Proudfoot & Thompson Named Gryphons Athletes of the Year

Guelph, ON – Thursday night (March 26) at the W.F. Mitchell Athletic Centre, student-athletes from every University of Guelph varsity sport gathered together in the main gym as the Gryphons held their 2014-2015 Athletic Banquet. A pair of distance runners from the Gryphons Cross Country and Track and Field teams took home the night's biggest honours as Ross Proudfoot and Carise Thompson were named the male and female Athlete of the Year.

For just the fourth time in school history, the University of Guelph has a back-to-back winner for Male Athlete of the Year.

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH BACK-TO-BACK WINNERS OF MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

MURRAY ATKINSON: 1958-1959, 1959-1960

WAYNE MORGAN: 1971-1972, 1972-1973

KYLE BOORSMA: 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011

ROSS PROUDFOOT: 2013-2014, 2014-2015

Ross Proudfoot (Sudbury, ON) capped off his legendary Gryphon career with one of the greatest seasons in CIS sport history. Individually, Proudfoot went undefeated against CIS competition in 2014-2015. In Cross Country, he was named OUA and CIS M.V.P. while leading his team to a 9^th straight national title.  In Track, Proudfoot picked up a total of four Gold medals in the 1500 metre and 3000 metre races, sweeping the events at both the OUA and CIS Championships. His 22 points at the OUA Track & Field Championships were instrumental in helping the Gryphons capture the provincial team title. At the CIS Track & Field Championships in Windsor, Ross was named the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet. Aside from capturing two Gold medals at nationals, Ross also was just one-one hundredth of a second shy of breaking the all-time record in the 3000 metre. Earlier in the season, he also just missed out on breaking the four minute mile (missing the mark by eight tenths of a second). 

Aside from dominating against fellow CIS athletes, Ross also proved he is right up there with some of the best collegiate athletes in North America as he more than held his own when competing in some of the most prestigious meets the NCAA has to offer. At the Spire D1 Invitational in Ohio he finished 1^st. At the Meyo Invitational at the University of Notre Dame he finished 2^nd. At the New Balance Games in New York City he finished 3^rd. Three podium finishes against some of the very best that North America has to offer.

Ross Proudfoot ends his Gryphon career as a 9-time All-Canadian with 19 CIS medals (10 team medals – 6 gold, 4 silver) as well as 9 individual medals (4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze). In an era when the CIS was at its highest level in the league's history, Proudfoot was the best of the best.

Fellow fifth year senior Carise Thompson (Orkney, ON) was named Female Athlete of the Year. Carise was named CIS M.V.P. in Cross Country where she led the Gryphons to their 10^th straight national title.

For a third year in a row, Kelsey Gsell went home with the President's Trophy, given annually to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the combination of academic and athletic excellence. Kelsey becomes just the second female in school history to win the President's Trophy three years in a row. The Saskatoon native is pursuing her Masters in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences and boasts an average of 91.4%. She is just as impressive when it comes to athletics, as she impressed this season as a two-sport athlete in wrestling and rugby.

Other seniors who capped off their Gryphon careers in memorable fashion include Katie Mora and Rob Farquharson, who were named Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively. But it was not all about the graduating seniors. This year's Male and Female Rookies of the Year will not soon be forgotten either.

The first year goalie from the Men's Hockey team, Andrew D'Agostini, took home the Scott Yanchus Award as the school's top freshman after an unforgettable playoff run. D'Agostini, who was as good as any player in the country during the postseason, was instrumental in leading the Gryphons to their first OUA title in Men's Hockey since 1997. His shutout versus UQTR in the Queen's Cup would be followed up by some more stellar play at the CIS Championships in Halifax where he was named the top goalie of the tournament. 

It was no surprise that rookie point guard Bridget Atkinson took home the school's Rookie of the Year honours after the Welland native received national recognition for her tremendous first season of OUA basketball. In 2014-2015, Bridget became the first Gryphons women's basketball player to ever be named CIS Rookie of the Year.

