November 4, 2021
de Goede, Orlando add individual honours to division-leading team success
Burlington, Ont. - Not only did Queen's and Western take top spot in their respective divisions, but they have also garnered top individual honours as Gaels Sophie de Goede and Mustangs Jordyn Orlando headline the extraordinary group of Ontario University Athletics (OUA) award winners and all-stars from the 2021 women's rugby season.
The Shiels Division player of the year nod is the third straight for de Goede, who adds another historic chapter to her decorated university tenure. The senior back row finished the season with 52 points, bringing her career total at Queen's to 208 and putting her just 11 points behind the program's all-time leader (Lauren McEwen). The 2021 campaign marked her second-highest single season point total, trailing only the 76 she registered last season, and ranked her second in conference scoring (T4th in tries with five; 1st in conversions with 17).
The multi-sport student-athlete continues to rack up the accolades with the Tricolour, and is doing so in a starring role on both the basketball team, and of course, the defending champion rugby team, who will once again battle for the championship this season.
Joining de Goede, who began her Gaels playing days as the OUA's top rookie, is Chloe Daniels, who also takes home the conference honour in her debut season. Daniels is the second consecutive Queen's player earn the first-year accolade, joining 2019 recipient Lizzie Gibson as back-to-back winners.
Daniels put on a show on the pitch in what turned out to be an all-star calibre rookie season, as the inside centre from Sutton, Ont. finished the regular season with four tries and 20 points, putting her among the team and league leaders in those categories. On a Queen's squad that boasts plenty of talent up and down the lineup, including her older sister Hannah, Daniels made the most of her opportunities to contribute to another undefeated regular season for the Gaels and help them enter the OUA championship as hosts for a second straight season.
Another key contributor to the team's success this season and in recent years past is Dan Valley, who for a second straight season, has earned the Shiels Division Coach of the Year honour. In just his fourth year with the team, Valley has turned them into a perennial powerhouse. With another 4-0 season under his belt, the Gaels now boast a 13-3 regular season record under his watch, and are looking to cap off their latest unblemished campaign with back-to-back titles.
Rounding out the Shiels Division award winners is a member of this weekend's fellow finalists, the Guelph Gryphons, and it is the efforts of Brianna Martey both on and off the pitch that have garnered her the 2021 Community Service Award.
The second-year prop from Ottawa, Ont. has proven not only to be a great teammate during games, but a tremendous one off the field as well, as evidenced by her involvement numerous off-field initiatives and activities. Within this lengthy list of school and community involvement, Martey is a member of the She's Got Game Committee, and as an undergraduate student, is providing a relatable point of view to the others therein; is one of two undergraduate students on the President's Advisory Anti-Racism Committee, wherein she helps to come up with ideas to present to the school president on how to better serve students and staff who identify as persons of colour; and is part of the CORE Mentorship Program, facilitating programming and events that support the holistic development of BIPOC students at the University of Guelph.
The Russell Division, meanwhile, sees the league's leading scorer headline their award-winning contingent, with Orlando taking home top honours for the Mustangs.
Already named an OUA athlete of the week, and later, the conference's athlete of the month for September, Orlando made an immediate impression this season. Scoring seven tries in her team's season opener put her in the driver's seat on the league leaderboard and she never looked back. The back row from Burlington, Ont. finished her 2021 campaign with an OUA-best 18 tries and 90 points, en route to an undefeated season for Western.
The veteran student-athlete and former OUA all-star, who has her eye on representing Canada with the senior women's national team at next year's World Cup and even attended national camps in Montreal and Halifax ahead of this season's return to the pitch, showcased what that valuable experience meant to her and was able to translate that into an award-winning senior season.
Helping to guide Orlando and the Mustangs to an undefeated season, meanwhile, was head coach Katherine Baer, who in just her second season at the helm, takes home the Coach of the Year award for the Russell Division.
A former Western student-athlete herself (2010-14), who has gone on to play both provincially and nationally, Baer has created an environment with the team that fosters student-athlete growth and pushes individuals to new heights, something that was evident in her team's 2021 efforts. In addition to Orlando's player of the year and all-star recognition, Baer also helped three additional players achieve all-star status, with the team as a whole producing a division-leading 221 points for and 29 points against in their remarkable season.
While Baer takes home the award in her second year, Toronto's Tristan McElrea has capped off her foray into OUA rugby with the Russell Division's Rookie of the Year selection.
Much of the back three's success this season has come from her natural athleticism and the reliable presence she brings to the position. The Barrie, Ont. native, who was also named an all-star, has especially shone in high pressure situations, acclimatizing quickly to the fast-paced university game. More than just these intangibles, McElrea has taken the steps and shown the willingness to learn throughout her rookie season. Her commitment to improving and initiative to seek out opportunities to do so has made her an immediate impact player for the Varsity Blues and has set her up for a productive OUA tenure moving forward.
McElrea's teammate, Ella Tetrault, is also among the OUA's 2021 award recipients, as she has been recognized with the division's Community Service Award. Beyond her on field stats, which put her among the top-15 in league scoring with 24 points (2 tries; 7 conversions) in an all-star campaign, the Montreal, Que. native has been an active member of several initiatives on campus and within the community.
