Brock University named a pair of senior wrestlers their Athletes of the Year during the Badgers' annual athletic banquet on Saturday.
Women's wrestler Emily Schaefer and men's wrestler Jevon Balfour were named the 2018-19 Female and Male Athletes of the Year in front of more than 800 athletes, staff and supporters at Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium.
A total of 52 Brock Badger student-athletes received Academic All-Canadian awards for achieving an academic standing of 80 per cent of better while playing a U SPORTS sanctioned sport.
Schaefer, a ConEd student from Sarnia, finished as the top-ranked wrestler in U SPORTS for her division and won a gold medal at the national wrestling championships in Calgary.
Competing in her fifth season, Schaefer won her fourth consecutive national gold medal. Leading up to nationals, Emily also won her fifth consecutive OUA gold medal.
Balfour, a Social Science student from Brampton, is the top-ranked wrestler in country for his weight class.
He won gold to secure his fifth consecutive individual national title at the U SPORTS Championships, and help Brock win their sixth consecutive championship.
Balfour also won his fifth gold medal at the OUA Championships.
Women's rugby head coach Stefanie Pavlovich earned the Coach of the Year Award.
Pavlovich led her team to an undefeated regular season for a second consecutive year, designed an offence that lit up the scoreboard to outscore their opponents 276-39 this season and went deep into the playoffs. She was truly able to get the best out of her Badgers this season.
The Female Team of the Year went to the women's wrestling team.
With an influx of new faces, this team added to their storied history by securing their fifth straight OUA championship title and routinely ranked the No. 1 team in the country. With teams ready to knock them off the top at the national championships in Calgary, these women overcame the University of Saskatchewan to win their eighth consecutive national championship.
The men's wrestling team won the Male Team of the Year. A dominate force all season long, this team won their fourth straight banner and eight gold medals at the provincial championships. They maintained their No. 1 ranking in the country en route to winning a bevy of national medals and their sixth consecutive team title.
Andrea Jansen of the women's rowing team earned the David S. Howes Spirit of Brock Award, which is named after Howes for his commitment to Brock University and the community of Niagara. These awards are presented annually to a student who best embodies the spirit of Sir Isaac Brock: leadership, courage, innovation, inspiration and community service.
Women's curler Terri Weeks and Men's rowing coxswain Raymond Wong secured the Surgite Awards. These are awarded each year to a current male and female student-athlete who excel both academically and athletically.
Weeks also brought home the Dallas Beaton Award alongside Malcolm Cavanagh of the men's cross country team.
Jennifer O'Neil and Kayla Teeter were given the Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award of Excellence.
The Brock Sports Performance Awards went to Brant Creelman (BSP Student Intern of the Year) and Gillian DiMaria (BSP Impact Award).
The Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award went to Jacob Smith. This award recognizes an individual for their tireless dedication to Brock University Athletics. All previous award recipients have made a significant contribution to the department of Brock Sports and went above and beyond their standard call of duty to make the department and the experience for our student athletes a positive one.
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
Female Athlete of the Year: Emily Schaefer (Women's wrestling)
Male Athlete of the Year: Jevon Balfour (Men's wrestling)
Coach of the Year: Stefanie Pavlovich (Women's rugby)
David S. Howes Spirit of Brock Award: Andrea Jansen (Women's Rowing)
Surgite Awards: Terri Weeks (Women's Curling), Raymond Wong (Men's Rowing)
Dallas Beaton Award: Malcolm Cavanagh (Men's cross country)
Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award: Jennifer O'Neil and Kayla Teeter
Brock Sports Performance Awards: Brant Creelman (BSP Student Intern of the Year), Gillian DiMaria (BSP Impact Award)
Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award: Jacob Smith
ACADEMIC ALL-CANADIANS
Noah Lapierre (Men's Basketball)
Umberto Lopardo (Men's Cross Country)
Brett Parent (Men's Cross Country)
Dylan Sipura (Men's Curling)
Alexander Brooks-Potts (Men's Ice Hockey)
Andrew Baldin (Men's Soccer)
Julian Filice (Men's Swimming)
Marcelo Muniz Correa (Men's Volleyball)
James Parkinson (Men's Volleyball)
Felipe Souza da Costa (Men's Volleyball)
Mitchell Taylor (Men's Volleyball)
Ana Caldeira Rua (Women's Basketball)
Baelie Campbell (Women's Basketball)
Allison Columbus (Women's Basketball)
Jessica Morris (Women's Basketball)
Shannon Northey (Women's Basketball)
Cassandra Hinz (Women's Cross Country)
Erin Laughlin (Women's Cross Country)
Paulina Sergnese (Women's Cross Country)
Terri Weeks (Women's Curling)
Annie Berg (Women's Ice Hockey)
Kaitlyn Colonna (Women's Ice Hockey)
Marissa Graham (Women's Ice Hockey)
Brenna Murphy (Women's Ice Hockey)
Jensen Murphy (Women's Ice Hockey)
Julia Pettella (Women's Ice Hockey)
Maggie Spratt-Mallick (Women's Ice Hockey)
Amarije Barnes (Women's Rugby)
Hope Blackmore (Women's Rugby)
Aleah Boersma (Women's Rugby)
Torrence Bostock (Women's Rugby)
Katelyn Heyens (Women's Rugby)
Holly Murphy (Women's Rugby)
Cassidy Collicutt (Women's Soccer)
Kinley Wilson (Women's Soccer)
Amileigh Du Toit (Women's Swimming)
Celine Funk (Women's Swimming)
Amanda Hendriks (Women's Swimming)
Megan Piche (Women's Swimming)
Maggie Smith (Women's Swimming)
Monica Binotto (Women's Track and Field)
Alyssa Point (Women's Track and Field)
Michaela Point (Women's Track and Field)
McKenzie Streefkerk (Women's Track and Field)
Victoria Carroll (Women's Volleyball)
Hannah Davenhill (Women's Volleyball)
Grace Pyatt (Women's Volleyball)
Darby Taylor (Women's Volleyball)
Lily (Nicole) French (Women's Wrestling)
Skylar Grote (Women's Wrestling)
Samantha Romano (Women's Wrestling)
Emily Schaefer (Women's Wrestling)
