Athletes of the Year
Male Athlete of the Year — Rashawn Browne
Rashawn Browne, 24, didn’t have to wait long to ensure a future in professional basketball, getting drafted to the CEBL’s Saskatchewan Rattlers in March. That shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who took in a Bisons game in 2019-20, as Browne’s pro leadership and ability to deliver in the clutch was on display all year.
Browne led the Bisons in scoring and assists in a season where the team went 16-4 in regular season play. That record is the best for Manitoba since joining the Canada West conference, and a U SPORTS ranking of #8 achieved in February was the highest in 25 years. He averaged a career-high 19.6 points, third in the conference, and earned honours as a Canada West First Team All-Star and a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
More than just stats and accolades, though, the Toronto native was there when his team needed him. After an injury held him out for a weekend, Browne scored 20 or more in Manitoba’s last four regular season games, then exploded in two playoff games to average an incredible 27 points, ten assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block with 46.7% three-point shooting.
While a buzzer-beater to advance to the Canada West Final just missed and ended the season on a heartbreaker, hindsight puts Browne above the pack for point guards in university ball and shows he’s ready to make an impact at the pro level.
Rashawn Browne is the 2019-20 Bisons Male Athlete of the Year.
Finalists: Derek Dufault (FB), Adam Henry (MHKY), Anthony Iliouchetchev (MSWIM), Oyinko Akinola (MTF)
Female Athlete of the Year — Kelsey Wog
Kelsey Wog, 21, came into the 2019-20 swimming season with high expectations. Last year’s Bisons Female Athlete of the Year and a participant at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Korea, the Winnipeg native was on a trajectory to Tokyo — with the Olympics planned to be held this summer.
With the varsity season as her lead-up, she was unstoppable against university competition and improved her times through the year. At the Canada West Championships in Lethbridge, the Agricultural and Food Sciences major took home five medals. Those included four gold medals and two conference records, along with a blazing leg in a 4x100 relay bronze for the women’s team.
In February, she somehow topped her 2019 nationals showing at the 2020 U SPORTS Swimming Championships. Matching her gold medal haul of four, she set the fastest time in the world at the time in the 200-metre individual medley — a time that also broke UVic’s pool record — while sweeping the breaststroke events. She was also named Female Swimmer of the Meet for the first time.
While the Olympics will be on hold for a calendar year, the 2019-20 season was further proof that Wog is ready to compete on the international stage in the red and white, while breaking new ground for swimmers in brown and gold.
Kelsey Wog is the 2019-20 Bisons Female Athlete of the Year.
Finalists: Taylor Randall (WBB), Jordy Zacharias (WHKY), Nicole Davis (WSOC), Madisson Lawrence (WTF)
Leadership & Community Development
Female Recipient — Hayley Ward
Hayley Ward, 21, is a fourth-year defender and team captain on the Bisons women’s soccer team, who has become well-known as a key member of the Herd’s back line — having started since her rookie season in 2016.
Her work off the pitch has been exceptional as well. In the past year, she’s participated in a large range of activities ranging from coaching soccer to leadership positions within the University of Manitoba community and larger Winnipeg community
As a coach, Ward leads a U13 community girls’ soccer team and Junior Bisons camps and clinics. Her event volunteering stretches beyond soccer, though, as she assisted with the Canada West Track & Field Championship in 2017, the U SPORTS Track & Field Championship in 2018, and was signed up to work at the 2020 U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship this spring.
As the executive assistant of UMAC, Ward also participates in community work such as Bisons Against Bullying and Bison Book Buddies. Outside of these programs, she is a sighted guide and trio bike pilot for the Canadian Institute for the Blind and assisted during the team’s international trip to Monterrey, Mexico, working with kids with autism and Down’s syndrome.
In the classroom, Ward has maintained cumulative GPAs of 3.92 and 4.10 in the last academic year while taking a full course load. She has been a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian in all three years of eligibility thus far and earned recognition from the Faculty of Science and Sport Manitoba with an outstanding student-athlete scholarship.
The Female Leadership & Community Development award recipient for 2019-20 is Hayley Ward.
Male Recipient — Adam Henry
Adam Henry, 25, took home an armful of awards in his fifth and final season with Bisons men’s hockey, including the Canada West Top Defenceman and a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian nod. One that really resonates for Henry as a student-athlete, though, was his recognition from Canada West as the Student-Athlete Community Service award recipient.
