Gee-Gees Provost, Lions Chouhan score top divisional honours for their squads

Burlington, Ont. – Two of the top teams in the conference were also led by two of the best players the country has to offer on the pitch. Ottawa's Cassandra Provost and York's Jotam Chouhan have been named most valuable players in their respective divisions after scoring sensational seasons for their squads, headlining the award winners and all-stars from the 2022 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's soccer season.

Most Valuable Player (East) – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa Gee-Gees



The most prolific offensive producer of the season takes home the 2022 OUA East Division MVP title.

It was a second year to remember for Cassandra Provost, as she soared to new heights in her sophomore season. This was no easy task after exploding onto the scene as the OUA East Division rookie of the year in 2021, but as an encore, the dynamic forward proved to be the most dangerous offensive player in the conference and country.

The management student from Acton Vale, Que. led both the provincial and national cohorts in scoring with 18 regular season markers, which put her a staggering seven goals ahead of her next closest OUA competitor. In fact, her individual tally was enough to outscore a total of 28 teams across the country this season. In all, Provost led the province in total points with 21, while finishing second in game-winning goals (4) as well, becoming the third straight divisional MVP from the Garnet and Grey.

As a cherry on top of her individual success, Provost also etched a new record into the program's history books, as she bested Mikayla Morton's previous season-high mark of 17 goals to become the Gee-Gees new leader in single-season scoring.

Most Valuable Player (West) – Jotam Chouhan, York Lions



A senior member of the York Lions collects the West Division's top prize as the 2022 OUA MVP.

Jotam Chouhan, a Caledon, Ont. local studying kinesiology and health science, was a persistent presence in the York game plan this season, putting pressure on her opponents like few others in the conference could. The senior midfielder peppered her opponents with shots, finishing tied for fourth in the OUA with 38 on the year.

She was rewarded on five occasions with goals for her Lions squad, including one marker that went down as the game winner in a late-season victory over Wilfrid Laurier. Her most productive stretch, however, came against a tough Guelph squad to close out their September schedule, wherein the all-star player netted three goals in two games.

The recognition marks the first for Chouhan in her varsity career, but she does become the ninth member of the Lions program to claim MVP honours for her team.

Rookie of the Year (East) – Seema Sakran, Queen's Gaels



Making a splash in her first season, Queen's Seema Sakran is the 2022 OUA East Division rookie of the year.

It is no small feat to join the reigning provincial champions in your foray to the varsity stage, but Sakran did just that as a rookie for the Tricolour. The kinesiology student wasn't just a standout amongst her teammates; however, as she also was among the league's best when it came to scoring. The Barrie, Ont. product finished tied for fifth with nine goals on the year, while checking in one spot lower with her 12 points. Two of the individuals ahead of her in those ranks were her teammates and fellow all-stars, Cecilia Way and Jenna Matsukubo, demonstrating that the first-year midfielder fit right in for the undefeated Gaels.

Sakran becomes the eighth Queen's player to earn the accolade and the first since 2019, when Way was awarded the division's top rookie honour.

Rookie of the Year (West) – Nia Fleming-Thompson, York Lions



What a debut for Nia Fleming-Thompson, the 2022 OUA West Division rookie of the year.

Fleming-Thompson wasted no time in making her mark amongst her York teammates and the conference as a whole. After being held off the scoresheet in her opening two matches, the Mississauga, Ont. native found the back of the net in all but three of her team's remaining 10 games that followed. She produced two multi-goal games for York during that stretch, including a brace in her team's 2-1 win over Brock on the final weekend of play.

The fantastic forward found herself atop the Lions leaderboard in goals (nine) and shots on goal (38), while ranking in the top five across the conference in both stats as well. These debut numbers also earned Fleming-Thompson a spot as a first team all-star. 

The liberal arts and professional studies student becomes the sixth York player to win the award and the first since fellow 2022 all-star Kalifornia Mitchell did so in 2018.

Coach of the Year (East) – Dave McDowell, Queen's Gaels



With an OUA banner in tow and aspirations of a repeat intact, Dave McDowell takes home the 2022 OUA East Division coach of the year honour.

On the heels of an impressive season that ended provincially with a banner in hand, the Queen's Gaels entered the 2022 campaign with high standards for another championship push. With guidance from one of the most decorated coaches in the game, the Kingston squad lived up to those lofty goals through the regular season with an undefeated 9-0-3 mark therein.

The long-time bench boss, now in his 34th season with Queen's, led his team to a first-place finish in the competitive East Division, while seeing his squad lead the OUA offensively with 58 goals and sit second defensively with just six goals surrendered.

The accolade marks the eighth time McDowell takes home OUA coach of the year recognition.

Coach of the Year (West) – Martin Painter, Western Mustangs



A masterpiece season for Martin Painter earns the Western bench boss the 2022 OUA West Division coach of the year honour.

Serving double duty for the Mustangs soccer programs – also coaching the men's team – Painter helped the Western women's contingent produce a potent campaign. The London squad topped the West Division standings with a record of 9-2-1 and was a consistent part of the nation's top-10 ranks. The reigning OUA finalists would finish the season with 29 goals scored (6th in OUA) compared to just 10 against, and were able to do a lot of damage off of their passing proficiency, ranking fourth with 18 assists as well.

