KELOWNA, B.C. — UBC Okanagan hosted the 10th annual Heat Athletics Awards Banquet at the Coast Capri Hotel Tuesday night in Kelowna. The 2017/18 season’s standout performers were honoured as a range of awards, both academic and athletic, were given out throughout an evening that highlighted the campus’ vibrant student athlete community.

Hosted at a familiar locale, the grand ballroom of the Coast Capri Hotel played host to the event once again, as the room was filled to capacity with close to 250 student-athletes celebrated the achievements of their friends, teammates and fellow Heat athletes.

At the end of the night, the Outstanding Athlete of the Year was nearly a repeat performance of last year as both Veronika Fagan and Mitch McCaw followed up with a second straight award. On the men’s side McCaw shared his award with golfer James Casorso, the first time that award had been shared on the men’s side.

The women’s award has been shared twice before, back in 2012-13 Jen Woods and Roz Huber a golfer and basketball player shared the school’s top athletic achievement. In 2004-05 volleyball teammates Hailey Bauer and Jackie Wong shared the award.

Sharing an award spread to the Graduating Athlete of the Year on the women’s side as teammates Siobhan Fitzpatrick and Michelle Jakszuk shared the end of career honour.

Lars Bornemann, the fifth year captain of the men’s volleyball team needs to add a shelf or two to his award cabinet as the all-time UBC Okanagan’s kill maker took home three of the six major awards. More amazingly three of the four awards he could actually win – Lars was not eligible as Rookie of the Year and Single Semester Provost Award.

The student MC’s from the women’s soccer team, Cassie Bratton and Francesca Balletta, kept the night light and moving along and the two put the coaching staff on notice that they may be ready for coaching positions one day as they ‘coached’ the crowd on when to ‘clap’, ‘laugh’, and ‘awww’ on command with appropriate signage.

The over 25 graduating athletes were given a chance to speak and once again those that stepped up and added to the night did a great job on capturing how special and fats the time is while you are here competing for the Heat. Notably all of the graduates to speak made reference on how they now have a ‘Heat family’ and two women’s rugby players really connected with the room when speaking. Hayley Fiebelkorn explained that “Sport is so much more then winning and glory, even though that may be why you came to university,” Hayley finished saying “She came here for the winning but will leave with a family.”

Her teammate Lauren Klassen expended on Hayley’s word adding that the experience and the Heat family that she found here at UBC Okanagan makes her proud to say to anybody that will listen that she went to UBCO and played here.

Women soccer’s Emma Nelsen sent in a video message while her teammate’s Cassie Bratton and Susan Traynor addressed their peers. Darrell Plantz was the lone male speaker on the night as the long time member of the men’s soccer team closed the speeches.

Lars Bornemann’s win of the Male Student Athlete of the Year award was his third straight, while Siobhan Fitzpatrick took home the award on the women’s side won her second straight.

The rookies of the year were swept by the two indoor teams as Caleb Funk, men’s volleyball, and Kate Johnson, women’s basketball, took home the awards for their respective genders.

Female Award Winners for the 10th Annual Athletics Awards Banquet

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Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year  – Veronika Fagan (Cross Country)

Fagan becomes just the fourth athlete in the schools history to win the award in back-to-back years thanks to an individual national title at the CCAA Championship along with a team bronze medal. The CCAA All-Canadian won three of the four races on the season and was able to set a course record in all three of her wins this season. Fagan was also named the CCAA Women’s Runner of the Week for November 8th and November 15th thanks to her strong finish to the season.

 

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Student Athlete of the Year – Siobhan Fitzpatrick (Volleyball)

The fourth year outside hitter led the way for the Heat volleyball team both on and off the court this season as the Kelowna product finished the year with a top ranked average in the Science program as well as lead her team to the USPORTS National Championship. This marks the second straight season that Fitzpatrick has won the award thanks t0 246 kills and 224 during the Canada West season.

