Evans and Welychka named Carleton’s 2015-16 Athletes of the Year

(OTTAWA, ON) — After an outstanding season of sporting achievements in 2015-16, the Carleton University athletics community gathered for the annual varsity banquet to celebrate the individual and team achievements of Ravens varsity athletes on Thursday evening at Sala San Marco Banquet Hall in Ottawa.

The following individuals were named Carleton’s major award winners for 2015-16:

• Graduating Female Athlete of the Year: Veronica Mazzella – Women’s Soccer
• Graduating Male Athlete of the Year: Guillaume Payen Boucard – Men’s Basketball
• Female Athlete of the Year: Megan Evans – Nordic Skiing
• Male Athlete of the Year: Brett Welychka – Men’s Hockey
• Coach of the Year: Rob Smart – Men’s Basketball

Outstanding Graduating Female Athlete of the Year:
Veronica Mazzella – Women’s Soccer

The fifth-year midfielder has been an outstanding contributor to the Carleton Ravens women’s varsity soccer program in her time with the team. As the team’s c0-captain in 2015, Mazzella helped the Ravens achieve a playoff berth while being named an OUA First Team All-Star. Veronica, affectionately known as ‘Ronnie’ by her coaches and teammates, has been the heart and soul of the team’s midfield for several years. Mazzella contributed 4 goals in 16 games in 2015-16 .

Mazzella becomes the sixth women’s soccer player to win the Outstanding Graduating Female Athlete award and the first since Briana De Souza in 2013-14.

Career Highlights:

• 2012 OUA Second Team All-Star
• 2013 OUA First Team All-Star
• Represented Canada at FISU Games in 2013
• 2014 OUA First Team All-Star
• 2014 Academic All-Canadian
• 2014 Carleton Ravens MVP
• 2015 Team Co-Captain
• 2015 OUA First Team All-Star

Outstanding Graduating Male Athlete of the Year (Jack Vogan Award):
Guillaume Payen Boucard – Men’s Basketball

In his final season of CIS eligibility, Payen Boucard came into his own during his last campaign at Carleton, starting 17 games and averaged 24.1 minutes per game. The Ravens co-captain had solid shooting stats across the board with career highs in field goals (53.8% – 6th in OUA), three-point field goals (55.6%), and free throws (65.2%). Payen Boucard, an Economics student, finished as the leading scorer on the Ravens with 14.6 points per game. The 6-foot-5 senior showed a commitment at both ends of the floor by leading the team with 5.5 rebounds per game and completing the year with 24 steals (2nd on Ravens) and 17 blocks (T-1st on Ravens). Payen Boucard also recorded two double-doubles in 2015-16. Boucard capped off his exceptional season and career with an OUA Second Team All-Star Award, a CIS Final 8 All-Star Team nod, and a fifth national championship gold medal.

Payen Boucard becomes the twenty-second men’s basketball player to win the Jack Vogan Award to follows on the heels of former teammate Philip Scrubb, who won the award in 2014-15.

Career Highlights:

• 2015-16 CIS Final 8 All-Star Team
• CIS Final 8 Champion – Team Member (x 5): 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• OUA Final Four Champion – Team Member (x 3): 2012, 2013, 2015
• 2015-16 OUA Second Team All-Star
• 2015-16 Team Co-Captain
• 2015-16: 14.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 17 blocks (1st on Ravens)

Female Athlete of the Year (Ruth Coe Award):
Megan Evans – Nordic Skiing

Megan Evans, a second-year Neuroscience and Mental Health major, had an outstanding season following two years on the sidelines with injury, finishing the 2016 OUA Nordic Championships with three silver medals and one gold while competing at the Nakkertok Cross Country Ski Club in Cantley, QC. The sophomore finished second in several competitions, including the 7.5km Interval Free race, the 3×2.7km Team Relay and the 10km Mass Start. Evans also received a gold medal for Carleton’s first-place team finish and was named an OUA-All Star following the Ravens first women’s Nordic championship title since 2004. At the 2016 Haywood Ski Nationals – Canadian Colleges and University Nordic Championships, Evans captured an additional two silver medals as well as a bronze in Whitehorse, YT.

