Holmes highlights OUA women’s rugby award winners
Burlington, Ont. – It was a star-studded women’s rugby season with many top performers on the pitch. Highlighting the 2024 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women’s rugby award winners and all-stars is Guelph Gryphons Adelaide Holmes, who takes home the player of the year honours.
Player of the Year - Adelaide Holmes, Guelph
Adeliade Holmes burst onto the scene this year with an exceptional sophomore season for the Guelph Gryphons. Her 15 tries were more than enough to lead the OUA through the regular season, six tries ahead of her competition.
The Waterloo, Ont. native started her year off in impressive fashion, scoring three tries in Guelph’s opening contest against Western. She would back up that performance many times throughout the season, including against the top-ranked Queen’s Gaels during their regular season matchup.
The criminal justice student continued racking up the tries, scoring two in the Gryphons’ penultimate game of the season against Laurier.
Prior to her MVP season, Holmes spent her summer representing her country with the Canadian U20 program.
The second-year standout was pivotal in Guelph’s stronghold in the OUA and U SPORTS rankings, maintaining a top two spot in the OUA for the entire season and a top five spot in the national poll respectively.
Rookie of the Year - Kennedi Stevenson, Queen’s
Kennedi Stevenson has made her mark in OUA in her rookie season with Queen’s. The arts and science student led the Gaels in tries, tied for fourth in the OUA, with seven in her debut campaign. Her 35 points were second on the team trailing only her league leading teammate Lizzie Gibson, and secured her spot tied for 10th in the OUA standings.
One of the first-year back three’s top performances from the season came against McMaster. She finished the match with a game-high five tries for 25 points, and a good chunk of her point total for the year. Stevenson scored her other two tries in the Gaels dominant 69-0 victory against Western the game before.
The Glen Williams, Ont. product was influential in leading Queen's to their fifth straight undefeated regular season. Stevenson’s stellar rookie season not only contributed to the Gaels success but made her a name to watch across the province in the coming years.
This is the eighth time a Queen’s player has taken home the OUA Rookie of the Year nod.
Community Service Award - Raven Shulist, Waterloo
A dedicated community leader on campus and on the field, Raven Shulist from the Waterloo Warriors has been named the 2024 OUA Community Service Award winner.
Shulist has shown her commitment to the University of Waterloo community, volunteering at the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) Women’s Centre on campus. She assists executive leaders and coordinators in organizing workshops, events, film screenings, and campaigns that educate the community on various issues through an intersectional feminist lens.
In addition to these responsibilities, the Grafton, Ont. native provides peer support and distributes free resources, such as menstrual and sexual health products, to those in need. Her hard work and dedication, while also balancing her full-time student and varsity athlete commitments, were recognized with the WUSA Volunteer Appreciation Award.
The biology student is actively using her field of study as she has been volunteering her time to present engaging “Let’s Talk Science” workshops to students from Grade 1 to 12, helping them grasp complex scientific concepts and assisting with community outreach events. She served as a Science Orientation Leader during Orientation Week for the Faculty of Science where she assisted first-year students at the 24-hour "Ask-Me" booth, guiding them in navigating campus life and event programming.
Coach of the Year - Spencer Robinson, York
Spencer Robinson took over the York Lions program in June of 2024. In his first year behind the bench, he has taken a Lions team that missed the playoffs the in each of the last three seasons, to a 2-4 record and within a game of a postseason berth.
His results from year one bode very well for a York team looking to build towards future years and become an upper-echelon team in the OUA once again.
A former Lions men’s rugby player, Robinson brought over three decades of experience on the rugby sideline to York. Prior to joining the coaching staff, he has spent the last three years as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coach of Youth Rugby and Belonging for the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF).
In addition to playing for both the Lions and Victoria Vikes, Robinson also has experience coaching at the U SPORTS level. In 1991, he was on the coaching staff of Victoria’s first ever women’s team. He has also coached at UBC, Bishop’s, and Toronto over his 33 years of coaching experience.
MAJOR AWARDS
Player of the Year - Adelaide Holmes, Guelph
Rookie of the Year - Kennedi Stevenson, Queen’s
Community Service Award - Raven Shulist, Waterloo
Coach of the Year - Spencer Robinson, York
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Fly Half - Natalie Armatage, Guelph
Scrum Half - Abbie Wade, Brock
Prop - Jordyn Schneppenheim, Queen’s
Prop - Tattyannah Jackson, Queen’s
Centre - Lara Jorgensen, Guelph
Centre - Maddy Donnelly, Queen’s
Back Three - Adelaide Holmes, Guelph
Back Three - Kennedi Stevenson, Queen’s
Back Three - Natasha Brooks, Waterloo
Back Row - Kennedy Feasby, Guelph
Back Row - Lizzie Gibson, Queen’s
Back Row - Siobhan Sheerin, Queen’s
Hooker - Taylor McKnight, Guelph
Second Row - Izzy Page, Queen’s
Second Row - Osa Olaye, McMaster
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Fly Half - Paige DeNeve, Brock
Prop - Mary Adewa, Toronto
Prop - Laura Brown, Brock
Centre - Taylor Wood, McMaster
Centre - Tausani Levale, Guelph
Back Three - Taylor Macdonald, Western
Back Three - Abby Byers, Laurier
Back Three - Bailey Froese, Toronto
Back Row - Verena Marsig, McMaster
Back Row - Abby Auger, Guelph
Back Row - Emma Yang, Toronto
Hooker - Jocelyn Whittal, Western
Second Row - Stephanie Svaikauskas, Guelph
Second Row - Maxie Grant, Queen’s
