Admans, McCulligh, Okpali, West named OUA athletes of the week

Graphic on predominantly blue background featuring action photo of Windsor Lancers volleyball player Aliah Admans, Carleton Ravens Nordic skiing athlete Helen McCulligh, Western Mustangs Track and Field athlete Favour Okpali and Western Mustangs Track and Field athlete Kenneth West with the OUA Athletes of the Week logo and large white 'Athletes of the Week' text in the lower third
February 24, 2025

Burlington, Ont. – Aliah Admans, Helen McCulligh, Favour Okpali and Kenneth West have been named OUA athletes of the week for the period ending February 23, 2025. 

Aliah Admans, Windsor Lancers, Volleyball

Admans had an incredible performance on Friday night to push Windsor to the OUA semifinals for the first time in 20 years. The third-year out of London, Ont. was crucial in the Lancers reverse sweep over the Western Mustangs. She put up 29.5 points with 25 kills, 21 digs, five blocks, and a hitting percentage of .302 in the five-set thriller.

Admans and the Lancers will face the Brock Badgers on Friday night in the OUA semifinals in St. Catharines, as they look to keep their postseason push going.

Helen McCulligh, Carleton Ravens, Nordic Skiing

McCulligh helped the Carleton women’s Nordic ski team capture their third consecutive team banner this weekend at the OUA Championships. The third-year business student won the women's 15km by 1:44.4 seconds on Friday before capturing silver in the 12km mass start on Saturday, just four seconds behind the winner Mia Sawatsky.

McCulligh then skied the anchor leg on the Carleton A squad as they captured the women’s relay title on Sunday to close out her very successful weekend in Sault Ste. Marie.

Favour Okpali, Western Mustangs, Track & Field

Okpali brought home some serious hardware from the OUA Track & Field Championships in Windsor, Ont. this weekend.

The engineering student from Toronto, Ont. won gold and set the OUA record in the women's 600m, won silver in the women's 300m, and took home silver as part of the women's 4x400 relay team. Her performance contributed heavily to the Western Mustangs women's team banner title. Okpali’s contributions at the meet solidified her overall individual accolade as well, taking home the Dr. Wendy Jerome Trophy as the top women’s performer of the event.

She will look to add to her 2024-25 medal haul in two weeks at the U SPORTS Track & Field Championships right back in Windsor.

Kenneth West, Western Mustangs, Track & Field

West took flight at the OUA Track & Field Championships this weekend en route to claiming the Hec Phillips Trophy as the meet’s top performer on the men’s side.

In his final attempt in the long jump, he soared to a 7.99m effort to capture gold at the banner season event over the weekend. The fourth-year science student not only secured top marks in the OUA, but also set a new conference record with the attempt.

The Brampton, Ont. product helped the Mustangs lock down a silver team medal with his performance. He will look to add to his accolades at the U SPORTS Championships in two weeks.