The Winnipeg native has been an active participant in UMAC, which helps organize community work including Bisons Book Buddies and Bisons Against Bullying. The men's hockey team was also a leader in Movember Cancer Awareness, raising money online and at games for the men's health organization.
Henry was also a leader in UMAC's Christmas Hamper campaign, which delivered over 30 hampers to underprivileged families connected with the CanU program in Winnipeg. Having witnessed the impact of the hamper campaign in previous years, Adam led the drive this season.
The five-year Bison has developed the sport of hockey through coaching, having been active in the Laker Hockey Academy and with the Manitoba provincial elite "Brick Tournament" team. He also excelled in the classroom, averaging a 3.0 GPA in the fall term in the Asper School of Business.
The Male Leadership & Community Development award recipient for 2019-20 is Adam Henry.
Coach of the Year
Vlastik Cerny
Vlastik Cerny finished his 27
th season as the head coach of Bisons men’s and women’s swimming in 2019-20, and thanks to high end talent and positive development among first- and second-year student-athletes, enjoyed one of his most successful athletic years.
Cerny was named the U SPORTS Coach of the Year in women’s swimming following a meet that saw fourth-year Kelsey Wog take home four gold medals, break two U SPORTS records, and earn recognition as Female Swimmer of the Meet. The success with Wog was further proof of a successful coach-athlete relationship that stretches back over a decade, as the World Championships competitor was one of the first swimmers in the Bisons Junior Swim program in 2006-07.
Cerny’s work with the men’s team at the national meet was on display too, as fifth-year Anthony Iliouchetchev won his first national medal in the 50-metre freestyle, earning a silver.
At the conference meet earlier in the season, Cerny’s Bisons won a total of seven medals — including a bronze in the 4x100-metre medley relay on the women’s side. The race included established swimmers Wog and Dora Modrcin, but also up-and-comers Jamie Alexiuk and Georgia Pengilly, both first-years with the Herd. Iliouchetchev also earned his first conference medals, winning gold in the 50-metre free and silver in the 100-metre.
Vlastik Cerny is the 2019-20 Bisons Coach of the Year.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Joe Moore
Joe Moore has been an assistant coach with Bisons women’s volleyball for the past three seasons and has been described by head coach Ken Bentley as having a substantial impact on the program.
Moore is a full-time assistant with the Bisons, but also puts hundreds of hours into the Junior Bisons club programs — starting with his role as the coach of the 18U Tier 1 team. Moore has also been instrumental in the growth of Manitoba’s Mini Volley Program over the past two years, where he’s led 3-8 week sessions in the fall, winter, and summer, with each section growing to the point where they’re at full capacity. On top of all that, Moore works for Recreation Services as an Intramural Coordinator, is a full-time student and husband, and father of three young children.
Moore is a graduate of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Recreation Management and is set to graduate with another degree in Education this spring.
“Joe is a passionate supporter of volleyball and has been an excellent addition to the Bisons staff,” said Bentley. “We are fortunate to have his knowledge and maturity with our program. He has earned the respect of the group with his dedication to our program while juggling so many other full-time responsibilities.”
Joe Moore is the 2019-20 Bisons Assistant Coach of the Year.
Pat Gill Legacy Award
Garth Goodbrandson
The Pat Gill Legacy Award was created in 2013-14 in the spirit of Pat Gill, who was the long-serving Faculty of Kinesiology & Recreation Management member and Bisons football team manager for over 40 years starting in the mid-1960s before passing away in December 2011.
The seventh recipient of the award is Garth Goodbrandson, head coach and co-founder of the University of Manitoba golf program.
Created in 1999, the goal and directive for Bisons golf was to give talented Manitoba players the opportunity to continue development as golfers while receiving a quality education at home. From day one, the mission statement has always been to develop champions on and off the course.
Goodbrandson has a long history in the sport before creating the Bisons golf program. He was a golf professional at Tuxedo (Assistant, 1982-86), Halcrow Lake (Head 1987-90), Breezy Bend (Associate 1991) and Minnewasta (Head 1992-97). He’s been the Golf Manitoba Director of Player Development since 1997 and was the first coach hired full-time by a provincial golf association.
