February 18, 2015

OUA Announces 2015 Women's East Division Volleyball Major Awards and All-Stars

The Toronto Varsity Blues, who finished the regular season with a near-perfect 18-1 record, lead the way in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Division All-Star voting for the 2014-15 season.

Varsity Blues left side hitter Charlotte Sider (Ottawa, Ont.) has been named OUA East Division Player of the Year, as well as receiving First-Team All-Star honours for the third time in her career. Sider is known for her strong play on both offence and defence, and finished fifth in the conference with 3.34 kills per set. She also ranked third in OUA in points per set (4.1), eighth in service aces per set (0.46), and 14^th in hitting percentage (.236). It is the first time in her career that she has been OUA East Division Player of the Year.

Joining Sider as an OUA East Division First-Team All-Star is her teammate, right side hitter Jennifer Neilson (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). Like Sider, Neilson was a First-Team selection last year, and was a huge reason for the Varsity Blues success in the regular season. Neilson, one of the top offensive players in OUA, ranked second in the conference with a .345 hitting percentage, seventh in kills per set (3.1), and ninth in points per set (3.7).

If their high-powered offence wasn't intimidating enough to opponents, the Varsity Blues also lay claim to the best defensive player in the conference as Denise Wooding (North Vancouver, B.C.) has been named East Division Libero of the Year. Wooding ranked second in the conference with 4.73 digs per set, and 10^th overall with 246 total digs. She did not make a ball handling error all season, and only had three reception errors.

Middle hitter Bojana Radan (Windsor, Ont.) and setter Madelyn Mandryk (Lockport, Man.) round out the Varsity Blues All-Star selection, as both were named to the Second-Team. Radan was a menace at the net for opposing teams, finishing second in the conference with 1.10 blocks per set and 42 solo blocks.

Perhaps no one was as important to Toronto's offence as Mandryk, who led the country in assists per set with 10.19 and finished fourth in the conference with 591 total assists, and was often the Varsity Blues catalyst for generating attack opportunities.

For the second consecutive season, Toronto head coach Kristine Drakich takes home the East Division Coach of the Year Award. Her team dropped just seven sets all season, five coming on the final weekend after the Blues secured top spot in the division, and held the CIS No. 1 ranking in the Top 10 at one point during the season. Now in her 26^th season with Toronto, it is the eighth time Drakich has won Coach of the Year.

The Ottawa Gee-Gees were the only OUA team to defeat the Varsity Blues, and finished the season ranked sixth in the CIS Top 10 with an impressive 16-3 record. The Gee-Gees have two First-Team All-Star selections; left side hitter Myriam English (Orleans, Ont.) and setter Kira Tome (Vancouver, B.C.); and one Second-Team All-Star, right side hitter Kelsie English (Orleans, Ont.).

Coming off a campaign in 2013-14 when she was named Player of the Year and received First-Team honours, Myriam English continued dominating the conference, ranking second with 3.56 kills per set, sixth in aces per set (0.52) and second in points per set (4.5).

Setting up those English sister kills was Tome, who ranked second in OUA with 9.91 assists per set. Tome also displayed the power in her service game, finishing fourth in the conference in service aces per set (0.54).

After being named to the First-Team last year, Kelsie English is a Second-Team selection this season. She averaged 2.26 kills per set, while leading the conference with 0.59 service aces per set.

The York Lions finished the season with a 10-9 record and have two members of the team named OUA All-Stars, along with one major award winner.

Middle back Brittney Hopley (Thornhill, Ont.) is a First-Team All-Star for the first time in her career after making the Second-Team last season. Hopley is one of OUA's best all-round players, ranking in the top 10 in several offensive and defensive categories. She finished fifth in the conference in hitting percentage (.321), ninth in kills per set (2.88), third in solo blocks (38), ninth in blocks per set (0.94), and sixth in points per set (3.8).

Winning the OUA East Division Award of Merit for academic achievement, community involvement, and athletic performance is the Lions libero Jennifer Black (London, Ont.).

In her fifth and final season with York, Black continues to be a leader on and off the court. Having been named a CIS Academic All-Canadian twice in her career, she also had the highest GPA of all female CIS student-athletes at York University in 2013-14. In addition to her work in the classroom, she donates several hours of her own time to various school and community programs. Black is a member of the York Lions sport council, which helps organize fundraisers, food drives, and sport programs around the community. She is also heavily involved as a PAWS York Mentorship leader and various other volunteer initiatives in her community.

On the court, Black provided the Lions with solid defence ranking eighth in the conference and second on the team with 3.8 digs per set. She appeared in all 19 games and set career highs with 33 kills and four service aces.

Also receiving All-Star recognition from York is middle back Michelle Pierce (Windsor, Ont.), who was named a Second-Team All-Star. Pierce was a First-Team selection last season, and turned in another solid campaign finishing sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.315) and seventh in blocks per set (0.98).

Two first-year Lions outside hitters were named to the OUA All-Rookie Team: Veneta Mincheva (Gatineau, Que.) and Abby Ganzhorn (Markham, Ont.).

For the second consecutive year, Ryerson Rams outside hitter Veronica Livingston (Kelowna, B.C.) is a First-Team All-Star. A previous OUA Rookie of the Year winner, Livingston was one of the most dominant power hitters in the country, leading OUA in kills per set (3.80) and total kills (247). Her strong play was a key reason the Rams finished third in their division and nearly knocked off the then-undefeated Varsity Blues on the final weekend of play.

Following in her teammate Livingston's footsteps, Ryerson middle back Theanna Vernon (Scarborough, Ont.) is the 2015 OUA East Division Rookie of the Year, and has also been named a Second-Team All-Star and to the division's All-Rookie team. In just her first season, Vernon led the conference with a .349 hitting percentage, and ranked eighth with 29 solo blocks.

Rounding out the East Division All-Star selections is Queen's Gaels outside hitter Brett Hagarty (Aurora, Ont.). It is the second year in a row she has was named a Second-Team All-Star, and finished eighth in OUA with 4.0 digs per set and 12^th in kills per set with 2.67.

The future also looks bright for the Gaels as two members of their team have been named to the OUA East Division All-Rookie Team. Setter Danielle Blumentrath (Burlington, Ont.) and Caroline Livingston (Kelowna, B.C.) each received the honour.

Nipissing Lakers first-year middle hitter Annabelle Harvey (Ottawa, Ont.) rounds out the East's All-Rookie team.

OUA East Division Major Award Winners

Player of the Year: Charlotte Sider – Toronto Varsity Blues

Libero of the Year: Denise Wooding – Toronto Varsity Blues

Award of Merit: Jennifer Black – York Lions

Rookie of the Year: Theanna Vernon – Ryerson Rams

Coach of the Year: Kristine Drakich – Toronto Varsity Blues

OUA East Division First-Team All-Stars

Charlotte Sider – Toronto Varsity Blues

Myriam English – Ottawa Gee-Gees

Veronica Livingston – Ryerson Rams

Jennifer Neilson – Toronto Varsity Blues