Provost, Gomes score top conference honours following starring seasons on the pitch
Burlington, Ont. – Continued success from standout players has sparked top recognition amongst their conference peers. Three-time major award winner, Ottawa’s Cassandra Provost, and back-to-back all-star, Guelph’s Christina Gomes, powered their way to most valuable player honours in their respective divisions, headlining the award winners and all-stars from the 2023 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women’s soccer season.
Most Valuable Player (East) – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa
It was a repeat performance from Cassandra Provost for the 2023 campaign, as for a second straight season, the Ottawa standout earns the OUA East most valuable player nod.
Provost was the OUA’s leader in both goals and points this season. Her astounding 23 goals in 12 games established a new Gee-Gees record and ranked second on the national stage. Anchoring those lofty offensive numbers were eight multi-goal games for Ottawa, which twice included four-goal efforts. The third-year management student’s ability to finish in all situations makes her one of the game’s elite goal-scorer and has made her nearly impossible to stop. The Acton Vale, Que/. product also added three assists to finish with 26 points on the year, which also marked a new record for the Garnet and Grey.
Now through her third varsity season, Provost has earned major awards in all of them. Following her rookie of the year nod in 2021, Provost has now become the second Gee-Gee to repeat as player of the year and is the fourth-straight MVP recipient from the Ottawa program.
Most Valuable Player (West) – Christina Gomes, Guelph
Christina Gomes proved to be a key piece to the Guelph Gryphons triumphant campaign in 2023, and for her efforts, has been named the OUA West player of the year.
The fantastic forward stepped up multiple times for Guelph throughout their eight-win campaign, netting five goals and one assist on the year. Of her five tallies, the Bradford, Ont. product had three of them go for game winners and one as the game-tying goal, making her a pivotal part of her team’s on-field success. On two instances in back-to-back games with Windsor, the clutch performer prevailed late to earn her side the win, with the game-winning goals coming in the 90th and 80th minute, respectively.
The psychology major is now a two-time all-star, following up on her second-team selection from 2022, and becomes just the second Gryphon to take home the West Division’s MVP honours (Victoria Hinchcliffe, 2018-19).
Rookie of the Year (East) – Leda Naihin, Queen’s
Stepping into a starring role right away, Leda Naihin takes home the East Division’s rookie of the year honour for 2023.
Naihin made her mark on the scoresheet time and time again for the powerhouse Gaels, proving to be an important part of their 10-win season. The first-year kinesiology major finished third on the Tricolour roster with eight goals and 12 points in the team’s 12 contests, helping them to earn a consistent spot toward the top of the national rankings. Not only was she a standout on her own team, but across the conference as well, with those totals also ranking her among the top-10 in the OUA.
Naihin continues a strong tradition of award-winning rookies from Queen’s, checking in with the third such award for the Gaels in the last four seasons.
Rookie of the Year (West) – Ravina Braich, McMaster
Donning the maroon jersey for the first time, Ravina Braich made her mark in a dynamic debut season for McMaster, en route to being named the 2023 OUA West rookie of the year.
The Oakville, Ont. local played in all 12 regular season games for the Marauders and scored two goals, including a game winner, on her 12 recorded shots. Of those total shots, meanwhile, seven were on target. Always a threat on the wing, the first-year integrated biomedical engineering and health sciences major also totaled three assists throughout the season. The constant attention she drew from opposing defenders helped her side space the field and allowed her teammates to thrive as well.
Braich has cemented herself as a key component of the Marauders lineup and will look to build on this strong foray onto the varsity stage in the seasons to come.
Coach of the Year (East) – Dave McDowell, Queen’s
It was another prolific season for the Limestone City squad, and at the helm of the team’s successful campaign was Dave McDowell, the OUA East coach of the year.
The veteran coach led his team to a second-ranked offensive performance on the pitch, notching 52 goals on the season, good for four per game. The team also ranked second in shots per game and third in shot percentage, not only maximizing their opportunities, but capitalizing on them at a consistent clip. Beyond their shining work offensively, they were stout defensively as well, having allowed a league-low three goals on the season. In fact, there were only two games in which the Gaels conceded a goal, as they racked up 10 clean sheets along the way.
McDowell, a multi-time OUA coach of the year, also led six of his student-athletes to all-star status this season, including four staking claims to first-team spots.
Coach of the Year (West) – Garrett Peters, McMaster
In his first season as head coach of the McMaster Marauders, Garrett Peters has been named the2023 OUA West coach of the year.
Peters was able to lead the Marauders to an 8-2-2 regular season record, the team’s winningest performance in five years. Under their rookie head coach’s guidance, McMaster recorded 32 goals for, while only allowing 11 against. The Hamilton squad led the conference in shot percentage (.246) and ranked third in both assists (24) and shots on goal percentage (.754). A former Canada West champion as a student-athlete with the Saskatchewan Huskies in 2014, Peters is no stranger to success on the varsity stage, and he was able to coach five of his players to OUA West all-star honours in his inaugural season, including four first-team selections.