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Graduating Player of the Year –

Michelle Jakszuk & Siobhan Fitzpatrick (Volleyball)

Both Jakszuk and Fitzpatrick have had nothing but success since joining the Heat volleyball program at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. The two have made the Canada West playoffs in every season they’ve been with the team including a national bronze medal during the 2015-16 season. Jakszuk finished her Heat career with 584 kills along with 502 digs and 200 total blocks and was named a second-team all-star in the Canada West this season. Fitzpatrick has been the definition of a student-athlete throughout her time with the Heat as she has been named an academic All-Canadian in every season and is a two-time Female Student Athlete of the Year. On the court the Kelowna product finished with over 500 kills in her career (548) along with just under 500 digs (472).

 

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Rookie of the Year – Kate Johnson (Basketball)

The point guard finished the season averaging a team-high 2.1 assists per contest and ranked second on the team in steals per game. One of the fastest players in the entire conference, Johnson would be a lockdown defender all season for the team as she was tasked with guarding the opponents best player most the time.

 

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Provost Award for Excellence (one semester) – Rachel Garrett (Cross Country)

Garrett put her work ethic on display throughout the year in the classroom as she thrived in the human kinetics program leading to one of the highest averages in the faculty. The third year student also was a member of the travelling team that captured a bronze medal at the CCAA National Championship in November.

 

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Provost Award for Excellence (two semester) – Skye Thompson (Volleyball)

The 2016-17 academic All-Canadian continued her success in the science program this year as she finished with an average in the 90’s. One of the hardest working students around, Thompson did a great job balancing her studies along with being apart of the Heat volleyball program that made the National Championship.

Male Award Winners for the 10th Annual Athletics Awards Banquet

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Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year – Mitch McCaw (Soccer) & James Casorso (Golf)

McCaw becomes the first male in the schools history to win the award in back-to-back years. The netminder would lead the conference in save percentage (.877) and finish second in goals against average (.64) but perhaps the most impressive stat of the season was that he did not allow a goal for 685 minutes which set a new Canada West record.

Casorso led the way for the Heat golf team this season as his individual silver medal performance at the CCAA National Championship helped propel the team to their first national medal ever on the mens side. The 2016-17 All-Canadian would finish with a scoring average of 72.50 for the 2017-18 season which helped him also earn a PACWEST individual bronze medal.

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Student Athlete of the Year – Lars Bornemann (Volleyball)
The fifth year engineering student won the award for the third consecutive season thanks to his superb play on the court along with his Dean’s list academic average in the classroom. The outside hitter was named a second team all-star in the Canada West thanks to a career-high 339 kills on the seasons along with 136 digs and 20 service aces. Bornemann has consistently been a pillar of the UBCO community within and outside of his commitments to the volleyball program.

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Graduating Player of the Year – Lars Bornemann (Volleyball)

The most prolific hitter in Heat volleyball history, Bornemann finished his Heat career with a school-record 1275 kills during his five year run with the team along with 591 digs and 87 service aces. The Victoria product has also been a model student-athlete throughout his career with UBCO as he has been named an academic All-Canadian during every season with the Heat along with being a three-time winner of the UBC Okanagan Male Student Athlete of the Year.

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Rookie of the Year – Caleb Funk (Volleyball)

The 6’7″ middle was named to the Canada West All-Rookie team thanks to his superb play throughout the season for the Heat. The Strathmore, AB product played in every single conference match and led the team in all blocking categories along with having 81 kills to lead all rookies on the Heat.

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Provost Award for Excellence (one semester) – Cole Kingzett (Soccer)

Its the second straight year that the fourth year science student has captured the award thanks to his hard work in the classroom that led to one of the top ranked averages in his program. On the field, Kingzett started 12 of 15 ganes for the Heat tallying one goal and one assists.

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Provost Award for Excellence (two semester) – Lars Bornemann (Volleyball)

After being a finalist for this award the last three years, the fifth year engineering student was able to finally capture the Provost award thanks to his hard work in the classroom that led to the highest average among male athletes over two semesters.

Departing Student Athlete Appreciation

Conference Recognition

National Recognition

UBC Okanagan Academic Awards

UBC Okanagan Athletic Awards