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Thunderwolves Celebrate Achievements at Athletics Awards 2023
| Basketball (M), Basketball (W), Cross Country, Hockey (M), News, Nordic Skiing, Track & Field, Volleyball (W), Wrestling
April 6, 2023 – Thunder Bay, ON
The Thunderwolves celebrated their 2022/2023 season with the Athletics Awards Banquet on Thursday afternoon. After an exciting season that saw many athletes reach new heights, it was an opportunity to gather and highlight all of the hard work that the teams had accomplished. This season saw many personal and team achievments highlighted by Nordic Ski Men’s Team National Championship. Men’s Hockey also saw one of their most successful seasons ever, winning the OUA West division title for the first time since 2008. Both the Wrestling and Track & Field teams picked up multiple individual OUA medals and sent athletes to U Sports, with Mike Haskell winning a U Sports bronze medal in wrestling. Congratulations to all of the award winners, athletes, coaches and support staff on a successful season!
The event began with a special presentation to Lou Pero as he was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to athletics and student success. Lou was inducted into our Wall of Fame as a builder in 2015. He served as the men’s basketball coach (1989-2003), as well as being the department’s manager of student development and the women’s basketball assistant coach for the past 18 years. He has been an active coach in the Junior Wolves program, growing youth basketball in our community. Lou has spent countless hours building alumni relations. Lou served on the Alumni Board from 2008 to 2018. He was Vice-President of the Alumni Association from 2010-2014, President from 2014-2016, and a Board of Governors rep from 2016-2018. Lou has positively influenced our departments as a whole and our student athlete
experience. We would like to thank Lou for all he has done and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.
For a full listing of major and team awards, please see below:
Major Awards
Hank Akervall Award
August Ricketts, Women’s Basketball
Kyle Auger, Men’s Hockey
Argus Award
Chume Nwigwe, Men’s Basketball
Sarah Lutes, Women’s Nordic Skiing
Female Rookie of the Year
Sara Azzolini, Women’s Basketball
Male Rookie of the Year
Josh Van Unen, Men’s Hockey
Erikson Moore, Men’s Nordic Skiing
Female Athlete of the Year
Amy Stieh, Women’s Track & Field
Tiffany Reynolds, Women’s Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year
Spencer Blackwell, Men’s Hockey
Team Awards
Men’s Hockey
Rookie of the Year Josh Van Unen
Best Offensive Player Spencer Blackwell
Best Work Ethic Noah Massie
Best Defensive Player Tyler Jette
Most Valuable Player Griffen Fox
Women’s Basketball
Rookie of the Year Sara Azzolini
Most Improved Player Hana Whalen
Best Defensive Player Tiffany Reynolds
Amanda Nesbitt Award Lily Gruber-Schulz
Most Valuable Player Tiffany Reynolds
Men’s Wrestling
Most Improved Wrestler Abraham Ntienjem
Most Valuable Wrestler Mike Zale
Frank Schaller Award Chase Birch
Women’s Wrestling
Rookie of the Year Isabelle Galaise
Most Improved Wrestler Isabelle Bedard
Most Valuable Wrestler Erin Clayton
Cross Country Running
Most Valuable Runner – Female Katherine Lucas
Most Valuable Runner – Male Jett Dobson
Indoor Track & Field
Most Valuable Runner – Female Amy Stieh
Most Valuable Runner – Male Rami Gharsali
Erron Williams Memorial Spirit Award Aiden Webster
Women’s Volleyball
Rookie of the Year Alysha Goundrey
Coaches Award Megan Nahachewsky
Corrinne Kollmann Award Virginie Franks
Most Improved Emily Heil
Most Valuable Player Rebekah Hara
Women’s Nordic Skiing
Rookie of the Year Emma Toriseva
Most Valuable Skier Sarah Lutes
Men’s Nordic Skiing
Rookie of the Year Noah Connell & Patrick Wiss
Most Valuable Skier Conor McGovern
Sportsperson of the Year Luke Pollex
Men’s Basketball
Rookie of the Year Harold Santacruz Cardenal
Most Improved Player Nathan Bilamu
Best Defensive Player Dylan Morrison
Most Valuable Player Michael Okafor