Gsell & Proudfoot named Guelph Gryphon Athletes of the Year

Guelph, Ont. (March 27, 2014) – The University of Guelph, Department of Athletics held it's annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Thursday night at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre. Wrestler Kelsey Gsell was named the Female Athlete of the Year and the President's award winner while Ross Proudfoot from Cross Country and Track and Field was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
 
On the wrestling mat, Gsell has been a dominating force since she stepped on campus at the University of Guelph four years ago. She had a remarkable 2013-14 season for the Gryphons rolling through an unbeaten season. At the 2014 OUA Championships, she won gold at 82kg earning first team OUA all-star status. At the 2014 CIS National Championships, she also captured gold at 82kg earning first team All-Canadian honours.
 
Gsell was also named the President's award winner, for excellence in academics. In addition to her OUA and CIS titles – the fourth-year put up a 91% average over the academic season while studying Human Kinetics.
 
Gryphon cross country and track and field standout Ross Proudfoot took his running to a new level in 2013-14. In the fall, he won an OUA silver, was named an OUA first team all-star and CIS first team All-Canadian helping the Gryphons win the OUA and CIS cross country banners. During the indoor season, he won two gold medals at the OUA championships in the 1500m and as a part of the OUA record setting 4x800m relay. At the CIS championships, he won the gold in the 3000m, silver in the 1500m and was named a first and second team All-Canadian.
 
Also honoured were the top rookies of the year. Katelyn Ayers, a two-sport athlete was named the Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Female Rookie of the Year. Competing on the OUA silver medalist women's lacrosse team and the OUA and CIS gold medalist Track and Field team she had nothing short of a spectacular season. Named the OUA and CIS women's track and field rookie of the year and OUA MVP, Ayers won two gold and two silver medals at her first OUA championships. At the CIS championships, she earned a relay bronze. During the season, she also broke the Canadian Junior record for the 1000metres.
 
Tristan Woodfine from Cross Country and Track and Field took home the Scott Yanchus Male Rookie of the Year Award. Named the OUA and CIS rookie of the year in Cross Country, this aggressive racer won an OUA bronze and then came back to win a CIS silver medal. He was the highest rookie to finish second on the national stage since 2006.
 
Other Major Award Winners:
 
President's Trophy – Male: Andrew Nixon, Cross Country & Track & Field 
Andrew Nixon excelled both on the course as well as in the classroom where he holds an 85% average majoring in Human Resource Management in his fifth-year with Gryphon Cross Country and Track and Field. This past season he finished fourth at the OUA Cross Country Championships and followed up with a fourth place performance at CI's in a time of 31:04.8. He was a first team OUA all-star and first team All-Canadian in Cross Country. As team captain, Andrew led the Cross Country Gryphons to their eighth straight CIS title.  
 
W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman: Amy Wise, Field Hockey
Amy Wise, a master's student in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy, has been a very active volunteer over her five years at Guelph. She has been involved with the Cobras club program as a volunteer coach and umpire and assisted in numerous high school clinics. She has also taken a leadership role on her team at numerous events including Bowl for Kids, Cut for the Cure, Santa Shuffle, Right to Play and food drives. Over her career on the field, she helped lead the Gryphons to three OUA team titles, two OUA silver medals and four CIS bronze medals. The three-year team captain was also named an OUA all-star and a CIS tournament eleven all-star this year.
 
W.F. Mitchell Sportsman: Robbie Murphy, Men's Soccer
Robbie Murphy, a fifth-year Accounting major, boasts an impressive resume of community involvement, exceptional leadership, sportsmanship and excellence on the soccer pitch. Murphy has made an impact in the community of Guelph representing the Gryphons annually with motivational speeches to elementary schools. The three-year captain is also a student-athlete mentor and sits on the captains' council. On top of his citizenship, he is without a doubt the greatest Gryphon to don a soccer jersey. After being named the OUA and CIS rookie of the year in 2009, he's earned four all-star awards and an All-Canadian nod. He has twice represented Canada at the FISU games and will graduate as the all-time Gryphon leading scorer with 47 goals, more than doubling the previous record.
 
Shirley Peterson Award: Jessica Pinkerton, Women's Hockey
Jessica Pinkerton has been a standout centre since stepping on the ice at the University of Guelph. She has anchored the top line and scored an impressive 101 points in her first three seasons for the women's hockey team. Jessica's rise through the ranks of women's hockey has been recognized by the OUA and CIS. In her first year, she was honoured as an OUA All-Rookie, as a second year, Pinkerton was named a second team all-star and this past season she was honoured as a first team all-star and a CIS second team All-Canadian.
 
Don Cameron Award: Aaron Hendrikx, Men's Cross Country & Track & Field 
Aaron Hendrikx's progress as a runner for Guelph has been inspiring. In his first year, he burst onto the scene being named the OUA & CIS rookie of the year in Cross Country, however, did not qualify on the track. As a second year, he progressed to a podium finish at CIS Cross Country and finished sixth in the 3000m at CIS Track. This past season, he was named the OUA and CIS Cross Country MVP after winning both titles. In track and field, he won bronze medals in the 1500m and 3000m at the OUA Championships. During his tenure with the Gryphons, the team has won three CIS cross country championships and one CIS track and field championship.
 
