Karissa Kajorinne and Askel Pollari named Algoma Athletes of the Year

Tonight, Algoma University and the Algoma University Thunderbirds Varsity Athletics Program recognized the hard work, dedication, skill, and academic achievements of their student-athletes at their annual varsity Athletics Banquet.
 
For the second year in a row, Thunder Bay native women's basketball player Karissa Kajorinne earned the title of Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Captain of her squad, Kajorinne is the points leader, finishing out the season with 542 points. She averaged 94.1 per cent from the charity stripe, and 35 per cent from both the field and beyond the arc. She is a proven leader and active in supporting youth basketball within the community, coaching in the 705 Basketball League and with the Algoma Thunderbirds summer camps.
 
Echo Bay rookie Askel Pollari earned the title of Male Student-Athlete of the Year. A duo-sport athlete, Pollari competes in both cross-country running and in wrestling. Pollari earned fourth place in the OUA Championships this season, an incredible feat for a first-year athlete. Outside of sport, Pollari tutors other student-athletes, and demonstrates great respect for his teammates, coaches, faculty, and community.
 
This year's 2017 Thunderbird Wall of Fame inductee in the Builder Category is the Algoma University Students' Union (AUSU). In 2015, AUSU made an important one-time donation to the Algoma U Thunderbirds Soccer program. Their financial contribution of $50,000 was added to the 2015-16 operating budget, which allowed approximately 40 Algoma U Thunderbird soccer players to continue their studies at Algoma U as student-athletes, and compete in the OUA Soccer League. The financial assistance that AUSU donated to the soccer program provided it with an important life-line. Not only has the program been sustainable, but now players are actually being recruited to Algoma University to play soccer from all over the world.
 
The following awards were also handed out:
 
Dr. Lukenda Thunderbird Service Award
Carriera Lamoureux (women's basketball)
 
Academic Achievement Awards (highest academic achievement for their sport)
Rebecca Wylie (women's basketball)
Sean Clendinning (men's basketball)
Aksel Pollari (wrestling)
Danielle Bernardo (women's soccer)
Caleb Charlebois (men's soccer)
Lauren Rogers (women's curling)
Keiko Larocque (women's curling)
Jonathan Lalonde (men's curling)
Shawna Small (women's cross-country running)
Lucas Luciani (men's cross-country running)
Shawna Small (Nordic skiing)
 
Women's Basketball
Coaches Award – Karina Cole
Most Improved– Sydney Resch
Best Defensive Player – Carriera Lamoureux
 
Rookie of the Year – Karly Fracalanza
MVP – Karissa Kajorinne
 
Men's Basketball
Coaches Award – Reng Gum
Coaches Award – Cailum White
Most Improved – Jermaine Lyle
Best Defensive Player – Nathan Riley
Rookie of the Year – Brandon Dwyer
MVP – Sean Clendinning
 
Women's Cross-Country Running
Coaches Award – Marissa Ditoro
MVP – Anna Stilin
 
Men's Cross-Country Running
Most Improved – Lucas Luciani
Rookie of the Year – Aksel Pollari
MVP – Zach Buchan
 
Women's Curling
Coaches Award – Julia Simon
Most Improved – Keiko Larocque
MVP – Shae-Lynn Dupuis
 
Men's Curling
Coaches Award – Chas Dalton
Most Improved – Vince Lalande
MVP – Jonathan Lalonde
 
Nordic Skiing
Coaches Award – Marissa Ditoro
Rookie of the Year – Shawna Small
MVP – Roberto Lake
 
Women's Soccer
Coaches Award – Sarah Van Boerdonk
Most Improved – Bailie Malmloff
Best Defensive Player – Olivia Bruni
Rookie of the Year – Alexis Trigiani-Kirkwood
MVP – Alexis Trigiani-Kirkwood
 
Men's Soccer
Coaches Award – Daniel Heydrich
Most Improved – Warren Joseph
Best Defensive Player – Alexander Fera
Rookie of the Year – Riley Thompson
MVP – Ryan Marchan
 
Wrestling
Coaches Award – Aksel Pollari
Most Improved – Farhang Nouri
Rookie of the Year – Stephen Kreyenbuhl
MVP – Earl McKinney
 
Thunderbird Award (to graduating student-athletes)
Karissa Kajorinne (women's basketball)
Sydney Resch (women's basketball)
Carriera Lamoureux (women's basketball)
Sean Clendinning (women's basketball)
Anna Stilin (women's cross-country running)
Brody-Allen Evans (wrestling)
Roberto Lake (Nordic skiing)
Nadine Paul (Nordic skiing)
Daniel Heydrich (men's soccer)
Maher Alharbi (men's soccer)
Nicholas Palazzi (men's soccer)
Jubi Joseph Iferi (men's soccer)