This year's successful stretch is nothing new for the London, Ont. native. Since becoming head coach for Western in 2012, Painter has led the Mustangs to five division titles, nine consecutive playoff appearances, and five silver medal finishes on the conference stage, including the most recent in 2021.

This marks the third time, meanwhile, that Painter has been tabbed as the division's top coach – seventh overall for the Western program – with his other wins coming in 2013 and 2017, respectively.

Community Service-Award (East) – Nat Collicutt, Laurentian Voyageurs; Chloe Doherty, Carleton Ravens



Not one, but two East Division standouts have been tabbed as community service award recipients for the 2022 OUA season thanks to their efforts beyond the field.

Carleton's Chloe Doherty, a fourth-year forward from Ottawa, Ont. is a member of Carleton's Varsity Council and plays a central role in coordinating community engagement and outreach opportunities among the varsity student-athletes. Leading the Ravens both on and off the pitch as captain, Doherty is also a key part of the Junior Ravens program, offering young players in the community an opportunity to have fun while developing soccer skills and helping to grow the game in Ottawa.

Like her co-recipient, Laurentian's Nat Collicutt also spends her time giving back to the local youth. The senior midfielder studying radiation therapy has stayed in Sudbury and helped coach young girls in the area. Her efforts therein have made Collicutt be a great role model for those she coaches, helping them develop into great soccer players as well as people.

Collicutt is no stranger to the award, having now earning the recognition two years in a row and becoming the OUA's first two-time recipient of the award. Doherty, meanwhile, is the first Ravens player to earn the community service award.

Community Service-Award (West) – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo Warriors



Giving her all on the pitch and beyond, Waterloo's Alexa Cimermancic has been named the 2022 OUA community service award recipient for the West Division.

Cimermancic has been involved for several years as part of the Youth Connect Program with Adventrue4Change (A4C), a Canadian charitable organization that addresses issues related to poverty and inequity for children, youth, and families.

This year, the second-year striker and the Warriors hosted a number of young girls from A4C at the team's home game against Wilfrid Laurier. During the pre-game festivities therein, the participants got to walk out with the starting lineup and stand at centerfield for the national anthem, while at halftime, the girls also participated in a shootout competition for fun. The biomedical science major from Kitchener, Ont., who was also named a second team all-star this season, continues to be a terrific role model for these young girls.

The complete list of 2022 OUA women's soccer award winners and all-stars is as follows:

Most Valuable Player (East) – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Most Valuable Player (West) – Jotam Chouhan, York Lions
Rookie of the Year (East) – Seema Sakran, Queen's Gaels
Rookie of the Year (West) – Nia Fleming-Thompson, York Lions
Coach of the Year (East) – Dave McDowell, Queen's Gaels
Coach of the Year (West) – Martin Painter, Western Mustangs
Community Service-Award (East) – Nat Collicutt, Laurentian Voyageurs; Chloe Doherty, Carleton Ravens
Community Service-Award (West) – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo Warriors

First Team All-Stars (East)
Goalkeeper – Brenna Habinski, RMC
Defender – Sophie Miranda, Queen's
Defender – Adriane Devlin, Ottawa
Defender – Hannah Chown, Toronto
Defender – Rylee Traicoff, Nipissing
Midfielder – Tori Chia, Queen's
Midfielder – Karly Hellstrom, Toronto
Midfielder – Katherine Delev, Ottawa
Striker – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa
Striker – Jenna Matsukubo, Queen's
Striker – Cassidy Brooks, Nipissing

First Team All-Stars (West)
Goalkeeper – Lauren Gellner, Windsor
Defender – Avarie Thomas, Western
Defender – Bianca Jack, York
Defender – Makenna Williamson, Brock
Defender – Kat Campana, Windsor
Midfielder – Jotam Chouhan, York
Midfielder – Cloey Uddenberg, Guelph
Midfielder – Medina Birani, Western
Striker – Nia Fleming-Thompson, York
Striker – Olivia Brown, Guelph
Striker – Mackenzie Bilotta, Western

Second Team All-Stars (East)
Goalkeeper – Chloe Lachance-Soulard, Carleton
Defender – Elodie Sylvain, Carleton
Defender – Kayla Kyle, Ottawa
Defender – Kendra Couto, Queen's
Midfielder – Jennifer Milligan, Nipissing
Midfielder – Seema Sakran, Queen's
Midfielder – Soumaya Bouak, Ottawa
Midfielder – Chloe Doiron, Carleton
Striker – Lindsay Bosveld, Toronto
Striker – Ivymae Perez, TMU
Striker – Cecilia Way, Queen's

Second-Team All-Stars (West)
Goalkeeper – Alexandra Mudie, McMaster
Defender – Maya Lankin, Western
Defender – Bryanna Caldwell, McMaster
Defender – Giuliana Paolella, York
Midfielder – Hope Windebank, Wilfrid Laurier
Midfielder – Kalifornia Mitchell, York
Midfielder – Grace Melick, Windsor
Midfielder – Sydney VanderHoef, Guelph
Striker – Kailyn Robertson, Windsor
Striker – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo
Striker – Christina Gomes, Guelph