Fred Ramprashad Award: Justin Interisano, Baseball
Justin Interisano was named the OUA's top hitter for the second consecutive season, leading the league with a .529 batting average, while recording 22 RBIs and six home runs in 18 games becoming the all-time OUA leader in both categories. He was also named an all-star for his defensive play at catcher. Interisano also excels in the classroom with a 78.9% average in the Biological Science Program.
 
Cathy Rowe Manager of the Year: Rachel Simpson, Women's Hockey
Rachel Simpson's ability to assist the coaching staff was imperative to the women's hockey team's success this season. In this multi-faceted role, Rachel oversaw virtually all aspects of game day paperwork, travel logistics, budget management, fundraising events and liaising with the Guelph Girls Hockey Association.
 
Dr. James MacLachlan Trainer of the Year: Eleni Brennen, Men's Hockey
Eleni Brennen accumulated over 500 hours of volunteer experience. Her duties included taping, treatment and follow up with scheduled appointments at athletic therapy. She takes great pride in her work and demonstrates a willingness to learn new things and put them into effect, her devotion was exceptional.
 
For a full list of previous recipients and award descriptions, please click here
 
MIP & MVP TEAM Award RECIPIENTS 2013-2014
BASEBALL MVP: Justin Interisano
JACK TANNER MIP BASKETBALL (MEN): Michel Clark
BILL DIMSON MEMORIAL MVP BASKETBALL (MEN): Zach Angus
BASKETBALL MIP (WOMEN): Marlee Freeman
BASKETBALL MVP (WOMEN): Katherine MacTavish
AL CLAREMONT FRESHMAN HARRIER (MEN):Tristan Woodfine
ART HACKETT MVP CROSS COUNTRY (MEN): Aaron Hendrikx
CROSS COUNTRY ROOKIE (WOMEN): Heather Petrick
VIC MATTHEWS MVP CROSS COUNTRY (WOMEN): Carise Thompson
FIELD HOCKEY MIP: Jess Donaldson
LAURA SHARP MVP FIELD HOCKEY: Erin Houle        
FIGURE SKATING MVP: Rebecca Wong
FOOTBALL ROOKIE: Ian Marouf
PRESIDENT FORSTER MVP FOOTBALL: Alex Charette & Saxon Lindsey
TED WILDMAN TROPHY (FOOTBALL): Taylor Palmer
GOLF MVP (MEN): Chris Hemmerich 
GOLF MVP (WOMEN): Grace Glofcheskie
WALTER RICKARD MEMORIAL HOCKEY ROOKIE (MEN): Teal Burns
JACK POS MVP HOCKEY (MEN): Kenneth Peroff
ICE HOCKEY ROOKIE (WOMEN): Jessica Pellegrino             
ICE HOCKEY MVP (WOMEN): Jessica Pinkerton
LACROSSE MVP (WOMEN): Katelynn Brzezinski       
NORDIC SKIING MVP (MEN): Shaun Guerin
NORDIC SKIING MVP (WOMEN): Erin Creasor
ROWING MVP (MEN): George Payne
ROWING MVP (WOMEN): Amy McClure
ROBIN BEST RUGBY ROOKIE (MEN): Blake Aram
IEUAN EVANS MVP RUGGER (MEN): Byron Boville              
RUGBY ROOKIE (WOMEN): Rita Charest-Pekeski
RUGBY MVP (WOMEN): Katie McNally
SOCCER MIP (MEN): Zachary Rushe
BILL McANUFF MEMORIAL MVP SOCCER (MEN): Justin Springer
SOCCER MIP (WOMEN): Krista Lopoyda        
SOCCER MVP (WOMEN): Lauren Hampton                 
SWIMMING MIP (MEN): John Carroll              
C.M. KINNEAR MEMORIAL MVP SWIMMING (MEN): Evan Van Moerkerke
SWIMMING MIP (WOMEN): Lynsey Sendrowski
SWIMMING MVP (WOMEN): Alisha Harricharan
TRACK & FIELD ROOKIE (MEN): Tommy Land
HAMILTON OLYMPIC CLUB TRACK & FIELD MVP (MEN): Ross Proudfoot                        
TRACK & FIELD ROOKIE (WOMEN): Katelyn Ayers
TRACK & FIELD MVP (WOMEN): Carise Thompson & Julia Wallace
VOLLEYBALL MIP (MEN): Josh Green
VOLLEYBALL MVP (MEN): Patrick Strzalkowski         
MAKALA KING MEMORIAL MIP VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN): Alicia Combe-Dingwall  
VOLLEYBALL MVP (WOMEN): Kristen Almhjell                                
WRESTLING MIP (MEN): Tyson Frost-Dreyer
WRESTLING MVP (MEN): Jeremy Latour
WRESTLING MIP (WOMEN): Sarah Stringer
WRESTLING MVP (WOMEN): Kelsey Gsell