Well-rounded senior season sees Kennedy collect top conference honour

Burlington, Ont. – Shining brightly on whichever stage he stepped onto, Thomas Kennedy put an emphatic exclamation point on his time with the Windsor Lancers with a dominant senior season on the hardwood, and as a result, headlines the award winners and all-stars from the 2022-23 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men's basketball season as the most valuable player.

Most Valuable Player – Thomas Kennedy, Windsor Lancers



Thomas Kennedy proved to be the most dominant player in the conference this season.

As the OUA most valuable player, Kennedy led the Lancers to a first-place finish in the West Division with a 16-6 record and the No. 6 ranking in the country. He would rack up a season stat line that saw him pour in 20.8 points per game (5th in OUA), a U SPORTS-best 13.5 rebounds per contest, and 1.7 blocks per game (3rd in OUA), all while shooting a 59% from the field (5th in OUA).

He differentiated himself from other standouts across the province and nation with his ability to impact games on both ends of the court. Offensively, he was a potent scorer and rebounder in the low post, while also controlling the defensive end of the floor with his tremendous work on the glass and shot-blocking ability. Kennedy finished tops in the country in both offensive and defensive rebounding.

In addition, the fourth-year forward set the University of Windsor men's basketball all-time scoring record with 1,749 points in only 83 career games, while also breaking the school record for career blocks with 117. Beyond thriving with the Lancers, the Windsor, Ont. local was also named the U SPORTS player of the year for the 2022 CEBL season and represented Canada on the nation team at the U23 GLOBL JAM Showcase this past summer.

En route to becoming the ninth Lancer to secure MVP honours, the business administration major from Windsor, Ont. was previously named the OUA athlete of the week, U SPORTS men's basketball player of the week, and the Canada Basketball athlete of the week down the stretch of the regular season.

Rookie of the Year – Dezayne Mingo, Guelph Gryphons



In his debut season with the Gryphons, Dezayne Mingo made his mark alongside his fellow first-year conference competitors.

Mingo, a guard from Hamilton, Ont., quickly made his way into the starting lineup after just three games coming off the bench. Earning a spot within the starting five from there on out, the arts student finished in the top 30 in OUA scoring with 12.8 points per game and 282 total points on the year. He was also among the league leaders as a distributor, collecting a ninth-best 84 assists for the Gryphons in his foray to the varsity game.

Not only did Mingo perform well, but he performed consistently, having registered 10+ points in 16 games this season, as well as over five assists on eight occasions. The well-rounded performer also showed off his diverse skill-set when he registered the first Guelph triple double (16 PTS, 11 REB, 10 AST) in at least 15 years.  

The contributions from Mingo, Guelph's sixth recipient of the OUA's rookie of the year award, helped the team win eight of their last 10 and capture a coveted playoff berth.

Defensive Player of the Year – Khalil Miller, McMaster Marauders



In his first year wearing the maroon and grey, Khalil Miller was an absolute force on the defensive side of the ball.

With an innate ability to defend his opponents, the senior would regularly match up with some of the best players in the country, and the Scarborough, Ont. product welcomed the challenge time and time again. A veteran forward in his fourth year of eligibility, Miller averaged 1.18 steals per game and 7.1 defensive rebounds per contest for the McMaster Marauders. Over the course of the 22-game regular season, the humanities student recorded 156 total rebounds, ranking hm fourth in the OUA and sixth nationally in the category. He was also the conference leader in blocks – second across the country – with 54.

Miller, who was nothing short of impressive in his first and final season wearing the Marauder uniform, becomes the fourth member of the McMaster program to collect the top defensive accolade, doing so as the team's cornerstone on that end of the floor even after a year away from basketball.

Ken Shields Award – Aiden Warnholtz, Carleton Ravens



On the court and off, Aiden Warnholtz has been a key contributor for the Carleton Ravens, with his collective athletic, academic, and community efforts being recognized with the Ken Shields Award.

Warnholtz finished the 2022-23 season with the Ravens' records for assists (145) and minutes played (731). The senior finished ninth in the OUA in three-point percentage, first in assists, and ninth in scoring, registering 20-or-more points eight times during the season, including a season-high 36 on January 8th at Ontario Tech. Earlier this season, Warnholtz also entered the Ravens' top-10 in three-point field goals and assists.

Beyond his impact on the hardwood, the health sciences student has acted as a mentor and a tutor for the organization Athletes Combating Racism (ACR) in the Ottawa area. ACR's mission is to combat systemic racism by being a consistent partner in the community and providing equal opportunities to all youth. The Athlete Mentorship Program that Warnholtz has participated in, meanwhile, is designed to combat racism by providing guidance to youth and young adults to help them navigate the world around them despite structural racism, and ultimately, dismantle those structures.

