Four graduating Trinity Western Spartans student-athletes were honoured with the athletic department’s most prestigious honour, receiving the Spartan Complete Champion Award.
Women’s soccer players Daniela Gerig and Melissa Mobilio, as well as men’s volleyball players Rudy Verhoeff and Marc Howatson, were all awarded the honour at the university’s annual athletic banquet and awards ceremony.
It was held at the Langley Events Centre last Wednesday (April 4).
The award is given to those athletes who excel in all areas of their lives, such as academic, athletic, leadership, personal and spiritual development.
Other major award winners included Kristen Funk (women’s soccer) and Ben Ball (men’s volleyball) winning the Spartan female and male athlete of the year awards, respectively.
Funk and Andrew Kowan (men’s soccer) won the Bahta Melles Award for servant leadership.
Chelsea Hudson (women’s volleyball) and Howatson won the scholar athlete of the year awards.
A pair of track and field athletes, Emma Nuttall and Callum Innes, won their respective rookie of the year awards.
Funk and Fiona Benson (cross-country) shared the Human Kinetics Spartan athlete of the year award, while Brad Kufske (men’s volleyball) was the male winner.
Amber Brown (women’s volleyball) and Andrew Fink (men’s soccer) won the School of Business Spartan athlete awards.
Drew Gibson and Mary-Inn Irving won the student therapy awards for their work with the men’s and women’s soccer teams, respectively.
And Royal Richardson (women’s volleyball) and Cody Streleau (men’s soccer) won the Big Kahuna/Adidas Scholarship Awards.
The Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) academic all-Canadians were also recognized. The list includes: Rachel Antoniuk (women’s soccer), Joanna Balin (women’s basketball), Rachelle Briscoe (women’s basketball), Rebekah Cammack (swimming), Gary Cymbaluk (cross country and track and field) Gisela Drachenberg (swimming), Chelsea Hudson (women’s volleyball) Tyrell Mara (men’s basketball), Chelsey Olsen (women’s basketball), Kurtis Osborne (men’s basketball), Joseph Passi (men’s soccer), Cody Strelau (men’s soccer), Rhys Volkenant (men’s soccer), Jason Wiens (men’s soccer).