OAKVILLE, Ont. - The academic achievement and athletic success of more than 170 varsity student athletes was on full display during the 50th annual Sheridan Athletic Banquet, with Athletes of the Year Nick Campbell (men's basketball) and Theresa Brown (women's basketball), Scholar Athlete Award Winners Chester Ashby (men's soccer) and Tamia Cooper-Evelyn (women's volleyball), and Rob Till Leadership Award winner Jessalyn Carvajal (cross country) scooping up the night's main prizes.
Male Athlete of the Year: Nick Campbell, men's basketball
Also the receipient of the Leroy Cassanova men's basketball most valuable player award for a second-straight year, Campbell completed a stellar season in which he was a driving force behind the team's 13th Ontario crown, while making a second national title game appearance in the past three seasons. Although his steady play at both ends of the floor throughout the regular season earned him a second-consecutive OCAA West Division All-Star nod, he elevated his game in the most-important contests.
Including a pair of rivalry games against Humber and seven playoff contests, he upped his per-game averages nearly accross the board, but most notably in points (from 21.9 - 22.3), rebounds (from 5.9 - 7.3), and assists (from 3.3 - 3.8), while improving his shooting percentages from the floor (.513 - .553), 3-point range (.444 - .486), and the free-throw line (.707 - .776).
With this season's accoldaes, he enters elite company and joins Michael Selkridge as the just second Bruin to have won a team Coaches Award (2016-17), a team MVP (2017-18 and 2018-19), an OCAA Championship MVP (2019), an OCAA league All-Star (2017-18 and 2018-19), a national championship All-Star, and been named Athlete of the Year.
Female Athlete of the Year: Theresa Brown, women's basketball
After a solid campaign in which she posted a team and career-high 16.9 points per game - the sixth-highest total in the OCAA - while also setting new personal bests in rebounds (5.5/game), and steals (2.5 per contest), Brown was named an OCAA All-Star for the first time. A steady performer throughout the year, she hit double figures in 31 of 36 contests, scored 20-plus 13 times, and notched an overall season scoring average of 17.1.
In the process, Brown has skyrockted up the Bruins' all-time scoring list and now sits third with 823 points. Desite suffering a finger injury on her shooting hand just prior to the opening round of the OCAA playoffs, she still found ways to get buckets and make other contributions, scoring 14 points while collecting eight rebounds in Sheridan's Round of 16 victory over Loyalist. Even with the ailment she nearly matched her regular season scoring average, with 16.2 points per game in the four postseason contests, culminating in a masterful 24-point, six-assist, four-rebound performance in only 19 minutes in the OCAA consolation final.
Male Scholar Athlete: Chester Ashby, men's soccer
A key cog in the Sheridan defensive spine that won the OCAA Central Division's best defensive team award in the fall, Ashby was also highlighted as an All-Star. He allowed just seven goals while recording 50 saves in the OCAA regular season and playoffs, good for a 0.70 GAA and .877 save percentage, while adding six clean sheets.
Ashby added another shutout in the national quarter-final, and wrapped up the post-season with a 4-2 record, allowing just four goals as the Double Blue collected OCAA silver and CCAA bronze medals.
Female Scholar Athlete: Tamia Cooper-Evelyn, women's volleyball
After posting a team-leading 164 points and 132 digs during the regular season, Cooper-Evelyn was named an OCAA West Division All-Star, but she, too, stepped up her game during the playoffs. She posted more points per set (4.2 playoffs - 2.7 regular season), more kills (3.8 - 2.2), more digs (2.6 - 2.2), and was more efficient by increasing her hitting percentage from .172 - .211 in the postseason. Cooper-Evelyn also had three of her team-leading four double doubles in the final month of the season, completing a stellar February with 87 points (3.6/set) and 60 digs (2.5/set).
Having now completed three campaigns in Double Blue, Cooper-Evelyn has received OCAA All-Academic recognition every year, and earlier this season became the third player in program history to record at least 300 kills and 300 digs.
Rob Till Leadership Award: Jessalyn Carvajal, cross country
A dedicated member of the cross country team, Carvajal's biggest impact on campus came through her leadership of MoveU, a program dedicated to inspiring females to become more active. She spearheaded promotional initiatives that included highlighting the MoveR of the week, she also taught a dance fit class, and was a key member of a partnership with Lululemon that had more than 80 participants for a pop-up Yoga class. From a competitive standpoint, her best result on course came during the season opener at Fanshawe, when she placed 40th.
2018-19 Award Winners
Men's Basketball
Leroy Cassanova Most Valuable Player: Nick Campbell
Coaches Award: Tremaine Anderson
Women's Basketball
MVP: Theresa Brown
Coaches Award: Camilla Orellana Larach
Cross Country
Men's MVP: Cole Bond
Men's Coaches Award: Alex Ball
Women's MVP: Olivia Sidock
Women's Coaches Award: Erin Kinninmont
Men's Rugby
MVP: Michael Galipo
Coaches Award: Adam Yhip
Women's Rugby
MVP: Kirsten Archer
Coaches Award: Taylor Jordan
Men's Soccer
Outdoor MVP: Francis Ameyaw
Outdoor Coaches Award: Jesse Bibby
Indoor MVP: Rahim Thorpe
Indoor Coaches Award: Chiron Robinson
Women's Soccer
Outdoor MVP: Zoe Derkach
Outdoor Coaches Award: Melanie Jubenville
Indoor MVP: Marianna DeFina
Indoor Coaches Award: Madison Roberts
Men's Volleyball
MVP: Liam Butchereit
Coaches Award: Marcus Ahmadzai
Women's Volleyball
MVP: Tamia Cooper-Evelyn
Coaches Award: Rachel Abrahams
Coach of the Year
Danny Webster, Cross Country
Rob Till Leadership Award
Jessalyn Carvajal, Women's Cross Country
Sheridan Sun Most Newsworthy Athlete
Nick Campbell, Men's Basketball
Female Athlete of the Year
Theresa Brown, Women's Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year
Nick Campbell, Men's Basketball
Male Scholar Athlete Award
Chester Ashby, Men's Soccer
Female Scholar Athlete Award
Tamia Cooper-Evelyn, Women's Volleyball