In a series of social media posts throughout the day, Huskie Athletics unveiled their major award winners while also honouring the incredible achievements of the 2019-20 season with Michelle Harrison and Taran Kozun being named the top athletes of the year.
PAST MAJOR 7 AWARD WINNERS \\ FULL LIST OF NOMINEES
Kozun wins the E. Kent Phillips Trophy for Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight season, while Harrison is 18th track & field athlete to win the Mary Ethel Cartwright Trophy for Female Athlete of the Year.
Michelle Harrison won five medals and set three records between the conference and national championship meets. Winning gold in both the 60-metre hurdles and the 4×200-metre relay at the Canada West championships in Saskatoon, Harrison also set new conference marks in both those distances to help the Huskies win their third consecutive conference banner. On the national stage, she set a new national record in the 60-metre hurdles, crossing the line in a time of 8.13 seconds. Harrison also helped the 4×200- and 4×400-meter relay teams to silver medals. Harrison’s time in the 60-metre hurdles is not only the top time in U SPORTS, but of all Canadian runners in 2020.
Goaltender Kozun continued to turn heads in his third season with the Huskie men’s hockey team being named the Canada West and U SPORTS Goaltender of the Year for the second straight season while also earning Player of the Year honours in 2019-20, becoming the first athlete in U SPORTS history to win both Goaltender and Player of the Year. The product of Nipawin led the conference in wins (17), goals against average (1.87), save percentage (.931) and tied his own conference record with five shutouts while moving into first in Huskie history in career shutouts. To cap it all off, Kozun became just the second Canada West goalie, and first to do so by actually shooting the puck, to score a goal.
Huskie Athletics announced five other major award winners throughout the day while also featuring the achievements of the athletes of the University of Saskatchewan’s 15 athletic teams. Canada West and U SPORTS All-Stars/All-Canadians and award winners, along with fifth-year athletes were also honoured at the celebration.
For the second year in a row women’s soccer and men’s wrestling athletes claimed rookie of the year honours.
Carson Lee was named the Canada West and U SPORTS rookie of the year after his outstanding season. The wrestler from Flin Flon was perfect in both the conference and national championship tournaments, defeating all challengers to claim double-gold in the 82-kg weight class.
An arts & science student from Calgary, Halle Krynowsky played a large role for the Huskies in her rookie campaign. The defender was a mainstay on the back line throughout the entire season and even added a pair of goals. Krynowsky was named to the Canada West All-Rookie Team for her efforts this season.
Basketball standout Megan Ahlstrom was the winner of the Valerie Girsberger Trophy handed to an upper year Female All-Round Athlete. The men’s version of the trophy – the Rusty MacDonald Cup – was given to football’s Evan Machibroda
One of the most successful athletes in Huskie history, Ahlstrom will leave the program with four Canada West titles and a pair of national championships to her name. A team captain, Ahlstrom is a kinesiology student that has earned U SPORTS All-Academic honours in all of her years with the Huskies.
The product of Calgary also spends her time volunteering as a mentor with the Autism, Asperger’s Friendship Society of Canada as well as at various community functions including Hoops for Hope and Fast and Female.
A two-time First Team All-Canadian and 2020 Canada West Most Outstanding Lineman award winner, Evan Machibroda has come to epitomize what it means to be a Huskie athlete throughout his five years with the program. The engineering student established himself as one of the hardest working players in the nation, often fighting through double teams while still leading the team in sacks.
A captain of the Huskies, Machibroda has spent his time off the field volunteering for various football organizations throughout the city and is also a Huskie All-Academic and draft pick of the Edmonton Eskimos.
The Colb McEwon Trophy for Coach of the Year was handed to women’s basketball coach Lisa Thomaidis.
Capturing a fourth Canada West Championship in the last five years and the second national title in program history, Thomaidis has led the Huskies to the pinnacle of Canadian university basketball. Ranked first in the nation throughout the season barring one week – where they ranked second – the Huskies rolled through Canada West play before dominating at the U SPORTS National Championship, racking up a 231-180 point differential in their three wins at the U SPORTS Final 8.
Also the Canadian National Team coach – a team that successfully qualified for the Tokyo Olympics – Thomaidis wins the award for the fifth time.
Rounding out the winners was Ben Taylor who claimed the Dr. Walter Hader Student Trainer of the Year award for his work with both the track & field and cross country teams.
Major Award Winners:
Patricia Lawson Trophy Female Rookie of the Year – Halle Krynowsky, soccer
Howard Nixon Trophy Male Rookie of the Year – Carson Lee, wrestling
E. Kent Phillips Trophy Male Athlete of the Year – Taran Kozun, hockey
Mary Ethel Cartwright Trophy Female Athlete of the Year – Michelle Harrison, track & field
Rusty McDonald Cup All-Round Male – Evan Machibroda, football
Valerie Girsberger All-Round Female – Megan Ahlstrom, basketball
Colb McEwon Trophy Coach of the Year – Lisa Thomaidis, women’s basketball
Trainer of the Year – Ben Taylor, track & field and cross country