As a coach, he’s led over 20 provincial teams at national events since 1998 and was named a top 50 teacher in Canada by the National Post in 2007. He’s earned the PGA of Manitoba’s Professional Development Award in 2014 and the Junior Leader of the Year in 1999 and 2000.
All that experience has fed success at UM, where Goodbrandson has been a tireless fundraiser, a great coach, and a real gentleman.
“I think Garth’s work with the Bisons golf team speaks for itself,” said Derrik Goodwin, who assumed head coaching duties of the men’s team in 2019 while Goodbrandson managed the program and led fundraising efforts.
“He basically funded the program out of his own pocket, took his own vehicle to tournaments, and created fundraising initiatives to help the program get established and thrive. I know Garth always speaks very highly of the university and is committed to doing the right thing. He’s a great representative for the program and university.”
As head coach of the Bisons men’s team, Goodbrandson led Manitoba to a national win at the 2014 Canadian University Championship and was named the Canadian University Coach of the Year. Afterwards, he was given the City of Winnipeg Outstanding Achievement Award and the team was a finalist for the 2014 Sportswriters/Sportscasters Team of the Year.
Under Goodbrandson’s direction, there have been 36 overall team tournament victories for the Bisons since their start in 1999.
Garth Goodbrandson is this year’s Pat Gill Legacy Award recipient.
Teammate of the Year
Umu Senesie
Umu Senesie, 18, is in her first season with the Bisons women’s track and field team, arriving from Transcona Collegiate Institute. Her teammates describe her as supportive and selfless, and despite her own setbacks was always there to encourage track and field athletes to be at their best.
Umu Senesie is the 2019-20 Bisons Teammate of the Year. Hear from her team:
Rookies of the Year
Male Rookie of the Year — Darian Koskie (Men's Volleyball)
Darian Koskie, 18, joined Bisons men’s volleyball from St. Paul’s High School in 2019-20, and was quickly asked to step into the middle of the court due to injury to last season’s every-match starter Brendan Warren. He responded brilliantly, finishing second on the team in total blocks with 55 and playing in all 22 regular season matches.
The Winnipeg native and son of former Bison and national team setter Scott Koskie averaged 1.20 kills per set on 194 total attacks, hitting a team-high .361 percentage. Koskie also had 37 digs and 15 service aces, showing his well-rounded game on both offence and defence. For his work, he was named to the Canada West All-Rookie team in men’s volleyball.
Darian Koskie is the 2019-20 Bisons male Rookie of the Year.
Finalists: Austin Balan (FB), Brady Pouteau (MHKY)
Female Rookie of the Year — Jessica Tsai (Women's Soccer)
Jessica Tsai, 18, arrived to Bisons women’s soccer out of Bonivital and St. Mary’s Academy and immediately became one of the country’s top young scorers on the pitch. Playing the midfield, Tsai led Manitoba in points in just her first season, scoring six goals and marking eight assists. Those 14 points ended up being the third-highest total in the Canada West conference, trailing only two fifth-years.
Tsai also finished ninth in the conference with 36 shots, scored two game-winners against Regina and Winnipeg, and started all 14 matches for the Bisons, who finished with their best record in ten years at 8-5-1. For her play, she became the third Bisons women’s soccer player to be named to a U SPORTS All-Canadian team, making the All-Rookie squad.
Jessica Tsai is the 2019-20 Bisons female Rookie of the Year.
Finalists: Kate Gregoire (WHKY), Lauren Bartlett (WBB), Light Uchechukwu (WVB)
Team MVPs
These are the most valuable players for each Bisons team, as selected by their coaches and teammates.
Bisons Football — Derek Dufault
Derek Dufault, 22, proved himself to be a formidable, well-rounded student-athlete in his fifth season with the Bisons. A defensive end who was drafted by the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the summer of 2019, the former Dakota Lancer returned to the Herd in the fall for his final year of eligibility and wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks all season. His seven sacks ranked third in the nation, as Dufault also had 23.5 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup. His play on the field earned him spots on both the Canada West Football All-Star Team and the U SPORTS First Team of All-Canadians.
Off the field, Dufault excelled in the demanding area of Computer Science, earning a 3.88 GPA in the fall semester and a 4.43 cumulative GPA in 2018-19. This, along with his long list of community work, made him the eighth Bisons football player in history to earn the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award. This is the first time that Dufault has been named the Bisons football team MVP.