Prior to joining the Marauders, Peters was announced as the new head coach of FC London’s League1 women’s team in September 2022, and he becomes just the third Marauders’ coach to be awarded coach of the year (first since 2010).
Community Service Award (East) – Katrina Pappas, Ontario Tech
Katrina Pappas played a starring role for the Ridgebacks off the pitch this season, demonstrating inspired leadership beyond her role between the pipes to earn the 2023 OUA East Community Service Award.
Pappas is a prominent figure for Ontario Tech and much of that comes from her leadership within the team, the school, and the community. The second-year education student is president of the Ridgebacks Leadership Council, as well as being one of the faces of the Ridgebacks social team. While operating within the latter, Pappas has helped lead and be involved with various initiatives, including Think Pink, campus clean-ups, Operation Christmas Child, and Grandview Visit for Halloween. Beyond that, the goalkeeper from Toronto, Ont. also helped out with Whitby’s LTPD tryouts, is a Whitby FC U10 girls assistant coach, and assists with community camps and clinics.
Pappas’ efforts have also been recognized in other ways, as she has also earned the Dr. Gary Polonsky Leadership Award for outstanding leadership in the pursuit of excellence, as ell as the Nustadia Recreation Award for giving back to the community at the 2023 Ridgebacks Athletic Gala.
Community Service Award (West) – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo
While a valuable contributor to the Waterloo Warriors on the field, OUA West community service award recipient Alexa Cimermancic is just as active and impactful off of it.
The biomedical science major is an avid volunteer for multiple local charities. One such initiative is Adventure 4 Change, a non-profit organization that works to build community and provide opportunities for underprivileged youth, where Cimermancic volunteers as a soccer coach. Her volunteer role with Canadian Blood Services, meanwhile, sees her interact with donors after the donation process and monitor them for any health concerns. Beyond that, the Kitchener, Ont. local also lends her time to the Centre for Community, Clinical, and Applied Research Excellence. She contributes to the STEPS program therein, working with people who are living with strokes and leading them through an individualized fitness workout while monitoring their overall wellbeing.
On the pitch, the now back-to-back recipient of this conference honour also chipped in with three goals for the black and gold.
The complete list of 2023 OUA women’s soccer award winners and all-stars is as follows:
Most Valuable Player (East) – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa
Most Valuable Player (West) – Christina Gomes, Guelph
Rookie of the Year (East) – Leda Naihin, Queen’s
Rookie of the Year (West) – Ravina Braich, McMaster
Coach of the Year (East) – Dave McDowell, Queen’s
Coach of the Year (West) – Garrett Peters, McMaster
Community Service Award (East) – Katrina Pappas, Ontario Tech
Community Service Award (West) – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo
First Team All-Stars
East Division
Goalkeeper – Kirstin Tynan, Queen’s
Defender – Clare Sun, Queen’s
Defender – Maya Smith, Ottawa
Defender – Rylee Traicoff, Nipissing
Midfielder – Kendra Couto, Queen’s
Midfielder – Nibo Dlamini, Ottawa
Midfielder – Jen Milligan, Nipissing
Midfielder – Chloe Doiron, Carleton
Striker – Cassandra Provost, Ottawa
Striker – Leda Naihin, Queen’s
Striker – Cassidy Brooks, Nipissing
West Division
Goalkeeper – Natalie Mouradina, Waterloo
Defender – Avarie Thomas, Western
Defender – Bryanna Caldwell, McMaster
Defender – Katarina Campana, Windsor
Midfielder – Jade Abreo, McMaster
Midfielder – Medina Birani, Western
Midfielder – Ravina Braich, McMaster
Midfielder – Maia Torelli, York
Striker – Kailyn Robertson, Windsor
Striker – Christina Gomes, Guelph
Striker – Alena Spehar, McMaster
Second Team All-Stars
East Division
Goalkeeper – Hunter Jones, Laurentian
Defender – Hannah Chown, Toronto
Defender – Sophie Miranda, Queen’s
Defender – Tia Schaffer, Ontario Tech
Defender – Adriane Devlin, Ottawa
Midfielder – Seema Sakran, Queen’s
Midfielder – Hannah Anderson, Toronto
Midfielder – Tara Sisic, Ontario Tech
Striker – Jenna Matsukubo, Ottawa
Striker – Mikayla Moser, Carleton
Striker – Anne Yeomans, Toronto
West Division
Goalkeeper – Ali Mudie, McMaster
Defender – Jasmine Burke, Guelph
Defender – Maya Lankin, Western
Defender – Brooke Macleod, Windsor
Defender – Grace Tawil, Brock
Midfielder – Elizabeth Elliott, Windsor
Midfielder – Violet Hipkin, Guelph
Midfielder – Reese Fowler, Western
Midfielder – Alexandra Choung, Waterloo
Striker – Alexa Cimermancic, Waterloo
Striker – Sabrina Bisante, Brock