Evans becomes the fourteenth Nordic skier to win the Ruth Coe Award and the first to do so Eva Szabo in 2005-06.

2015-16 Highlights:

• OUA All-Star
• OUA Gold Medal – Team
• Three OUA silver medals at OUA Championship
• One OUA bronze and two silver at Canadian College and University Nordic Championships

Male Athlete of the Year:
Brett Welychka – Men’s Hockey

Welychka, a first-year Arts student from London, ON, took the OUA by storm in an outstanding debut campaign that saw him finish second in CIS scoring with 46 points and lead the Ravens back to the CIS University Cup. Welychka registered 14 goals and a CIS-leading 32 assists in 27 league games. He tallied fifteen multi-point games along with two game-winning goals for Carleton this season. He was the focal point of a prolific Ravens offence that ranked 3rd in the OUA and 5th in Canada with 4.11 goals-per game. He also set the modern-era record (2007-present) for most assists (32) and points (46) in a season for a Ravens men’s hockey player.

Welychka becomes just the fourth men’s hockey player to capture the Carleton Male Athlete of the Year. He is the first to do so since Terry McCarthy in 1971-72.

2015-16 Highlights:

• CIS Rookie of the Year
• CIS All-Rookie Team
• OUA East First Team All-Star
• OUA East Rookie of the Year
• OUA East All-Rookie Team
• OUA Bronze Medallist
• 46 PTS (2^nd in CIS) and 32 assists (1^st in CIS)

Coach of the Year (Pat O’Brien Memorial Award):
Rob Smart – Men’s Basketball

In the interim head coaching role in 2015-16, Rob Smart guided the Ravens men’s basketball team to a sixth consecutive CIS Final 8 championship. While the team experienced some growing pains following the graduation of valuable senior leadership, coach Smart kept his group focused and relied upon his veterans and an influx of new talent to help the Ravens reach the top once more in Vancouver at the 2016 CIS Final 8. Although the team lost the OUA Championship, Smart and his coaching staff put together a sensational final tournament run to capture Carleton’s record-setting 12th CIS men’s basketball championship banner.

2015-16 Highlights:

Regular season record: 16-3
Regular season standing: 2nd OUA North
Playoff record: 5-1
OUA Playoff finish: OUA finalists
CIS Playoff finish: CIS Final 8 Champion
Overall record vs. CIS teams: 23-5
Top 10 final ranking (March 1): No. 1
Top 10 best ranking: No. 1 (3 weeks)
Top 10 number of weeks ranked (13 polls): 13
National ranking (offence): 6th (86.2)
National ranking (defence): 1st (60.7)

Individual team awards

Men’s Soccer

Alumni Award: Tristan St. Pierre
Team MVP: Andrew Bryan

Women’s Soccer

Alumni Award: Veronica Mazzella
Team MVP: Veronica Mazzella

Men’s Water Polo

Alumni Award: Yorek Hurrelman
Team MVP: Dusan Boskovic

Women’s Water Polo

Alumni Award: Emma Cooke
Team MVP: Kaitlyn Sennema

Men’s and Women’s Golf

Male MVP: Chris Collins
Female MVP: Samantha Coates

Men’s and Women’s Rowing

Male MVP: Hunter Amesbury
Female MVP: Anna Currie

Men’s & Women’s Fencing

Male MVP: Joe Wright
Female MVP: Emese Dukai-Branscombe

Men’s & Women’s Swimming

Male MVP: Thomas Leung
Female MVP: Melinda Hubert

Men’s & Women’s Nordic Skiing

Male MVP: Carrington Pomeroy
Female MVP: Megan Evans

Women’s Rugby

Alumni Award: Michelle Flowers
Team MVP: Olivia Merritt

Men’s Hockey

Alumni Award: David Weckworth
Team MVP: Brett Welychka

Women’s Hockey

Alumni Award: Tawnya Guindon
Team MVP: Katelyn Steele

Men’s Basketball

Alumni Award: Ryan Ejim
Team MVP: Kaza Kajami-Keane

Women’s Basketball

Alumni Award: Abeer Farhat
Team MVP: Heather Lindsay

Football

Alumni Award: Leon Cenerini
Team MVP: Jahvari Bennett