“Bisons football proudly congratulates Derek on his selection as our 2019-20 team MVP,” said Bisons head coach Brian Dobie. “Derek was a dominant player on the field at defensive end and has continually represented Bison Sports with pride, integrity, and professionalism. As a Hamilton Tiger Cats draft pick, we all wish him success as he continues his career in the CFL in 2020.”
Bisons Soccer — Nicole Davis
Nicole Davis, 19, avoided any sign of a sophomore slump in the fall of 2019 after a 2018 season that saw her earn a spot on the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team. In her second season with Bisons soccer, the lightning fast Winnipeg native doubled her offensive output, leading Manitoba with seven goals and finishing sixth in Canada West. Davis also had three assists, a multi-goal game against Thompson Rivers, and scored in four of Manitoba’s last five matches — including the game-winner in a 2-1 win over UNBC in the Canada West play in round.
For her play, Davis was named to the Canada West All-Star Second Team, becoming the first Manitoba soccer player since Desiree Scott and Caley Miskimmin to be named to a conference All-Star team in successive seasons. This is the first time that Davis has been named the Bisons women’s soccer team MVP.
“Just as last year, Nicole continued to excel this year and helped our team to achieve the best team record in the past 12 years,” said Bisons head coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas. “She doubled her total number of points compared to her rookie year, which shows tremendous individual improvement and development. It is even more remarkable that she did this while being a dual athlete in soccer and track and field and being enrolled in engineering. She is also a great team player, is very coachable, and is full of positivity.”
Bisons Women's Basketball — Taylor Randall
Taylor Randall, 22, has made scoring the basketball look easy since joining the Bisons. In her fourth year, the Dundas, ON native kept on improving on both ends of the floor, averaging 18.0 points per game to finish seventh in Canada West while shooting 34.3 percent on three-pointers. After winter break, she came out red hot, averaging 24.5 points in the first four games of January. On defence, she totaled 40 steals — good for ninth in Canada West. Distribution was a big part of Randall’s game too, as her 70 assists ranked seventh in the conference and helped the Bisons women reach the post-season for the third straight year.
For her play, Randall was named to a Canada West All-Star team — following up All-Star selections in both 2018 and 2019 — earning a spot on the Third Team. This is the second time that Randall has been named the Bisons women’s basketball team MVP.
“I’d like to congratulate Taylor on her MVP award for the 2019-20 season,” said Bisons coach Michele Sung. “She ended the season with her third straight Canada West all-star appearance and her best all-around statistical year. Teammates respect her talent and she made a concentrated effort to understand the team game this year. Taylor has grown a lot on and off the court and she is continuing to move this program in the right direction.”
Bisons Men's Basketball — Rashawn Browne
Rashawn Browne, 24, was the consummate leader for Bisons men’s basketball in his fifth year of eligibility. A powerful threat at point guard, Browne led the Herd to a record of 16-4 for the program’s most wins since joining Canada West, at one point earning Manitoba’s highest U SPORTS ranking in 25 years at No. 8.
The Toronto native averaged a career-high 19.6 points per game, ranking third in Canada West. He also finished third in assists with 99, first in free throw attempts with 121, and ninth in minutes per game at 33. On the defensive end, Browne tallied 27 steals.
For his play, Browne was named a Canada West First Team All-Star and became the first Bisons men’s basketball player since Eric Bridgeland in 1993 to earn the title of U SPORTS All-Canadian, making the second team. This is the second straight year that Browne has been named the Bisons men’s basketball team MVP.
“Rashawn had an incredible season for Bisons,” said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp. “He emerged as the top point guard in the country and an All-Canadian in his fifth and final year. He was our leader in every way and showed it in our playoff run, averaging an incredible 27 points, ten assists and five rebounds. He will go down as one of the best guards in the history of Bisons men’s basketball.”
Bisons Women's Golf — Marissa Naylor
Marissa Naylor, 22, completed her third season with Bisons women’s golf in 2019-20 and the team captain once again proved herself a force to be reckoned with in the fall. A Winnipeg native and student in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Recreation Management, Naylor was the low Bison at two tournaments, finishing fourth overall at the SMSU Mustangs Invitational and tied for fifth at the Tracy Lane Memorial. At the inaugural Canada West Golf Championships, she led the Herd again, shooting 12-over and rallying on day two by shooting 77 to finish eighth overall. This is the third straight year that Naylor has been named the women’s golf team MVP.
