Gryphons dominated the competition this season, scoring a conference high 439 points for while only allowing just 10 against in their five regular season games. Guelph head coach Colette McAuley also receives recognition for her team's success this season as she has been named the Shiels Division Coach of the Year.
In addition to Keane, prop Brittany Kassil (Guelph, Ont.), forward Bronwyn McCrone (Mississauga, Ont.), lock Devon Stober (Mississauga, Ont.) and fullback Alexandra King (Ottawa, Ont.) all received all-star honours.
This is the third consecutive all-star recognition for Kassil, who was also named to the team in 2013 and 2014. This season, the fifth-year adult development student-athlete, finished fourth on the Gryphons with 35 points. Stober joins Kassil once again this season, as the fourth-year animal biology major, has been named an all-star for the second straight year after scoring three tries. King led the conference in scoring with 10 tries, 34 conversions and one penalty goal for 121 points, while McCrone scored a pair of tries. It is the first all-star recognition for King and McCrone.
The Western Mustangs finished off another strong season and are represented with four all-star selections. Inside centre Andrea Bowra (Waterloo, Ont.) and 8th man Rebecca Matheson (Orangeville, Ont.), along with a pair of rookies, outside centre Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) and wing Nicola Case (Toronto, Ont.) led the Mustangs to a 4-1 regular season record, finishing second in the division behind the Gryphons.
Bowra, a third-year health sciences major led the way for the Mustangs with four tries, 18 conversions and one penalty goal, finishing fifth in OUA with 59 points. In her first season with the team, Case led Western and was fourth in the conference with nine tries, while Farries finished a close second on the team with seven. Matheson, a former member of the Highland Rugby Club, was selected to the team based on her strong defensive abilities and leadership on the field.
Laurier's fifth-year flanker Jennifer Gilmour (Waterloo, Ont.) has been named to the all-star team for the third consecutive season after leading her team in points with 40. Gilmour, a kinesiology/physical education major, had one try, 11 conversions and 1 penalty goal this year for a Golden Hawks squad that had their best season since 2005, finishing third in the Shiels division with a 3-2 record. Also joining Gilmour once again on the all-star team is centre Chloe Graves (Kitchener, Ont.). Graves, who was named to the all-star team in 2013, finished second on the team in scoring with 25 points. For the second consecutive year, fifth-year hooker Kelly Martin (Breslau, Ont.) has been named an all-star after she finished the season with four tries.
A pair of Brock Badgers have been recognized for their efforts this season as second-year wing Katelyn Heyens (La Salette, Ont.) and lock/8th man Chelsea Brathwaite (Brampton, Ont.) are OUA all-stars for the first time in their careers.
Brock prop Brittney Sutherland (Bewdley, Ont.) was a leader both on and off the field for the Badgers this season and has been honoured for her achievements with the Shiels Division Community Service Award. Sutherland, a third-year physical education student-athlete, organized all of the Badgers volunteer initiatives this year, including the SNAP program which works with disadvantaged youth in the St Catharines area. In addition to SNAP, Sutherland organized a volunteer program for the Badgers to help execute the "Run For The Cure" event in their local community. When not playing the sport she loves, Sutherland dedicates her spare time to teaching it, working with students at a local high school to develop the sport of rugby at a grassroots level.
Second-year back row Elizabete Alves (Kitchener, Ont.) is the lone Waterloo Warrior named to the all-star team.
Coming off their first OUA women's rugby championship in program history, the McMaster Marauders once again finished the season atop the Russell Division and have five players named to the all-star team.
In her fourth season with the Marauders, 8th man Cindy Nelles (Belleville, Ont.) finished tied for the team lead in tries with seven and has been named Russell Division MVP and an all-star in the process. Nelles, a civil engineering student-athlete, scored 40 points this season, leading McMaster not only to 4-1 regular season but back to the OUA championship once again.
Joining Nelles on the all-star team for a third consecutive season is fifth-year centre Emily Ricketts (Oakville, Ont.). Along with the aforementioned pair of Marauders, McMaster is also represented on the all-star team by prop Colleen Irowa (Innisfil, Ont.), flanker Katie Svoboda (Belleville, Ont.) and lock Abi Moody (Toronto, Ont.). Irowa, a third-year geography & sociology major and 2013 Shiels Division Rookie of the Year, scored 20 points, while Svoboda and Moody scored a try each this season.
Not only does McMaster full-back Rina Charalampis (Hamilton, Ont.) strive to achieve excellence athletically and academically, but is also an engaged citizen within the local Hamilton community. For her efforts, Charalampis, a fifth-year political science student-athlete, has been recognized with the Russell Division Community Service Award. Over the past two years, Charalampis has been an influential member of the McMaster Athletes Care executive committee, coordinating weekly visits to the Eva Rothwell Resource Centre. Charalampis also took on the role of 2015 Steel City Amazing Race coordinator, an event where approximately 120 inner-city youth participants join student-athlete leaders in a race around the city to discover the sights, sounds, and opportunities that Hamilton has to offer. This season for the Marauders, she finished third on the team with seven tries.
