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2009 OUA awards and all-stars announced
HAMILTON, Ont. - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased
to announce the 2009 East women's soccer major award winners and
all-stars.
Queen's collected hardware for three of the four major awards,
including most valuable player, rookie of the year and coach of the
year.
Renee McLellan (Kingston, Ont.) receives the most
valuable player award for her outstanding effort this season. The
two-time first-team all-star completed the regular season with 12
goals in 16 games, placing her second in OUA for goals scored.
McLellan's teammate Riley Filion (Alexandria,
Ont.) comes away with T. Litzen Sports rookie of the year honours.
The first-year midfielder had an impressive first season with the
Gaels, playing 14 games and netting three goals.
Gaels head coach Dave McDowell is named East coach
of the year. McDowell led the team to their 13-1-2 record this
season, a huge step up from their 8-4-2 finish in 2008. Queen's
allowed just five goals during the 2009 regular season, earning 13
shutouts. They were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation on Oct.
27.
The East community service award winner is Jennifer
Siu (London, Ont.) of the Toronto Varsity Blues. The award
goes to the player who made the greatest contribution to their
community through various efforts. Siu is currently the fundraising
coordinator for the U of T chapter of Médecins Sans
Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). She is the youngest
person currently serving on the charity's executive committee at
the university. She is also a leading volunteer of fundraising and
events with Tempus International, a Toronto-based charity that runs
The Mighty Pen - a bi-annual youth literacy program for 20,000
children in rural Nepal. Siu also volunteers her time with other
causes, including Free The Children organization and Habitat for
Humanity.
In addition to winning the most valuable player and rookie of the
year awards, McLellan and Filion are named East first-team
all-stars. Joining them on the list is second-year teammate
Brienna Shaw (Vancouver). The second-year defender
was also the 2008 rookie of the year and a first-team all-star.
Three Ottawa Gee-Gees players receive all-star nods, including
second-year defensive player Nikki Moreau
(Almonte, Ont.), fifth-year midfielder Catherine
Scott (Pointe-Claire, Que.), who scored four goals in 15
games and three-time all-star and fifth-year striker
Courtney Luscombe, who finished the season with
nine goals in 16 games, good for fourth in OUA.
Toronto has two first-team all-stars this year, including
Erica Basso (King City, Ont.). The fifth-year
midfielder makes her fourth appearance on the all-star list, with
2009 being her third time as a first-team member. Basso was also
the East most valuable player for 2008. Joining Basso on the
first-team is fourth-year defender Alicia Lashley
(Ottawa).
Rounding out the first-team all-stars are Nipissing Lakers
goalkeeper Samantha Behm (Winchester, Ont.),
Andrea Raso (Toronto) of the Ryerson Rams, a
three-time all-star, and Lisa Watson (Newmarket,
Ont.) of the Laurentian Lady Vees.
The Varsity Blues have three second-team all-stars on the roster,
including Jessica Fantozzi (Richmond Hill, Ont.),
Jenessa Banwell (Scarborough, Ont.) and
Arin King (Pickering, Ont.). Fantozzi, a rookie
striker, led the team in scoring this season with seven goals in 15
games, while King tallied four of her own.
Royal Military College has two players representing the Paladins as
second-team all-stars; third-year striker Laura
Gray (Brookside, N.S.) and rookie goalkeeper
Olivia Clarke (Caledon East, Ont.). Gray had two
goals in the season, and Clarke recorded two shutouts.
The Nipissing Lakers also have two second-team all-stars, including
third-year defender Kim Tait (Peterborough, Ont.)
and Leesa Church (North Bay, Ont.). Church, a
third-year striker, is a second time all-star and scored seven
goals in the season.
Two Gee-Gees players are members of the East second-team, as
Brittany Harrison (Burlington, Ont.) and
Gillian Baggot (Ottawa), a third-year defender,
are named all-stars for the first time. Harrison, a second-year
midfielder, scored three goals in 13 games.
Ryerson and Queen's round out the second-team with one player each.
Calaigh Copland (Peterborough, Ont.) of the Rams,
a fourth-year forward, tallied six goals in 13 games this season,
while Victoria Gonzalez-Milroy (Vancouver) of the
Gaels makes her first appearance as an all-star in her rookie
defender season.
West women's soccer major award winners and all-stars will be
announced on Wednesday.
2009 OUA EAST WOMEN'S SOCCER MAJOR AWARD WINNERS AND
ALL-STARS
Most Valuable Player - Renee McLellan (Queen's)
Rookie of the Year - Riley Filion (Queen's)
Community Service - Jennifer Siu (Toronto)
Coach of the Year - Dave McDowell (Queen's)
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Erica Basso (Richmond Hill, Ont.) - Toronto
Samantha Behm - GK (Winchester, Ont.) - Nipissing
Riley Filion (Alexandria, Ont.) - Queen's
Alicia Lashley (Ottawa) - Toronto
Courtney Luscombe (Ottawa) - Ottawa
Renee McLellan (Kingston, Ont.) - Queen's
Nikki Moreau (Almonte, Ont.) - Ottawa
Andrea Raso (Toronto) - Ryerson
Catherine Scott (Pointe-Claire, Que.) - Ottawa
Brienna Shaw (Vancouver) - Queen's
Lisa Watson (Newmarket, Ont.) - Laurentian
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Gillian Baggott (Ottawa) - Ottawa
Jenessa Banwell (Toronto) - Toronto
Leesa Church (North Bay, Ont.) - Nipissing
Olivia Clarke - GK (Caledon East, Ont.) - RMC
Calaigh Copland (Peterborough, Ont.) - Ryerson
Jessica Fantozzi (Richmond Hill, Ont.) - Toronto
Victoria Gonzalez-Milroy (Vancouver) - Queen's
Laura Gray (Brookside, N.S.) - RMC
Brittany Harrison (Burlington, Ont.) - Ottawa
Arin King (Pickering, Ont.) - Toronto
Kim Tait (Peterborough, Ont.) - Nipissing
- OUA -