“This MVP had another strong year leading the team with the lowest stroke average for the season,” said Bisons coach Bri-Ann Tokariwski. “She works extremely hard on all aspects of her game during and outside of practice. As a captain for the third straight season, she is a true team player who is always helping out her teammates and leading through example.”
Bisons Men's Golf — Aaron McIntyre
Aaron McIntyre, 22, finished his fifth year with Bisons golf in impressive fashion, battling a tight field to finish in the top ten at the inaugural Canada West Golf Championships in Kelowna, B.C. Shooting +3 overall, he was the low Bison in a top five finish for Manitoba. It was one of a few great moments for the Winnipeg native and Rossmere Club Champion, as McIntyre was also the low Bison at the Gustavus Twin Cities Classic and helped his team earn top four finishes at six other tournaments during the 2019-20 season. This is the first time that McIntyre has been named the men’s golf team MVP.
“This year’s men’s MVP embodies what it means to be a Bison,” said Bisons coach Derrik Goodwin. “Being his final year in the program, he has grown into a leader on the team and in the community! During this past season, he shot four scores at par or better. His season was highlighted by a 10
th place individual finish at the Canada West Championship, leading the men’s team to one of five qualifying spots for the 2020 Canadian University Championship. He will be graduating this year with a Major in Criminology and a Minor in Family Social Sciences.”
Bisons Women's Cross Country — Shayna Giesbrecht
Shayna Giesbrecht, 21, finished her third season with Bisons cross country in 2019 and the Stride Ahead Tough Track alum proved herself consistently excellent throughout the fall. Giesbrecht either tied or finished as the top Bison at all six outdoor meets during the season — including top 15 finishes at the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield, Minnesota and the Sled Dog in Saskatoon.
At the Canada West Championships, the Winnipeg native finished 42
nd and advanced to be the lone Bison female at the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships in Kingston, where she cracked the top 100 by passing over 20 competitors in the final 5.5 km. This is the first time that Giesbrecht has been named the women’s cross country team MVP.
“Shayna showed how determined an athlete she can be,” said Bisons head coach Claude Berube. “She overcame an injury that forced her to redshirt the previous season. She proved to be the leader of the women’s team throughout the year and capped off her season with an appearance at the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships.”
Bisons Men's Cross Country — Simon Berube
Simon Berube, 22, has been a do-it-all athlete both indoors and outdoors for the brown and gold, and continued that path in his fifth and final season. The Bisons Male Athlete of the Year in 2018-19 dominated his fall outdoors, starting things off with a win in the Bison Time Trial and a second-place finish at the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield, Minnesota.
He went on to be the top Bison in all six meets, leading the team to two top six finishes, a seventh place finish at the Canada West Championships, and 17
th at U SPORTS nationals. At the conference meet, Berube was the lone Bison in the top 20, finishing 17
th, and at the national meet, he cracked the top 60 in a time of 32:47.
This is the first time that Berube has been named the men’s cross country team MVP.
“Simon was the cross country team’s leader throughout the season, being the top Bisons finisher at every meet the team attended,” said Bisons head coach Claude Berube. “He continued to show his versatility as a middle-distance runner who is also able to compete over the longer distances. He completed his Bison career with his third straight year as a competitor at the U SPORTS Championships.”
Bisons Women's Swimming — Kelsey Wog
Kelsey Wog, 21, continues to be truly unstoppable as a Bisons swimmer. In her fourth year, she looked every bit an athlete who’d already proven herself on the international stage, coming off a summer appearance at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Korea and a signing with the Cali Condors in the International Swimming League.
In the fall, the Winnipeg native and Agricultural and Food Sciences major absolutely dominated her western competition, taking home five medals at the Canada West Swimming Championships. Four of those were golds, two of those were Canada West records, and one was a win by almost six seconds in the 200-metre breaststroke.
In the winter, she continued to roll at the U SPORTS Swimming Championships, winning four gold medals, breaking two U SPORTS records, and setting the fastest time in the world at that point in the 200-metre individual medley. She was named Female Swimmer of the Meet for her amazing performance.
This is the fourth straight season that Wog has been named the women’s swimming team MVP.
