Siqueira & Goveia named Lancer Athletes of the Year
Lancer standouts Gustavo Siqueira and Isabella Goveia were awarded the Olympic and Banner Shields as the University of Windsor Athletes of the Year at the Windsor Lancers annual Evening of Excellence Wednesday at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts.
It was a sensational senior year on the court for Gustavo as he elevated his game to another level to solidify his place as one of the top hitters in the entire country.
Named an OUA first-team all-star, Gustavo ranked third in the OUA and fifth in U SPORTS with 3.63 kills per set, while also finishing fifth in the OUA in hitting percentage. He consistently provided offensive firepower for the Lancers as they finished the season with an all-time best 18-2 record and a spot in their second consecutive Forsyth Cup berth.
At home at the National Championships, Gustavo had a massive weekend, putting up 40 kills across three matches. He was named a U SPORTS championship tournament all-star, the first in program history as the Lancers earned their best-ever national tournament finish.
It was a truly an incredible year for Isabella as she established herself as one of the premier distance runners in the country.
At the OUA provincial championships, she captured a gold medal, two silvers, and a bronze in what was an incredible individual performance. At the U SPORTS national championships, she took it to another level, as she won two national gold medals and two bronze medals, and was a key contributor to the Lancer Women’s national bronze medal finish.
Isabella etched her name in the Lancer history books this year as she broke two all-time school records in the 600m and 1000m.
She broke the 1000m school record twice, which was previously held by Lancer great Melissa Bishop, first breaking the record at the Can Am Invitational and then breaking her own record again at the U SPORTS championships.
The DeMarco Awards, presented annually to the top female and male students that best combine academic achievement with athletic prowess, went to Ethan John from football and to Kali Grootenboer from the women’s basketball team.
The Eddi Chittaro Assistant Coach of the Year award went to Sydney Pattison from cross country and Jimmy El-Turk from men’s volleyball, while the University of Windsor Gino Fracas Coach of the Year Award was presented to Kevin Hamlin from men’s hockey.
Lancer men’s hockey had a tremendous season under Coach Hamlin, as he led his team to a first-place finish in the OUA West Division, an OUA Silver medal and a fourth place at the U SPORTS championships.
In the regular season, the Blue and Gold finished with an 18-7-3 record, clinching first place in the OUA West division and a top 10 ranking in Canada. The Lancers swept their way past Guelph and TMU in the playoffs en route to hosting the Queen’s Cup for the second time in four years.
At nationals, the Lancers beat Mount Royal in the quarterfinals to earn their first National semi-final berth in the current tournament format. The team would end up with a fourth-place finish in Canada this season.
The Captain’s Trophy, awarded to a male and female captain who demonstrate outstanding leadership both on and off the field while also making a significant contribution to the overall success of their team, went to Joelle Olla from cross country, and Matt McNamara from men’s hockey.
The female rookie of the year award went to Lerissa Stevenson from women’s hockey, while Colton Smith from men’s hockey won the male rookie of the year. Both recipients had outstanding rookie campaigns.
The Super Sophomore awards were presented to Ella Heredi from track & field, and Tristen Miscia from track & field.
The “A” Award, marking major contributions to Lancer Athletics, went to Justin Kelly-Boxe and Marian Doll. This year’s Richard Peddie Award was presented to Sandra Ondracka, while the Moriarty academic team of the year was presented to the women’s volleyball team, and the IG Cup was awarded to men’s hockey.