The Kanata, Ont. product, who has won a pair of Wilson Cups and three national titles during his Carleton tenure, is also a four-time academic all-Canadian.

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Award – Taijon Graham, Nipissing Lakers



Taijon Graham is a natural leader who goes above and beyond to create and contribute to an inclusive environment and has earned the inaugural OUA men's basketball equity, diversity, and inclusion award.

As a student-athlete on the Nipissing Lakers men's basketball team, Graham recognizes the potential reach of his voice, encouraging and demonstrating to other student-athletes the importance of using their platform to advocate for marginalized communities.

For the past two years, Graham has co-hosted the Lakers LockerRoom podcast, creating a platform for thought-provoking conversations about sport issues and issues faced in today's society. The third-year forward from Scarborough, Ont. is also the co-founder and president of the Nipissing University Black Association for Student Expression (NUBASE), whose mission is to promote diversity and inclusion on campus and in North Bay, assist in the proper implementation of anti-racism policies, and to provide Black students a platform to express themselves. Through NUBASE, Graham has had a positive impact on campus by organizing educational events, including the Shoot for Change anti-racism basketball games, the inaugural edition of which raised over $16,800 for the Nipissing University BIPOC Bursary.

In 2021, Graham received the Lakers Pride Award granted to athletes who embody passion, respect, integrity, dedication, and excellence. That same year, he also received the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination's Students Who Make a Difference Award for his contributions to make the community more inclusive, and to cap off the 2021-22 season, was honoured with the Ken Shields Award (OUA East Division) as well as a special recognition award by the OUA for contributions and leadership for social change.

Coach of the Year – Steph Barrie, Queen's Gaels



After a season that saw the Gaels get to the Wilson Cup finale, Steph Barrie had his Queen's side performing at peak level once again in 2022-23.

Barrie led the Kingston squad to a 17-5 record on the year, the program's best mark in more than 50 years. Queen's finished third in the ultra-competitive OUA East Division and their record was still among the best in the conference. Among their lengthy list of wins during the regular season were triumphs over fellow powerhouses from Carleton and Ottawa.

Among the ways in which Barrie's team triumphed during his award-winning season was with a high-octane offence that ranked third in the OUA in points per game (86.8), field goals made per game (31.9), field goal percentage (45.1), and 3PT field goal percentage (34.6). They also were among the top three in assists per game (18.8; 2nd in OUA), defensive rebounds per game (29.2; 3rd in OUA), and opponents' field goal percentage (39.2; 3rd in OUA).

This is the first time in program history that a Queen's bench boss has been named OUA coach of the year.

Officials Award of Merit – Christine Vuong

Dedicated to her craft, Christine Vuong has been a mainstay on the OUA officiating scene for over a decade, and for the second straight time during her tenure, earns the officials award of merit.

Despite her years of experience and opportunities to referee at various levels both in Canada and internationally – including being part of Critelli Cup and U SPORTS National Championship crews, the Universiade Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships – Vuong remains a student of the game. Her passion and willingness to get better has made her a consistent standout among her fellow officials, and leaves no doubt as to why she is a multi-time recipient of the OUA's officials honour.

The complete list of 2022-23 OUA men's basketball award winners and all-stars is as follows:

Most Valuable Player – Thomas Kennedy, Windsor Lancers
Rookie of the Year – Dezayne Mingo, Guelph Gryphons
Defensive Player of the Year – Khalil Miller, McMaster Marauders
Ken Shields Award – Aiden Warnholtz, Carleton Ravens
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Award – Taijon Graham, Nipissing Lakers
Coach of the Year – Steph Barrie, Queen's Gaels
Officials Award of Merit – Christine Vuong

First Team All-Stars
Thomas Kennedy, Windsor Lancers
Cole Syllas, Queen's Gaels
Aiden Warnholtz, Carleton Ravens
Guillaume Pépin, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Aaron Rhooms, TMU Bold

Second Team All-Stars
Isaiah Bujdoso, Brock Badgers
Michael Okafor, Lakehead Thunderwolves
Callum Baker, Toronto Varsity Blues
Grant Shephard, Carleton Ravens
Najee Brown-Henderson, Windsor Lancers

Third Team All-Stars
Tyson Dunn, Western Mustangs
Mychael Paulo, McMaster Marauders
Taye Donald, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Dragan Stajic, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Luka Syllas, Queen's Gaels

All-Rookie Team
Dezayne Mingo, Guelph Gryphons
Marjok Okado, Carleton Ravens
Noah Ngamba, Toronto Varsity Blues
Stefan Prica, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
Jacques-Mélaine Guemeta, Ottawa Gee-Gees