There was a three-way tie for Simon Fraser University female athlete of the year at the 48th annual Clan Athletic Banquet at the Hilton Vancouver, Metrotown.
Swimmer Mariya Chekanovych and wrestler Danielle Lappage, both of Burnaby, and middle distance runner Helen Crofts were all named recipients of the 2013 award.
Michael Winter was named the male athlete of the year following an impressive season on the men's soccer team that culminated in an NCAA Final Four appearance.
Chekanovych won the Clan's first-ever NCAA national championship title in the 100-yard breaststroke, winning the event in a NCAA record time, before going on to win the 200-yard breaststroke, as well. The freshman was the first-ever NCAA national champion from a non-American Institution.
Crofts was also an NCAA national champion, winning the indoor 800-metre championship. The senior came back from a serious injury in the last season to win her first NCAA title.
Lappage won her third consecutive Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association national title this season, leading the Clan to both the national team and duals titles. Lappage boasted an undefeated 25-0 record in her senior season.
Winter was the 2012 Great Northwest player of the year, a conference first team all-star, a west region first team all-star and an NCAA All-American. He also captained the varsity squad to the program's third Great Northwest title and first NCAA West Region title.
The Terry Fox Awards for the most inspirational athletes went to football player Bo Palmer and softball co-captain Trisha Bouchard.
Palmer captained the football team to their best season in the Great Northwest conference, while working his way through injuries all season.
Bouchard, the president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, played an instrumental role in raising over $1,100 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Canada through the committee, as well as initiating the Athlete Ally campaign, where SFU student-athletes chose to sign a pledge to accept others regardless of their sexual orientation, real or perceived.
The President's team of the year award - given to the team that excels in competition, in the classroom and in the community - was a two-way tie between the men's soccer and the women's basketball teams.
The men's soccer team were active in the community, working with young soccer players through camps, athletes with autism and at the local food bank.
The women's basketball team made it to the Sweet 16, placing second in both the NCAA West Region and the conference championships. The women's team run many basketball camps in the community and have also raised over $5,400 for breast cancer research, while boasting the highest team GPA at SFU.
Crofts picked up a second award on the evening, earning the departmental scholar athlete award for the athlete with the highest overall GPA. The track and field captain boasted a 4.14 grade point average in biology.
Croft's academic record, combined with her athletic success, also earned her the Bill De Vries award, which is given to an athlete who displays excellence in the classroom and away from it.
Women's basketball player Carla Wyman won the Lorne Davies senior grad award, which is given to a graduating senior who excels in competition, in the classroom and in the community. The award is named in honour of the Clan's founding athletic director.
Wyman was one of the team's captains, and helped lead the team through the transition process into the NCAA. She is also a strong student and a leader in the community, having worked with the Clan girls' basketball camps and organizing the team's breast cancer fundraiser game for the last two years.
The Bernd Dittrich Award givin to an athlete who is a team leader on and off the field went to Adam Berger of the football team. Berger returned to the Clan for his senior season after being drafted by the Calgary Stampeders. He spent much of his personal time tutoring teammates and also volunteered as a youth football coach.
Austin Trapp was the recipient of the Rick Jones award that recognizes an athlete that has overcome great adversity. Trapp went through an incredibly difficult year, traveling back and forth to Ontario to be with his mother, who was battling cancer in the fall. He qualified for the NCAA West regionals, flying from Ontario to Hawaii to compete in track and then back to Ontario to be with his mother.
Despite these hardships, Winter still made the conference all-academic team for cross-country and posted several personal bests during the indoor track and field season.
The V.W. Kip Dockerty Award, given to a non-continuing employee at SFU who has made a great contribution to an athletic program went to the men`s soccer manager - Peter Doyle.
Doyle has been the men's soccer team manager for eight years until he retired after the 2012 season to spend more time with his grandchildren, and his absence has been immediately noticed in the spring season. He was described by head coach Alan Koch as the glue that held the team together, going above and beyond the call of duty.
The SFU softball team, track and field teams and golf teams are still in competition. For all SFU athletics updates visit athletics.sfu.ca.
