Hassam Munir, Sports and Health Editor
Featured image courtesy of York Lions
Several top Lions’ athletes have been honoured in recent weeks with awards celebrating their success so far and opportunities to move up the ladder in their fields of competition.
From volleyball, Kirsten Dillon of the women’s team was named Ontario University Athletics athlete of the week in late February, the ninth Lions athlete to receive this recognition so far in 2015-16. Dillon earned the honour after picking up 21 assists against the nationally-ranked McMaster Marauders. The following day she picked up a game-high 39 assists in the Lions’ victory over the Brock Badgers, six more than the Badgers’ entire squad combined. She is the team captain and ranks sixth and tenth overall in the OUA in assists and assists per set, respectively.
Meanwhile, outside hitter Arthur Szwarc of the men’s volleyball team was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport second-team all-Canadian just one week after also being named a first-team all-star in the OUA men’s volleyball conference awards. Szwarc is one of the Lions’ most dominant athletes, ranking third in the OUA in points, sixth in points per set, fourth in kills, and first in both blocks and blocks per set.
The Lions’ offensive tackle Jamal Campbell was selected to be one of 35 varsity football players from across Canada to participate in the CFL National Combine, a three-day program that is designed to give CFL coaches and scouts the opportunity to see potential draft picks in action. Campbell’s teammate Chris Kolankowski was selected to participate in the CFL Regional Combine.
In the world of rugby, Jasmine Hector of the women’s rugby team was selected to join the Ontario junior women’s sevens program as they gear up to take part in the National Under-18 Sevens Championships. The exciting news came at the end of Hector’s rookie season with the Lions, in which she helped her team advance to the first round of the OUA playoffs.
On the ice, three athletes from the men’s hockey team as well as head coach Chris Dennis were all given OUA awards for their outstanding performances and were named OUA all-stars for the West Division. Dennis was named OUA Coach of the Year for 2015-16 after bringing about a complete turnaround in the Lions’ performance by the end of his first season with the team. Joining Dennis in the OUA’s list of award winners were Lions’ forward Trevor Peterson, defenceman Derek Sheppard, and goaltender Chris Perugini.
The Lions were recently also present at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre where they were inducted into the Toronto Sports Hall of Honour. The Lions men’s soccer team were inducted as team of the year and former Lions field hockey coach Dr. Marina van der Merwe was named in the Sport Legend category.
Kicking off the 2016 CIS Track and Field Championships, the Lions’ Brittany Crew was named CIS female athlete of the year and her teammate Sheereen Harris earned herself the CIS women’s student-athlete community service award.
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