OUA ANNOUNCES WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL MAJOR AWARD WINNERS AND ALL-STARS

HAMILTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the 2011-12 women’s volleyball all-stars and major award winners. The Final Four competing teams dominate the OUA all-stars. In 2011-12, OUA women’s volleyball moved to one division, and these all-stars represent the entire league.

The Libero of the Year is McMaster’s Meagan Nederveen (Dundas, Ont.). The fourth-year Honours Kinesiology student was a leader in the Marauders’ back court, posting 295 digs. The co-captain of the Marauders squad ranked second in the league in digs per game at 4.47. This is Nederveen’s first major award recognition. The Marauders were beaten out by Toronto this past weekend, however will be back in action on March 2-3 when they host the CIS championship.

Chelsea Briscoe (Georgetown, Ont.) of the Ryerson Rams earned Rookie of the Year honours. The middle blocker was a valuable member of the eleventh place Rams, tallying 33 blocks and 144 kills on the season. Briscoe’s 2.92 points per game average placed her in the league’s top twenty on the season. Though the Ryerson Rams didn’t make the post-season, Briscoe’s rookie campaign shows signs of a very promising future with the Rams.

Natalie Gray (Oshawa, Ont.) is this year’s Award of Merit winner, recognized for academics, athletics and community service. The fourth-year outside hitter was an OUA First Team All-Star in 2010-11, and has followed that up with another First Team honour this season, earning the most overall votes and the top spot on the All-Star squad. Gray led the Gaels with 224.5 points, notching 201 kills and 12 service aces. Gray finished second in OUA in total kills and fifth in points per game (3.62). Gray was also an effective member of the Gaels defence, tallying 204 digs in 18 regular season matches. In addition to her presence on the court, Gray is a strong student, majoring in Queen’s challenging nursing program. She is a three-time winner of the Women’s Golden Gaels Award and earned AFA funding in each of her years as a Gael. In the community, Gray volunteers as a volleyball and hurdles coach for local clubs and schools. She is also an active member of Queen’s Athletes in Action program, a Christian group on campus that looks to integrate faith in sport and to support and serve the varsity athlete community.

Rounding out the women’s volleyball major awards is this season’s Coach of the Year, Nick Tran. Tran led the York Lions to a 16-2 regular season record. The Lions led the OUA throughout the season, and peaked at No. 8 in the national rankings. It is his third season as Head Coach after spending two years as an assistant. Two of Tran’s players are recognized as all-stars, and the York Lions will host the OUA Final Four women’s volleyball championship from February 24-25, presented by Mikasa Sports Canada. Pizza Pizza is also a sponsor of the event.

York’s Brandie Wilkerson (Brampton, Ont.) and Melissa Humana Paredes (Toronto) make their first appearances on the First-Team. Wilkerson, a 2010-11 Second-Team All-Star, had a standout year for the Lions. The second-year outside hitter led the league in a number of statistical categories, including kills (210), kills per game (3.56), points (255) and points per game (4.29). Humana-Parades made her presence known from the service line, leading the Lions with 46 service aces, only two behind the league leader. The second-year outside hitter was also a key piece of the Lions defence. She recorded a total of 252 digs, the second-most on the Lions and the fifth most digs league wide.

The student-athletes making up the remaining First-Team All-Stars represent four different schools, demonstrating the parity that existed around OUA women’s volleyball this season. Ottawa Gee-Gee Karina Krueger Schwanke (Blumenau, Brazil) led the league in service aces (48) and tallied 228 points, good for fifth in OUA. Krueger Schwanke’s impressive performance comes on the heels of a one year absence. In 2009-10 she was named OUA East Rookie of the Year. Brock is represented on the First-Team by fourth-year middle blocker Rachel Roorda. The St. George, Ont. native led the Badgers with 53 total blocks. A member of the 2008-2009 All-Rookie team, and 2010-2011 Second-Team All-Star, McMaster’s Shannon McRobert (Whitby, Ont.) makes her debut as a member of the First-Team. The fourth-year middle recorded 35 service aces and 161 kills to lead the Marauders to a fourth place regular season finish. Toronto’s Charlotte Sider (Ottawa) rounds out the First-Team. The second-year right/left hitter improved on her rookie campaign and averaged 3.57 points per game. She also registered 192 kills, ranking her sixth in the regular season in kills per game.

