Student-athletes, coaches, College administrators and supporters gathered at the Centre for Trades, Education and Innovation on Thursday, April 25 to celebrate the achievements of the Camosun Chargers at the college’s milestone 25th Annual Athletic Awards Ceremony.
Chargers Men’s Volleyball left-side hitter and second-year Bachelor of Business Administration Accounting student, Graham Basi, earned the prestigious President’s Cup for his outstanding academic and athletic achievements over the 2018-19 season.
Basi maintained an academic honours standing over the past two years as a Charger and achieved the highest grade point average among his fellow student-athletes this past Fall. He was named to the Dean’s Honour Roll in his first year with the program and earned a PACWEST Academic Excellence award through his scholarly efforts in 2018-19. Having advanced from red-shirt status to the role of a recurring starter, Basi helped the Chargers men’s volleyball team to its’ fifth consecutive gold medal match at this year’s PACWEST Provincial Championships.
Upon receiving the award, Basi remarked, “It’s a great feeling to be recognized for all the work you put in, but it’s really a reflection of what everyone does for you… all the coaches, our parents, and all the other people who are involved in the Chargers program!”
Presenting Basi with the award was Camosun College President Sherri Bell. “I am continually impressed by the incredible achievements that our student-athletes like Graham Basi have made,” she stated. “Camosun is extremely proud of all the accomplishments the Chargers have made over the past 25 years and we will continue to provide our student-athletes with the skills, knowledge and leadership experience needed to help them in their journey forward.”
The Derek Twomey Scholarship for Sport was awarded to fifth-year Chargers men’s volleyball graduating player and team co-captain, Douglass Waterman. Over his five years with the Chargers, Waterman helped the team to its’ first-ever CCAA National volleyball title, as well as four consecutive PACWEST Provincial Championship titles and a PACWEST silver medal. The veteran middle-blocker from Belmont, who is in his final year of Camosun’s Bachelor of Sport and Fitness Leadership (BSFL) program, earned the award through his tremendous work ethic, drive to win and profound sense of what it means to be part of a team.
Thirteen student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments at the Provincial and National levels. In addition, Chargers Women’s Volleyball Head Coach, Brent Hall, earned the coveted PACWEST Coach of the Year award for his stellar leadership and turn-around season. The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) awards were presented to the following individuals by Samantha Wilson and Katie Lehive and from the Wilson’s Group of Companies, long-time partner and sponsor of the Camosun Chargers:
GRAHAM BASI UT MVB PACWEST Academic Excellence
EDUARDO BIDA Exercise & Wellness MVB CCAA Athlete of the Week (Nov. 14)
PACWEST 1st Team All-Star
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Nov. 12-18)
TY CLELAND BBA MBB CCAA Athlete of the Week (Jan. 30)
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Jan. 23 – Feb. 3)
DALLAS HANCOX BSFL MBB PACWEST 1st Team All-Star
CARTER KARPENKO BBA MVB PACWEST All-Rookie Team
TESSA LANNON-PAAKSPUU BSFL WBB CCAA Athlete of the Week (Jan. 23)
PACWEST Defensive Player of the Year
PACWEST 1st Team All-Star
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Jan. 21 – 27)
MADDIE MANNS Criminal Justice WBB PACWEST All-Rookie Team
HANNAH MAY AD Arts WVB PACWEST All-Rookie Team
VITOR PEREIRA BBA MVB PACWEST 1st Team All-Star
PACWEST Athlete of the Week
(Nov. 19 – 25) & (Feb. 11 – 17)
MYCHAELA ROELANTS AD Arts WVB CCAA Athlete of the Week (Feb. 20)
PACWEST 2nd Team All-Star
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Feb. 18 – 24)
KATIE WAYLING BSFL WVB CCAA Athlete of the Week (Nov. 14)
PACWEST Academic Excellence
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Nov. 12-18)
MIKA YAMADA ELD WVB PACWEST Rookie of the Year
PACWEST All-Rookie Team
PACWEST 2nd Team All-Star
PACWEST Athlete of the Week (Jan. 7 – 13)
COLE YUNGEN BBA GOLF PACWEST Academic Excellence
Four first-year student-athletes were presented with the Team Rookie award. Included were: Carter Karpenko, BBA – Men’s Volleyball (Prince George, Duchess Park); Maddie Manns, Criminal Justice – Women’s Basketball (Claremont); Calvin Somers, UT – Men’s Basketball (Lambrick Park); and Mika Yamada, ELD – Women’s Volleyball (Japan).
Five student-athletes were acknowledged for their Team Leadership throughout the year. Among those were fifth-year Chargers: Kathryn Candell, Women’s Basketball (Nursing); Mike Flegel, Men’s Golf (BBA); Dylan Marsden, Men’s Basketball (BSFL); Douglass Waterman, Men’s Volleyball (BSFL); and fourth-year Women’s Volleyball student-athlete, Katie Wayling (BSFL).
Five Camosun athletes received the Team MVP award: Dallas Hancox, Men’s Basketball (BSFL); Tessa Lannon-Paakspuu, Women’s Basketball (BSFL); Scott Merriam, Men’s Golf (BBA), Vitor Pereira, Men’s Volleyball (BBA); and Mychaela Roelants, Women’s Volleyball (AD Arts).
The Chargers also recognized two of the golf team’s fifth-year graduating players, Mike Flegel and Scott Merriam, both from Camosun’s Bachelor of Business Administration program.
In an earlier ceremony, five Chargers received their fifth-year recognitions: Kathryn Candell, Women’s Basketball (Nursing); Ashley McGinnis, Women’s Basketball (Community, Family and Child Studies); Dylan Marsden, Men’s Basketball (BSFL); Mychaela Roelants, Women’s Volleyball (AD Arts); and Douglass Waterman, Men’s Volleyball (BSFL).
In closing, four Chargers teams were recognized for their medal-winning finishes over the 2018-19 season:
Men’s Golf 2018 PACWEST Provincial Silver Medalists
Women’s Basketball 2018-19 PACWEST Provincial Bronze Medalists
Men’s Basketball 2018-19 PACWEST Provincial Bronze Medalists
Men’s Volleyball 2018-19 PACWEST Provincial Silver Medalists
“This was another great year for the Chargers,” said Athletics Coordinator Graham Matthews. “We are extremely proud of the achievements made by our student-athletes and coaches and we have enjoyed seeing many of our alum take part in our 25th Anniversary celebrations this past season. Our first 25 years as a program has been filled with many great memories and we look forward to what the next quarter of a century will bring!”