Tetrault has been busy beyond the pitch, and among the many groups and organizations she is contributing to are the Growing Mentality Club, as the co-founder and co-president) which advocates for students' mental health and well-being within the university and greater community; the Hot Potato Initiative Foundation, as the director of high school and university ambassadors across Canada to educate, engage and enlarge youth conversation about homelessness; Periods an Organization for Women's and Everyone's Reproductive and Sexual Rights (POWERS) Club, a non-profit organization raising awareness about period poverty; and also serves on the athletic committee, which among other things, helped build an online community to keep people active throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and engaged in outreach activities encouraging student exercise.
The complete list of 2021 OUA women's rugby award winners and all-stars is as follows:
Award Winners
Shiels Division
Most Valuable Player - Sophie de Goede, Queen's
Coach of the Year - Dan Valley, Queen's
Rookie of the Year - Chloe Daniels, Queen's
Trillium Award - Brianna Martey, Guelph
Russell Division
Most Valuable Player - Jordyn Orlando, Western
Coach of the Year - Katherine Baer, Western
Rookie of the Year - Tristan McElrea, Toronto
Trillium Award - Ella Tetrault, Toronto
All-Stars
Shiels Division
Back Row - Sophie de Goede, Queen's
Back Row - Katie McLeod, McMaster
Back Row - Kennedy Feasby, Guelph
Back Three - Hannah Beaumont, Guelph
Back Three - Carmen Izyk, Queen's
Back Three - Jaden Walker, Queen's
Centre - Maddy Kushner, Queen's
Centre - Chloe Daniels, Queen's
Fly Half - Kendra Cousineau, Guelph
Hooker - Taylor McKnight, Guelph
Prop - Stacey Warner, McMaster
Prop - Gill Reason, Queen's
Scrum Half - Bridget Period, Queen's
Second Row - Tia Svoboda, McMaster
Second Row - Hanna Nicholl, Guelph
Russell Division
Back Row - Jordyn Orlando, Western
Back Row - Jenna Lawrence, Western
Back Row - Mary Adewa, Toronto
Back Three - Tristan McElrea, Toronto
Back Three - Alexa Vanderhorst, Trent
Back Three - Selena Hough, Western
Centre - Ella Tetrault, Toronto
Centre - Ben Skinner, Waterloo
Fly Half - Kashisha Arya, Toronto
Hooker - Amanda MacCarthy, Trent
Prop - Idara Okon, Toronto
Prop - Robyn Jeffries, Western
Scrum Half - Philippa Reid, Waterloo
Second Row - Michelle Hopkins, Trent
Second Row - Eden Lohr, Wilfrid Laurier
The Shiels Division player of the year nod is the third straight for de Goede, who adds another historic chapter to her decorated university tenure. The senior back row finished the season with 52 points, bringing her career total at Queen's to 208 and putting her just 11 points behind the program's all-time leader (Lauren McEwen). The 2021 campaign marked her second-highest single season point total, trailing only the 76 she registered last season, and ranked her second in conference scoring (T4th in tries with five; 1st in conversions with 17).
The multi-sport student-athlete continues to rack up the accolades with the Tricolour, and is doing so in a starring role on both the basketball team, and of course, the defending champion rugby team, who will once again battle for the championship this season.
Joining de Goede, who began her Gaels playing days as the OUA's top rookie, is Chloe Daniels, who also takes home the conference honour in her debut season. Daniels is the second consecutive Queen's player earn the first-year accolade, joining 2019 recipient Lizzie Gibson as back-to-back winners.
Daniels put on a show on the pitch in what turned out to be an all-star calibre rookie season, as the inside centre from Sutton, Ont. finished the regular season with four tries and 20 points, putting her among the team and league leaders in those categories. On a Queen's squad that boasts plenty of talent up and down the lineup, including her older sister Hannah, Daniels made the most of her opportunities to contribute to another undefeated regular season for the Gaels and help them enter the OUA championship as hosts for a second straight season.
Another key contributor to the team's success this season and in recent years past is Dan Valley, who for a second straight season, has earned the Shiels Division Coach of the Year honour. In just his fourth year with the team, Valley has turned them into a perennial powerhouse. With another 4-0 season under his belt, the Gaels now boast a 13-3 regular season record under his watch, and are looking to cap off their latest unblemished campaign with back-to-back titles.
Rounding out the Shiels Division award winners is a member of this weekend's fellow finalists, the Guelph Gryphons, and it is the efforts of Brianna Martey both on and off the pitch that have garnered her the 2021 Community Service Award.
The second-year prop from Ottawa, Ont. has proven not only to be a great teammate during games, but a tremendous one off the field as well, as evidenced by her involvement numerous off-field initiatives and activities. Within this lengthy list of school and community involvement, Martey is a member of the She's Got Game Committee, and as an undergraduate student, is providing a relatable point of view to the others therein; is one of two undergraduate students on the President's Advisory Anti-Racism Committee, wherein she helps to come up with ideas to present to the school president on how to better serve students and staff who identify as persons of colour; and is part of the CORE Mentorship Program, facilitating programming and events that support the holistic development of BIPOC students at the University of Guelph.