“Kelsey’s success comes from smile approach to improvement,” said Bisons head coach Vlastik Cerny. “She sets goals, works hard to improve every day and competes. When she reaches her goal, she sets a new one and repeats the process again. But one of her biggest strengths as a competitor is her resilience in times of struggle. She looks at stumbles as opportunities to improve which ultimately make her a champion. Congratulations Kelsey.”
Bisons Men's Swimming — Anthony Iliouchetchev
Anthony Iliouchetchev, 22, has worked extremely hard over his five years with the Bisons, progressing each and every year. That paid off with a haul of hardware during the 2019-20 season, as the Engineering major and Vincent Massey grad overcame an injury and took home medals at both the Canada West and U SPORTS Swimming Championships.
At the conference meet, Iliouchetchev finished atop the pack in the 50-metre freestyle and silver in the longer 100-metre event — his first two medals at the Canada West meet and good for a First Team All-Star nod. He then followed that up in the winter with his first medal at the national level, earning a silver in the 50-metre freestyle and earning the title of U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
This is the third straight year that Iliouchetchev has been named the men’s swimming team MVP.
“Tony is as relentless in training as he is in racing,” said Bisons head coach Vlastik Cerny. “His consistency of high effort has made him into a fierce competitor. In the final stretch of training for the championships, Tony suffered a shoulder injury that prevented him from training to his potential. However, on the day and in time of adversity, Tony delivered his best performance as a Bison to finish on the podium. Congratulations Tony on a great five years.”
Bisons Women's Track & Field — Madisson Lawrence
Maddison Lawrence, 20, is as well-rounded as they come in track and field and took huge leaps in her third year in brown and gold. It started to feel like a special season for the Oak Park Raider at January’s Golden Bear Open, where she broke the program record for points in the pentathlon with 3,824.
The multi-discipline event, which includes shotput, high jump, 60-metre hurdles, long jump, and the 800-metre, was Lawrence’s bread and butter at championships too. At Canada West, she finished second overall and broke the Bisons record again. Then, at the U SPORTS meet in Alberta, she earned her first national medal with a bronze. Lawrence also earned a Canada West silver and a U SPORTS bronze in the high jump while also doing relays, sprints, and middle distance throughout the season.
This is the first time that Lawrence has been named the women’s track and field team MVP.
“Madisson had a tremendous season in many different individual events and also contributed to the relay program,” said Bisons head coach Claude Berube. “She had many highlights and personal bests throughout the season, including twice breaking the school and provincial record in the pentathlon and capping off her season with two bronze medals at the U SPORTS Championships.”
Bisons Men's Track & Field — Oyinko Akinola
Oyinko Akinola, 25, has been a triple threat jumper for Manitoba for all five years of his eligibility. In 2019-20, he proved himself more than capable yet again in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump events.
At the Jim Daly Bisons Classic, Akinola won the high jump event to help Manitoba earn a combined win at the home meet. The Dakota Collegiate grad then went on to finish second in the high jump at Canada West, while also taking home gold in the triple jump with a U SPORTS standard 14.73-metres. The victory earned him First Team All-Star status in the conference, and he was also named the Canada West Field Performer of the Year.
Moving on to U SPORTS in Alberta, Akinola earned Manitoba’s only silver medal of the meet in the triple jump, creeping past his season’s best with a jump of 14.74 metres and earning a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian nod.
This is the second time that Akinola has been named the men’s track and field team MVP.
“Oyinko continued to prove that he is one of the best jumpers in Canadian university sport,” said Bisons head coach Claude Berube. “Having qualified for at least two individual events at the U SPORTS Championships in every one of his five years of competition, he capped off his career with another medal at this year’s meet, along with the multiple other medals he has captured at previous Championships.”
Bisons Women's Hockey — Jordyn Zacharias
Jordy Zacharias, 22, showed championship experience matters in her fifth and final season in brown and gold — leading a young Bisons team to a year where they continually improved week over week. To take it up a notch, the Winnipeg native and 2017-18 U SPORTS champion ended her season in spectacular fashion.
Zacharias scored seven goals and 16 points in 2019-20 to finish 13
th in conference scoring and lead the Herd. An incredible six of those points, though, came in two of her last three games, as she scored and assisted on the two fastest goals in program history in a comeback win over Saskatchewan, then had a goal and two assists in an upset victory over ranked Alberta at Wayne Fleming Arena the following weekend. Zacharias would score four game-winners on the year and played in every game for Manitoba.
