TRU Athletic Awards handed out virtually

Complete details from Sports Information Officer Larry Read below:

KAMLOOPS, BC—A volleyball and soccer player are taking home the top honors as the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack honored their athletes for 2019-20 on Thursday night (Apr 2).

Kendra Finch of women’s volleyball was named the Sports Task Force female athlete of the year. It was one of two awards Finch captured.

Jan Pirretas Glasmacher of men’s soccer was the Sports Task Force male athlete of the year. The third year defender from Barcelona, Spain was a Canada West first team all-star and became the first ever WolfPack player to be drafted professionally when he was chosen by Pacific F.C., third overall in the 2019 Canadian Pro Soccer League draft.

This was the third straight year that Glasmacher was named an all-star following a second team selection in 2018-19 and a rookie team selection in 2017-18. He started in all 16 matches the WolfPack played this regular season notching four goals and one assist. He had 21 shots of which, 11 made it on goal.

John Antulov is the head coach of the TRU men’s soccer team, “This is a well-deserved honor for Jan being awarded Male Athlete of the Year for TRU Athletics. It is a cap to a great season. Every year Jan has gotten better, not just on the field but off the field as well. Being a PACE Leader, Captain of our program, Academic All-Canadian, Leader in the community. It is a pleasure to work with Jan and see him grow as a player and person. He will only continue to grow and help this program to succeed.”

Other athletes considered for the award were basketball player Micheal Rouault (Vernon, BC) and Sam Taylor Parks (Kelowna, BC) of volleyball.

Finch was as Canada West first team and U SPORTS second team all-star. The fifth year outside hitter from North Vancouver, BC was also the Canada West Community Athlete of the Year.

She was fifth in Canada West in overall kills (284), sixth in kills per set (3.16), eighth in digs per set (3.20) and ninth in overall digs (288). She was also 26^th overall in hitting per cent (.197).

Finch ended her Canada West career as fourth all time in career digs with 1271.

Finch’s head coach with the Pack volleyball team is Chad Grimm. “ Kendra has improved each and every season while at TRU and has grown from her role as a libero at the beginning of her career to one of the most effective attackers in our league”, he says. “ This evolution did not come about without a lot of hard work and Kendra’s desire to be the best at whatever she does. Being selected a first team Canada West All Star and second team All Canadian was well deserved and a great way for Kendra to cap her five year career here at TRU.”

Other finalists for the Sports Task Force female athlete of the year were Leilani Carney (Burnaby, BC) of basketball and cheerleading’s Lily Moran (White Rock, BC).

Finch also garnered the Cliff Neufeld Leadership Athlete of the Year. This was the second straight year that she has been awarded this honor.

Finch has not only been an multi year USPORTS Academic All Canadian, but she also has led her team on the court and has been instrumental in many community initiatives. Some of those were with the team but mostly on her own.

Coach Grimm commented, “Although we will miss Kendra’s on court contributions as an all-star caliber player, her contributions as a leader cannot be replaced. Kendra came into our program as someone who wanted to help change the culture of our team and help us reach new heights in all aspects that make up university athletics. She did this by being a high achiever in the classroom as an academic all Canadian, on the court as an Academic All-Canadian player, and a role model by volunteering with the ESTR program (3 hours a week for the past two years), wellness center (seven hours a week over the last three years) and captain’s council. Kendra was a selfless contributor to our team and TRU as an institution and I couldn’t be more proud of the person she has become throughout her five year career.”

The last two seasons, Finch has taken the lead on the volleyball programs #I Believe You campaign surrounding awareness and support of sexualized violence. That initiative includes not only an ‘awareness’ night but also the production of a public service announcement which is run on social media and WolfPack webcasts. She has also been a volunteer coach with the Kamloops Volleyball Association the last four seasons.

Other finalists for the Neufeld Leadership athlete of the year were: Natalie Verdiel (Powell River, BC) of soccer and Zoe Painter (Whitehorse YT) of cross country on the women’s side. Pirretas and Taylor Parks were the finalists for the men’s honor.

Basketball player Micheal Rouault (Vernon, BC) was a double award recipient as well. The fifth year guard captured the Neufeld Leadership Award for a third consecutive year. He ended his university career by capturing not only the Canada West community athlete of the year for his sport but also took the prestigious Ken Shields Trophy at the USPORTS Level. The soon-to-be five time U SPORTS Academic All Canadian was sixth in Canada West in total rebounds (177) and defensive rebounds (6.4), seventh in rebounds per game (8.8), 10^th in offensive rebounds (2.5), 13^th in both steals (1.6 per game) and blocks (0.7) per game, 19^th in Canada West in field goal per cent (49.5), 25^th in assists (2.9 per game) and 27^th in points per game (13.7).

He is also one of the leaders of the WolfPack’s PACE program which is designed to help student athletes with their studies.

“Mike excelled in all areas (athletics, academics and community work,” says his coach Scott Clark. “ I think he always enjoyed the process of working hard in the classroom, the gym and in practice. He also enjoyed whatever community event he was a part of. He fully embraced the philosophy that the process was as rewarding at the goal. I think he benefited from the players that came before him (citing the approach taken by alumna Gerard Gore, Brett Parker and Mike’s brother Brett). He looked at the help of the other players, the coaching staff and the athletic department and then took it upon himself to take those tools and reach his goals. “

Clark adds, “He truly became someone who is one of the pillars of our program moving forward.”

Rouault was the male recipient of the Dr. Roger H. Barnsley Scholar Athlete award for 2019-20. It’s his second straight Barnsley Award.