The Russell Division, meanwhile, sees the league's leading scorer headline their award-winning contingent, with Orlando taking home top honours for the Mustangs.
Already named an OUA athlete of the week, and later, the conference's athlete of the month for September, Orlando made an immediate impression this season. Scoring seven tries in her team's season opener put her in the driver's seat on the league leaderboard and she never looked back. The back row from Burlington, Ont. finished her 2021 campaign with an OUA-best 18 tries and 90 points, en route to an undefeated season for Western.
The veteran student-athlete and former OUA all-star, who has her eye on representing Canada with the senior women's national team at next year's World Cup and even attended national camps in Montreal and Halifax ahead of this season's return to the pitch, showcased what that valuable experience meant to her and was able to translate that into an award-winning senior season.
Helping to guide Orlando and the Mustangs to an undefeated season, meanwhile, was head coach Katherine Baer, who in just her second season at the helm, takes home the Coach of the Year award for the Russell Division.
A former Western student-athlete herself (2010-14), who has gone on to play both provincially and nationally, Baer has created an environment with the team that fosters student-athlete growth and pushes individuals to new heights, something that was evident in her team's 2021 efforts. In addition to Orlando's player of the year and all-star recognition, Baer also helped three additional players achieve all-star status, with the team as a whole producing a division-leading 221 points for and 29 points against in their remarkable season.
While Baer takes home the award in her second year, Toronto's Tristan McElrea has capped off her foray into OUA rugby with the Russell Division's Rookie of the Year selection.
Much of the back three's success this season has come from her natural athleticism and the reliable presence she brings to the position. The Barrie, Ont. native, who was also named an all-star, has especially shone in high pressure situations, acclimatizing quickly to the fast-paced university game. More than just these intangibles, McElrea has taken the steps and shown the willingness to learn throughout her rookie season. Her commitment to improving and initiative to seek out opportunities to do so has made her an immediate impact player for the Varsity Blues and has set her up for a productive OUA tenure moving forward.
McElrea's teammate, Ella Tetrault, is also among the OUA's 2021 award recipients, as she has been recognized with the division's Community Service Award. Beyond her on field stats, which put her among the top-15 in league scoring with 24 points (2 tries; 7 conversions) in an all-star campaign, the Montreal, Que. native has been an active member of several initiatives on campus and within the community.
Tetrault has been busy beyond the pitch, and among the many groups and organizations she is contributing to are the Growing Mentality Club, as the co-founder and co-president) which advocates for students' mental health and well-being within the university and greater community; the Hot Potato Initiative Foundation, as the director of high school and university ambassadors across Canada to educate, engage and enlarge youth conversation about homelessness; Periods an Organization for Women's and Everyone's Reproductive and Sexual Rights (POWERS) Club, a non-profit organization raising awareness about period poverty; and also serves on the athletic committee, which among other things, helped build an online community to keep people active throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and engaged in outreach activities encouraging student exercise.
The complete list of 2021 OUA women's rugby award winners and all-stars is as follows:
Award Winners
Shiels Division
Most Valuable Player - Sophie de Goede, Queen's
Coach of the Year - Dan Valley, Queen's
Rookie of the Year - Chloe Daniels, Queen's
Trillium Award - Brianna Martey, Guelph
Russell Division
Most Valuable Player - Jordyn Orlando, Western
Coach of the Year - Katherine Baer, Western
Rookie of the Year - Tristan McElrea, Toronto
Trillium Award - Ella Tetrault, Toronto
All-Stars
Shiels Division
Back Row - Sophie de Goede, Queen's
Back Row - Katie McLeod, McMaster
Back Row - Kennedy Feasby, Guelph
Back Three - Hannah Beaumont, Guelph
Back Three - Carmen Izyk, Queen's
Back Three - Jaden Walker, Queen's
Centre - Maddy Kushner, Queen's
Centre - Chloe Daniels, Queen's
Fly Half - Kendra Cousineau, Guelph
Hooker - Taylor McKnight, Guelph
Prop - Stacey Warner, McMaster
Prop - Gill Reason, Queen's
Scrum Half - Bridget Period, Queen's
Second Row - Tia Svoboda, McMaster
Second Row - Hanna Nicholl, Guelph
Russell Division
Back Row - Jordyn Orlando, Western
Back Row - Jenna Lawrence, Western
Back Row - Mary Adewa, Toronto
Back Three - Tristan McElrea, Toronto
Back Three - Alexa Vanderhorst, Trent
Back Three - Selena Hough, Western
Centre - Ella Tetrault, Toronto
Centre - Ben Skinner, Waterloo
Fly Half - Kashisha Arya, Toronto
Hooker - Amanda MacCarthy, Trent
Prop - Idara Okon, Toronto
Prop - Robyn Jeffries, Western
Scrum Half - Philippa Reid, Waterloo
Second Row - Michelle Hopkins, Trent
Second Row - Eden Lohr, Wilfrid Laurier