This is the second time that Zacharias has been named the women’s hockey team MVP.
“Jordyn had a really big challenge in front of her this year being the captain of a team with ten true freshmen on it,” said Bisons head coach Jon Rempel. “Combined with that, she also had major off-season surgery to fix a previous injury. Through it all, Jordyn embraced this challenge like a true professional and her leadership and skill was clearly evident as the year went on. She led the team in scoring, game-winning goals, as well as minutes played up front and exhibited, character, resilience, and a never quit attitude."
Bisons Men's Hockey — Adam Henry
Adam Henry, 25, was one of the best two-way defencemen in university hockey in 2019-20, and he has the hardware to prove it.
The Asper School of Business major led the Bisons in scoring and finished third among Canada West blue liners with 22 points. Henry’s 11 goals ranked first among conference defencemen, as he had five goals and five assists on the power play. During a playoff push late in the season, t he fifth-year Bison came up clutch time after time, scoring points in six of Manitoba’s last eight games.
For his play, Henry was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian, a Canada West First Team All-Star, and the Canada West Top Defenceman. With his work on UMAC, Movember Cancer Awareness, and coaching hockey, he also proved himself a well-rounded student-athlete and was named the Canada West Community Service award recipient.
This is the first time that Henry has been named the men’s hockey team MVP.
“Adam is an amazing player who is among the very best student-athletes in Canada as demonstrated by the many Bisons, Canada West, and U SPORTS awards he earned this season,” said Bisons head coach Mike Sirant. “Adam is an exceptional leader who supports and motivates his teammates by personally setting a high standard for performance and behavior every day in practice, games, and off-ice training. He is a real pleasure to work with and has made a huge contribution to the Bisons men’s hockey program during his five-year career. Adam personifies our program’s vision of commitment to excellence in athletics, academics, and community service!”
Bisons Women's Volleyball — Sydney Booker
Sydney Booker, 23, showed leadership from the setter position in 2019-20, enjoying one of the best seasons of her five-year Bison career on a young women’s squad. The Winnipeg native out of Dakota Collegiate will go down as one of the most prolific players at her position in program history, as she added 223 assists this season to bring her to 1,585 for her career.
Booker bookended her season in style, opening with a 45-assist performance against Mount Royal and finishing with 76 total assists in two matches against the Saskatchewan Huskies. Besides those three, she had four other matches of at least 22 assists. The Asper School of Business major has also been an Academic All-Canadian in each and every year of eligibility. This is the first time that Booker has been named the women’s volleyball team MVP.
“Sydney has been a team-first Bison from the moment she walked into the gym as a rookie and remained so until she walked out of the gym for the last time in her fifth year,” said Bisons head coach Ken Bentley. “Regardless of her circumstance, Sydney put everything aside each day to do her very best for her team. This past season saw Sydney play her best volleyball while also improving her presence on the floor, a trait she worked very hard to improve and she did a tremendous job of becoming a more vocal leader for her team. Sydney has always been incredibly coachable and it has been a privilege to have had her with us for the past five years.”
Bisons Men's Volleyball — Owen Schwartz
Owen Schwartz, 20, proved himself to be a two-way force for the Bisons men this past season, improving in almost every statistical category in his third year.
The Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management student averaged 2.17 kills per set from the left side, second on the team, while hitting .239. Besides those offensive numbers, though, Schwartz turned heads with outstanding defence up front and in the back row, leading Manitoba with 140 digs and 16 solo blocks, while finishing third on the team with 42 total blocks. With those numbers, Schwartz helped lead the Herd to second in Canada West in digs per set and third in blocks per set.
The St. Clements, Manitoba native played in every match for the Bisons. This is the first time Schwartz has been named the men’s volleyball team MVP.
“This MVP has excelled as a team player and leader both on and off the court,” said Bisons head coach Garth Pischke. “His value to the team is summed up in the fact that he excels in all aspects of the game. His volleyball IQ is as good as any player I have ever coached at the University of Manitoba in my 38 years as head coach. He prides himself on always giving his best effort. This was very evident in matches that were not going our way. He always fought for every point until the final result was determined.”
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