OUA announces 2017-18 West Division women’s volleyball major awards and all-stars
BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the women's volleyball major award winners and all-stars from the West Division.
Player of the Year: Maicee Sorensen, McMaster Marauders
For the first time since her entrance into the OUA, the West Division Player of the Year award will go to someone other than Western's Kelsey Veltman, and it is a Marauder ending the streak. McMaster's Maicee Sorensen (Hamilton, Ont.) has been named the 2017-18 Player of the Year after an impressive season with her hometown Hamilton school.
Truly, one of Sorensen's most impressive feats this season was her precision, power, and overall success at the net. She ranked second in the OUA in hitting percentage, with an astonishing 0.432 mark, which translated into a top-15 mark of 2.64 kills per set.
Her offensive prowess, however, extends to the service line as well, as the fifth year was also one of the conference's top servers this season. Sorensen connected on 0.55 service aces per set, good enough for fifth in the OUA – which helped contribute to her top-10 mark of 3.6 points per set. For good measure, Sorenson finished in the conference's top-15 in blocks per set (0.68) as well.
All of this personal success, meanwhile, also helped the 2017-18 First-Team All-Star lead her Marauders squad to a top-ten national ranking (7th in U SPORTS) for the season and a West Division leading record of 17-2.
Rookie of the Year: Paige Phills, Windsor Lancers
When it comes to the first years that made the most of their initial opportunities, it was Windsor's Paige Phills (Windsor, Ont.) who stood out the most to earn the 2017-18 West Division Rookie of the Year nod.
The Lancers finished outside the top four in the division, but despite their 7-12 record, Phills shone from start to finish. The rookie finished with an 11th ranked in kills per set, pounding home 2.69 on average, which along with her 0.37 service aces per set, contributed to an impressive average of 3.3 points per set (14th in OUA). The outside hitter did well at the net, to the tune of a 0.131 hitting percentage, but was a key contributor in the rest of the game as well, highlighted by her 2.31 digs per set as well.
Not only do the numbers suggest that Phills had a strong season for this year's Lancers squad, but also for the program in general, as the first year becomes the first Windsor play to take home the top rookie honour since the 1996-97 campaign (Rachael Drummond).
Award of Merit: Tori Carroll, Brock Badgers
Showcasing what it means to be successful in athletics, academics, and community involvement, meanwhile, is Brock's Tori Carroll (Walkerton, Ont.), and for her well-rounded efforts, she has been named the Award of Merit recipient for 2017-18.
Carroll is the second consecutive Brock player to take home the honour (Laruen Kniewasser, 2016-17), and deservedly so for the team's on and off-court leader. Carroll has devoted much of her time to helping others – both near and far – taking part in everything from Brock's Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP) to being a member of the leadership team, Athletes in Action. Beyond this, the fourth year student-athlete has also joined Big Brothers Big Sisters Go Girls mentoring groups and is a volunteer dance instructor helping teach elementary school students the importance of movement and teamwork.
The involvement goes on and on, but the Academic All-Canadian has maintained her success on the court and in the classroom as well; showing that she is a deserving recipient for the Award of Merit.
Coach of the Year: Paul Funk, Guelph
After earning his second West Division Coach of the Year award last season for Guelph, Gryphons' coach Paul Funk has been selected for his third such honour this season.
Similar to last year's play, the playoff-bound Gryphons were an aggressive unit, checking in with a second-ranked attack total (2,599) and point total (1,144). The team was also successful in the blocking game, leading the conference in solo blocks and ranking second in total blocks (171).
In addition to the statistical successes for the Gryphons, Funk also led the team back from the abyss in the first half of the season. After a disappointing 2-9 start, Guelph turned their season around, ending the season by winning seven of their last eight contests and once again fight their way back to a playoff position this season.
OUA All-Star and All-Rookie Teams
Not only did these major award winners earn top honours, but the rest of their talented squads also brought all-star and all-rookie seasons to the table to help highlight the remaining 2017-18 honours.
Along with Player of the Year Sorensen, outside hitter Aleks Arsovic (Burlington, Ont.) adds an additional Marauders maroon flare to the First-Team All-Stars. The Western Mustangs will see their purple and white represented on the squad, meanwhile, as three-time reigning Player of the Year middle / outside hitter Kelsey Veltman (Brampton, Ont.) once again earns the honour. Libero Carleigh Bailey (Burlington, Ont.) makes the jump from Second-Team to First-Team this season, while Waterloo Warriors' left side Claire Mackenzie (Vancouver, B.C.) has also been selected. Rounding out the First-Team All-Stars are a pair of Guelph Gryphons standouts – left side Michaela Hellinga (Guelph, Ont.) and setter Alex Curran (Aurora, Ont.).
The Gryphon pride will continue onto the Second-Team, meanwhile, with middle Libby Donevan (St. Catharines, Ont.). Two more Marauders have also earned Second-Team All-Star nods, as McMaster will be represented by libero Carly Heath (Water Valley, Alta.) and Caitlin Genovy (Stoney Creek, Ont.). Lakehead's lone all-star, meanwhile, also resides on the Second-Team, with middle / left side Rheanna Geisel (Dauphin, Man.) bringing a Thunderwolves presence to the squad. Western setter Kat Tsiofas (Toronto, Ont.) has also been selected, while Lancers standouts Phills and outside hitter Lexi Pollard (Alliston, Ont.) earn Second-Team nods as well.
Phills' freshman campaign headlines the All-Rookie squad, but she will be joined by setter and teammate Brooke Davis (Oakville, Ont.) as well for first-year honours. In addition to the two Lancers are a pair of Warriors, with Waterloo's left side Jenna Gravina (Burlington, Ont.) and middle Serena Otshudi (Stoney Creek, Ont.) being selected as part of the All-Rookie Team. Lakehead's right / middle Meghan Routier (Ottawa, Ont.) follows in teammate Ciara Zarn's 2016-17 footsteps with an All-Rookie nod this year, while Guelph libero Tara Tanasijevic (Toronto, Ont.) and Brock middle Grace Pyatt (Thorold, Ont.) round out the roster.
The complete list of the West Division major award winners and all-stars can be found below:
OUA Major Award Winners
Player of the Year (West) – Maicee Sorensen, McMaster
Rookie of the Year (West) – Paige Phills, Windsor
Award of Merit (West) – Tori Carroll, Brock
Coach of the Year (West) – Paul Funk, Guelph
OUA First-Team All-Stars
Alex Curran, Guelph
Michaela Hellinga, Guelph
Maicee Sorensen, McMaster
Aleks Arsovic, McMaster
Claire Mackenzie, Waterloo
Kelsey Veltman, Western
Carleigh Bailey, Windsor
OUA Second-Team All-Stars
Libby Donevan, Guelph
Rheanna Geisel, Lakehead
Carly Heath, McMaster
Caitlin Genovy, McMaster
Kat Tsiofas, Western
Paige Phills, Windsor
Lexi Pollard, Windsor
OUA All-Rookie Team
Grace Pyatt, Brock
Tara Tanasijevic, Guelph
Meghan Routier, Lakehead
Jenna Gravina, Waterloo
Serena Otshudi, Waterloo
Paige Phills, Windsor
Brooke Davis, Windsor