Overall, it was another terrific year for Gryphon Athletics with a total of 25 individuals being named All-Canadians as well as 79 athletes attaining OUA All-Star status. A complete list of Thursday night's award winners is listed below:

Male Athlete of the Year
Ross Proudfoot – Cross Country and Track & Field

Female Athlete of the Year
Carise Thompson – Cross Country and Track & Field

Male Rookie of the Year (Scott Yanchus Award)
Andrew D'Agostini – Hockey

Female Rookie of the Year (Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Award)
Bridget Atkinson – Basketball

W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year
Rob Farquharson - Football

W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman of the Year
Katie Mora – Hockey

President's Trophy – Male
Drew Anderson – Cross Country and Track & Field

President's Trophy – Female
Kelsey Gsell – Wrestling & Rugby

Don Cameron Award (3-year M.I.P.)
Curtis Newton – Football

Shirley Peterson Award (3-year M.I.P.)
Katrina Allison – Cross Country and Track & Field

Student Trainer of the Year (Gunner Obrascovs Award)
Megan Klimas – Women's Basketball

Student Manager of the Year (Cathy Rowe Award)
Anik Hanning – Rowing

Dr. John T. Powell Award
Dave Storey – Men's and Women's Hockey

Team M.I.P. and M.V.P. Award Winners
Lacrosse (M):  MVP – Curtis Knight
Lacrosse (W):  MVP – Katelynn Brzezinski
Swimming (M):  MIP – Brett Martin
Swimming (M):  MVP – Evan Van Moerkerke
Swimming (W):  MIP – Julia Veidt
Swimming (W):  MVP – Emily Anzai
Soccer (M):  MIP – Estevan Carles
Soccer (M):  MVP – Jared Agyemang
Soccer (W):  MIP – Elizabeth Brennemen
Soccer (W):  MVP – Courtney Whiteside
Cross Country (M):  Al Claremont Freshman Harrier Trophy – Peter Quosai
Cross Country (M):  Art Hackett MVP Trophy – Ross Proudfoot
Cross Country (W):  Rookie Award – Rachyl MacPhail
Cross Country (W):  Vic Matthews MVP – Carise Thompson
Track & Field (M):  Rookie Award – Jackson Cheung
Track & Field (M):  Hamilton Olympic Club MVP – Ross Proudfoot
Track & Field (W):  Rookie Award – Maja Naruszewicz
Track & Field (W):  MVP – Sarah Dougherty
Nordic Skiing (M):  MVP – Ryley Hilker
Nordic Skiing (W):  MVP – Catherine Mallinger
Figure Skating:  MVP – Francis Adamo
Baseball:  MVP – Peter Ricciardi
Volleyball (M):  MIP – Kendrick Kerr
Volleyball (M):  MVP – Marc Wilson
Volleyball (W):  Makala King Memorial MIP – Jennifer Johnstone
Volleyball (W):  MVP – Maddie Dedecker
Golf (M):  David Fell
Golf (W):  Jenna Turgeon
Rugby (M):  Robin Best Rookie Award – Brandon McLeod
Rugby (M):  Ieuan Evans MVP Rugger Award – Eric Howard
Rugby (W):  Rookie – Kylie Shaughnessy & Kelsey Gsell
Rugby (W):  MVP – Brittany Priddle
Football:  Rookie – Nicholas Parisotto
Football:  MVP – Jazz Lindsey
Football:  Ted Wildman Trophy – Rob Farquharson
Basketball (M):  Jack Tanner MIP – Jonathan Wallace
Basketball (M):  Bill Dimson Memorial MVP – Adam Kemp
Basketball (W):  MIP – Barbara Inrig-Pieterse
Basketball (W):  MVP – Kate MacTavish
Hockey (M):  Walter Rickard Memorial Rookie Award – Andrew D'Agostini
Hockey (M):  Jack Pos MVP – Nick Huard
Hockey (W):  Rookie – Katherine Bailey
Hockey (W):  MVP – Katie Mora
Wrestling (M):  MIP – Elvir Uzunovic
Wrestling (M):  MVP – Dan Humphrey
Wrestling (W):  MIP – Natassya Lu
Wrestling (W):  MVP – Alison Carrow
Rowing (M):  MVP – Matthew Larter
Rowing (W):  MVP – Olivia Shotyk
Field Hockey:  MIP – Daniela Jelec
Field Hockey:  MVP – Laura Straus