The Queen's Gaels finished second in the Russell Division this season with 19 points and are represented with four all-star selections. In just her second season in OUA, forward Emma Chown (Barrie, Ont.) finished the year with 12 tries and has been named an all-star for the first time in her career. Joining Chown on the team is hooker Gillian Pegg (Oro-Medonte, Ont.) who has been named an all-star each of the past three years. Once again this season, fifth-year centre Lauren McEwen (Wasaga Beach, Ont.) was a force to be reckoned with for the Gaels and is an OUA all-star for the second consecutive season. McEwen, who was named 2013 Shiels Division MVP, finished tied for 8th in league scoring with three tries, 11 conversions and 1 penalty goal for Queen's this season. Rounding out the selections for the Gaels is rookie hooker Pippi McKay (Toronto, Ont.).
The future looks bright for York as for the second consecutive year a Lions player takes home the Russell Division Rookie of the Year Award. Tobi Owotomo (Mississauga, Ont.) was a constant threat for the Lions this season, scoring four tries in her inaugural campaign to capture the award. Full-back Petra Woods (Brampton, Ont.) captured the award for the Lions last season.
After being recognized as the Russell Division Coach of the Year last season, York head coach Joe Costello has won the award once again this year. Following the departure of 18 players from the program after last season, Costello led a Lions team that featured 22 rookies to a 2-3 regular season record, good for third place in the division. This is the third time in four seasons that Costello has been named Russell Division Coach of the Year, having previously won the award in 2012 and 2014.
8th man Cheyenne Legerton (Brampton, Ont.), full-back Marty Alaimo (Toronto, Ont.) and prop Bobbi-Jo Cronk (Newburgh, Ont.) will represent the Lions on the Russell Division all-star team this season. Legerton led the Lions with eight tries this season, while Alaimo added two more for York.
A pair of Excalibur players have been named to the Russell Division all-star team as fourth-year forward and back Karlie Robinson (Pickering, Ont.) and fullback Carlie Maloney (Peterborough, Ont.) will represent the Excalibur. Robinson led Trent this season with three tries and six conversions for 27 points, while Maloney had two tries of her own.
Fifth-year senior Olivia Roberge (Ajax, Ont.) is an on-field leader, managing the game for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and has been named an OUA all-star this season. Off the field, Roberge has been an advocate for women's rugby on campus and has helped the program increase its exposure and registration year over year.
SHIELS DIVISION MAJOR AWARDS
Most Valuable Player – Daria Keane – Guelph Gryphons
Rookie of the Year – Julia Schell – Guelph Gryphons
Coach of the Year – Colette McAuley – Guelph Gryphons
Community Service Award - Brittany Sutherland - Brock Badgers
RUSSELL DIVISION MAJOR AWARDS
Most Valuable Player – Cindy Nelles – McMaster Marauders
Rookie of the Year – Tobi Owotomo – York Lions
Coach of the Year – Joe Costello – York Lions
Community Service Award – Rina Charalampis – McMaster Marauders
SHIELS DIVISION ALL-STARS
Daria Keane – Guelph Gryphons – 8th man
Bronwyn McCrone – Guelph Gryphons – Forward
Brittany Kassil – Guelph Gryphons – Prop
Devon Stober – Guelph Gryphons – Lock
Alexandra King – Guelph Gryphons – Fullback
Andrea Bowra – Western Mustangs – Inside Centre
Rebecca Matheson – Western Mustangs – 8th Man
Paige Farries – Western Mustangs – Outside Centre
Nicola Case – Western Mustangs – Wing
Jennifer Gilmour – Laurier Golden Hawks – Flanker
Chloe Graves – Laurier Golden Hawks – Centre
Kelly Martin – Laurier Golden Hawks – Hooker
Katelyn Heyens – Brock Badgers – Wing
Chelsea Brathwaite – Brock Badgers – Lock/8th Man
Elizabete Alves – Waterloo Warriors – Back Row
RUSSELL DIVISION ALL-STARS
Cindy Nelles – McMaster Marauders – 8th Man
Emily Ricketts – McMaster Marauders – Centre
Colleen Irowa – McMaster Marauders – Prop
Katie Svoboda – McMaster Marauders – Flanker
Abi Moody – McMaster Marauders – Lock
Lauren McEwen – Queen's Gaels – Centre
Emma Chown – Queen's Gaels – Forward
Gillian Pegg – Queen's Gaels – Hooker
Pippi McKay – Queen's Gaels – Hooker
Cheyenne Legerton – York Lions – 8th Man
Marty Alaimo – York Lions – Full Back
Bobbi-Jo Cronk – York Lions – Prop
Karlie Robinson – Trent Excalibur – Number 8
Carlie Maloney – Trent Excalibur – Fullback
Olivia Roberge – Toronto Varsity Blues – Centre
