Rick Nickelchok, Director of Athletics, is pleased to announce the major award recipients for the 2010-11 school year at the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades Athletic Banquet. Lyndsay Munro, a fifth year veteran soccer player, from Maple Ridge, BC and Mitch Lock, a fourth year golfer from Mission, BC were named the Cascades Athletes of the Year for stellar performances leading their respective teams to both conference and national medals. Sarah Wierks, a first year women’s basketball player from Chilliwack, BC and Ravi Singh, a rookie defender on the men’s soccer team from Abbotsford, BC are the UFV Cascades Rookies of the Year. Alexa McCarthy, a second year member of the women’s basketball program from Chilliwack, BC was awarded the UFV Cascades Community Service Award.
Lyndsay Munro , an original member of the UFV Cascades women’s soccer team when they became a member of Canada West and the CIS led the Cascades on a miracle run winning seven of the last ten games including a win and tie against rival Trinity Western University and a sweep of UBC. The History major led UFV into the playoffs with the team’s first winning record at 8-5-1 and was named “Player of the Match” in both Cascade post season victories at the Canada West “Final Four” tournament. During the Canada West Championships, Munro was asked to guide the young defense and take on several of the top strikers in the country as UFV defeated TWU, in Penalty Kicks, 3-2 and shutout UBC, 2-0, in the championship match. Munro was outstanding at the 2010 Canadian Interuniversity Sport women’s soccer national championship tournament helping UFV earn the school’s first ever national medal, a bronze medal, as they defeated the University of Montreal Carabins, 3-2, on penalty kicks. The Cascades post season run was a stellar 4-1 record to finish the season 12-6-1 overall.
“I started my university soccer career at UFV during its first year in the CIS, when we were at the bottom of the league and nobody knew who we were, and I ended my university soccer career as a Canada West Champion and part of the 3rd best CIS women’s soccer team in all of Canada. Not many people who decide to play for a team during their building years get to experience the fruits of their labor. I feel incredibly blessed to have been one of those people,” said Munro
Mitch Lock , a General Studies major, was instrumental in the UFV Cascades men’s golf team earning the 2010 BCCAA Silver Medal (provincially) and the 2010 CCAA Silver medal (nationally) as he was named the 2010 BCCAA Male Golfer of the Year. Lock finished second overall with a BCCAA four-tournament total of 548, one stroke behind the individual champion, Kyle Moody, Capilano University, with 547. He led the team in three of the four golf tournaments as they missed winning their third straight BCCAA title by two strokes to Vancouver Island University.
“Mitch has worked really hard this year and it’s great to see his efforts paying off and being recognized. I am really proud of the progress he has made in his 4 years at UFV both as a player and as a team leader. He is a first-class individual and there couldn’t be a more deserving recipient of this award,” said Bertram.
UFV Cascades Rookies of the Year
Sarah Wierks was named to the 2011 CIS All-Canadian All-Rookie team. She becomes the first UFV Cascade women’s basketball student-athlete to be honored with an All-Canadian award in the five year association UFV women’s basketball has had with the CIS.
The Science Studies major played in 27 of the 29 Canada West and CIS regular and post season games this year. Wierks averaged 10.3 points per game while scoring 277 points. The Chilliwack Secondary graduate pulled down a total of 237 boards for an 8.8 rebound per game average. Sarah averaged 26.6 minutes per game where her dominance in the middle of the court showed as UFV improved from 2-16 the previous year to 12-12 good for 7 th place overall in Canada West and a post season berth.
Wierks was outstanding in the post season helping UFV sweep the University of Winnipeg Wesmen in two straight to earn a berth in both the Canada West “Final Four” and earn a berth in the CIS inaugural Regional National Championships tournaments. Wierks was “Player of the Game” against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, in UFV’s 78-69 loss at the CIS East Regional Championship. Wierks scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the game
“I am very proud of Sarah’s accomplishments this year. I am very happy she was recognized for all her hard work on the court,” said UFV Head Coach Al Tuchscherer. Talking about his All-Canadian, a graduate of the Junior Cascades Basketball program, which Tuchscherer is the founder and coordinator.
Ravi Singh , a rookie defender, won a spot on the team in training camp then the Kinesiology major worked his way into the starting line up early in the Canada West regular season and became a mainstay in the men’s soccer defense. Often called upon to mark some of the CIS’ top scorers from rival Canada West schools, Singh played 90 minutes each night and helped the Cascades win four league matches.
“I am very proud of Ravi, he has worked hard and is deserving of the recognition as one of our top student-athletes for next season’” said UFV Head Coach Alan Errington. “I would like to thank the selection committee choosing a defender is hard it does not always have the numbers associated with an award of this caliber.”
McCarthy earns UFV Cascades Community Service Award
Alexa McCarthy is active in several community service initiatives and takes on a key leadership role in this area of the Cascades women’s basketball program. Although her role athletically has been limited due to injury, she is a significant contributor and leader in every area of our team.
For the past two years McCarthy has been participating in the Fraser Valley’s chapter of the ’Operation Red Nose’ program. From mid-November, leading up to Christmas, volunteers transport people from Christmas parties who have had too much Christmas spirit to drive themselves home. This year Alexa once again volunteered for the entire Christmas season and also recruited her teammates to volunteer their time for a weekend in December. Alexa organized a campus wide food drive for the Abbotsford food bank centred around all of UFV’s athletic events in November and December. She has grown this project over the past 3 years. The drive has produced several hundred pounds of food annually as well as cash donations.
She volunteers her time at Menno House (senior’s home in Abbotsford) where she leads resistant band classes for the residence once a week. She also spends time visiting residence, doing a variety of projects with them. This is a year-around commitment, where she spends 2 hours a week.
The past two years Alexa has led our Shoot for the Cure drive at UFV. The Kinesiology major does the majority of the ground work, organization, recruitment of helpers and guest speakers. She markets the event around campus, community and has been the major reason UFV have been able to increase our contribution to this cause in the three years she has been at UFV.
“I am very proud of Alexa’s contributions to our program and the community. She is a true student-athlete playing, practicing, studying and contributing to the needs of others without asking for anything in return. Alexa is a role model for our program,” said UFV Head Coach Al Tuchscherer.
2011 UFV Team Most Valuable Players
Basketball:
(M) Joel Friesen
(W) Tessa Klassen
Golf:
(M) Mitch Lock
Rowing:
(M)Spencer Landsiedel
(W) Courtenay Landsiedel
Soccer:
(M) Josh Atebe
(W) Lyndsay Munro
Volleyball:
(M) Aaron Flanagan
(W) Kayla Bruce
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