“Mike was a great student his entire career,” said Coach Clark. “He was always above the “A” level. His approach that the process not the outcome was his main focus was always evident. It’s not about the achievement for Micheal. It’s his enjoyment of learning and the competition that goes with getting good grades in school. He is very deserving of these awards.

The female winner of the Barnsley Scholar Athlete is women’s volleyball player Olga Savenchuk (2^nd year, Donetsk, Ukraine).

Savenchuk’s head coach is Chad Grimm, “Being in the MBA program has proved challenging for Olga, but her outstanding work ethic allowed her to achieve great success both in the classroom and on the court. I know Olga puts in more time than any other student athlete I have come across in order to be successful in all facets of her life and this professional approach provides a great standard of commitment for our team.”

Other finalists for the prestigious Barnsley Scholar/Athlete of the year award were swimming’s Ryley McRae (Kamloops, BC) and Kyle Behiels (Edmonton, AB) of volleyball on the men’s side. Gwen Freeze (Kamloops, BC) of women’s soccer and Emma Piggin (Kamloops, BC) were the other finalists for the women’s award.

Two International volleyball players were honored as the ‘Newcomers of the Year for 2019-20. Nimo Benne (outside hitter, Castricum, Netherlands) was the male winner. Benne was not only a U SPORTS All Rookie team selection but was also the Canada West Rookie of the Year and named to the Canada West All-Rookie team. He won the award over basketball’s Rojhae Colbert (Phoenix, AZ) and Denzel Marican (Kamloops, BC) of soccer.

Says Benne’s head coach Pat Hennelly, “Very pleased that Nimo has been awarded another award for an excellent first year with the WolfPack. Nimo is a testament to our international recruitment and support from the department. TRU World and Curtis have worked very hard to support these athletes and Nimo epitomizes the type of athlete we are looking to add to WolfPack Athletics. Nimo was excellent on the court and in the classroom. “

Ksenya Kociygit (middle, Byaroza, Belarus) was the female newcomer of the year. Kocyigit was chosen to be on the Canada West Second All-Star team after being fourth in hitting per cent (.318). She was 22^nd in service aces per set (0.39), 27^th in kills (177),34^th in kills per set (2.03) and 42^nd in assists per set (0.25).

She also had the fifth most blocks in a single match this year when she recorded nine against the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver, BC on November 22, 2019. That match went four sets.

Kociygit’s coach Chad Grimm remarked, “ Kseniya was a great addition to our group this season. She was able to use her experience and passion for the game to help push our team to the next level of competitiveness. I know Kseniya sacrificed a lot in regards to her family in order to help our team each and every weekend and we are grateful for her commitment to our group.”

Others considered for the award were soccer’s Rylee Mugridge (Maple Ridge, BC) and basketball’s Jordin Wilkinson (North Battleford, SK).

The “Director’s Award”, which goes to an athletes who has left a mark in their five years as an athlete, in the community and in the classroom was awarded to women’s soccer co-captain Verdiel.

Thompson Rivers Athletics and Recreation director Curtis Atkinson noted, “Natalie has been an important part of her team for five years and has taken on more-and-more responsibility for the department throughout her career as a WolfPack athlete. As a highly respected member of the program, Natalie is a valued voice within her team, at the Captain’s Council table, and with other athletic department initiatives. Within her team, Natalie has provided valuable veteran leadership and is one of the key leaders in organizing meaningful volunteer work that contributes so positively to our community. I am very appreciative to Natalie for the leadership she has shown and for her many contributions to the WolfPack and am pleased to be able to recognize her in this way.”

Outgoing Cross-Country Coach Carmin Mazzotta was a double winner. He was honored with the “Tyler Lowey Comeback Award” and was given the TRU WolfPack ‘Appreciation Award.” Again here is Atkinson, “For the last five years, TRU has benefitted immensely from Carmin’s passion, expertise, and incredible dedication to student-athletes. He has devoted countless hours – far above and beyond all expectations – to making our program and student-athletes better. He is a tremendous role model and has represented TRU and the WolfPack so well. Carmin is universally respected and appreciated throughout the community and our department. His commitment to our program, the professionalism he has shown, and the courage and grace he has shown during times of adversity are all things we can learn from. I am so appreciative of Carmin and all that he has meant to our program.”

The fifth-year speech was delivered by Joe Davis (Kamloops, BC) of men’s basketball.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WolfPack moved their annual athletic awards to social media. They were handed out via the school’s website, You Tube and Facebook Platforms.

The webcast ended with a pictorial tribute to the WolfPack’s fifth year and graduating players who were: Justin Donaldson (Kamloops, BC) and Adam Swanson (North Vancouver, BC) from men’s soccer. Taylor Miller (Kamloops, BC), Marisa Mendonca (Penticton, BC) and Verdiel from women’s soccer. Zoe Painter (Whitehorse, YT) of cross country, Minnah Hanrahan and Hallie Sparling (both Calgary, AB) of cheerleading. Anton Bilous (Cerkassy,Ukraine), Kyrin Cybenko (Saskatoon, SK) Rouault and Davis of men’s basketball, Emma Piggin (Kamloops, BC) and Leilani Carney (Burnaby, BC) of women’s basketball. Men’s volleyball players Sam Taylor Parks (Kelowna, BC), Kyle Behiels (Edmonton, AB), Josh Mullaney (Calgary, AB) and Charlie Bringloe (Waterloo, ON). Finch of women’s volleyball and baseball players Zac Comeault (Maple Ridge, BC), Tyler Hodder and Josh Iannetti (both Fort McMurray, AB) along with Bryant Jameus and Connor McKenzie (both Kamloops, BC).

by Doug Collins

TRU Athletic Awards handed out virtually

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