Athletes from the Guelph Gryphons make up a third of the Second-Team All-Stars. Senior Brooke Lloyd (Whitby, Ont.) led the Gryphons in kills, points and service aces. A 2010-11 First-Team All-Star, Lloyd finished the season seeded sixth in the league in kills. Teammate Erinn Bickle (Whitby, Ont.) was a force at the net this season, tallying 79 blocks, and led the league with a 1.20 blocks per game average. Rookie setter Katelyn Larson (Calgary, Alta.) represents the Gryphons on the All-Rookie squad.

Ottawa had a strong 2011-2012 campaign, finishing in second place after the OUA regular season. Second-Team All-Stars Myriam English (Orleans, Ont.) and Christina Grail (London, Ont.) were major contributors to the Gee-Gees success. A 2010-11 Second-Team All-Star and All-Rookie, English registered 36 service aces and 217 points this season. Second-year setter Grail finished second in the league in assists, with 602 passes ending in points.

Queen’s Becky Billings (Ottawa) has been named a Second-Team All-Star after leadings the Gaels with 232 digs. The fourth-year outside hitter also finished second in points behind First-Team All-Star teammate Gray. This is Billings’ first All-Star recognition.

Kaila Seguin (Windsor, Ont.) and Melissa McCoy (Kingston, Ont.) are the lone representatives for Windsor and RMC on the Second-Team. Seguin, a third-year outside hitter for the Lancers, posted 3.31 kills per game, good for third in the league. McCoy was strong for the .500 Paladins, scoring 215 points and making 39 blocks. 

Joining Briscoe on the All-Rookie squad is teammate Emily Nicholishen (Whitby, Ont). The outside hitter made herself useful, recording 143 kills and 141 digs in her freshman campaign.

Marauders teammates Lauren Mastroluisi (Ancaster, Ont.) and Taylor Brisbois (Bolton, Ont.) also earned positions on the All-Rookie squad. Mastroluisi topped all Mac rookies with 131 points, while Brisbois was second for the Marauders in total blocks with 38.

Guelph’s Katelyn Larson (Calgary, Alta.) led the league with 642 assists in her rookie campaign. The freshman setter also net 155 digs to earn her a well deserved position on the All-Rookie team.

Brock’s Lauren Stirling (Whitby, Ont.) and Toronto’s Denise Wooding (North Vancouver, B.C.) round out the All-Rookie team. As a setter, Stirling was extremely well-rounded in her rookie campaign, placing top five on the team in several statistical categories. Wooding, a left side hitter, had 98 kills and 114 points for the Blues.

Natalie Gray (Oshawa, Ont.) – Queen’s
Brandie Wilkerson (Brampton, Ont.) – York
Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto) – York
Karina Krueger Schwanke (Blumenau, Brazil) – Ottawa
Rachel Roorda (St. George, Ont.) – Brock
Shannon McRobert (Whitby, Ont.) – McMaster
Charlotte Sider (Ottawa) – Toronto

Brooke Lloyd (Whitby, Ont.) – Guelph
Myriam English (Orleans, Ont.) – Ottawa
Erinn Bickle (Whitby, Ont.) – Guelph
Becky Billings (Ottawa) – Queen’s
Melissa McCoy (Kingston, Ont.) – RMC
Kaila Seguin (Windsor, Ont.) – Windsor
Christine Grail (London, Ont.) – Ottawa

OUA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Chelsea Briscoe (Georgetown, Ont.) – Ryerson
Lauren Mastroluisi (Ancaster, Ont.) – McMaster
Lauren Stirling (Whitby, Ont.) – Brock
Denise Wooding (North Vancouver, B.C.) – Toronto
Emily Nicholishen (Whitby, Ont.) – Ryerson
Katelyn Larson (Calgary, Alta.) – Guelph
Taylor Brisebois (Bolton, Ont.) – McMaster