SYDNEY, N.S. - At the 2023 U SPORTS Men's Soccer All-Canadian banquet Wednesday night (Nov. 8) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Gryphon defender
Cole Fernandez was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian. It marks the seventh consecutive season in which the Gryphons men's soccer program has produced an All-Canadian (2022-
Jack Sears, 2021-Lucas Doros, 2019-Alex Zis, 2018 & 2017-Jace Kotsopoulos, 2016-Justin Springer). The Gryphons were also represented among the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team with midfielder
Jacob Cabral earning the national recognition.
Cabral becomes just the second U of G student-athlete to earn national All-Rookie honours, joining Moses Kafeero who was named as a top freshman in 2019.
After earning the first OUA All-Star nod of his career, Gryphon defender
Cole Fernandez adds U SPORTS All-Canadian honours to an impressive 2023 season. The 22-year-old sociology major at the University of Guelph is currently in his fourth year of studies and third-year of eligibility with the Gryphons men's soccer team. Fernandez has played a key role in the Gryphon back line since arriving on U of G campus, including playing an instrumental role in the Gryphon defence during the team's OUA title-winning season during his freshman season in 2021. Despite being hampered by injury during the 2023 campaign which forced him to miss the early portion of the season, Cole fought through the injury and provided the Gryphons with unmatched on-field talent and leadership while embracing the role as the team's assistant captain. One of the best aerial threats in the OUA, Fernandez is a constant presence in both 18-yard boxes, with the Hamilton native set to return to the University of Guelph once again for his senior season in 2024.
Cole has also impressed at the club level locally, where he has earned a starting spot with Guelph United F.C. (League1 Ontario), with Cole having been a part of the club since its inception in 2020.
18-year-old rookie midfielder,
Jacob Cabral, was named to the 2023 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team after an impressive freshman year with the Gryphons men's soccer team, becoming just the second player in program history to earn the national honour. The attacking midfielder for the Gryphons has established himself as one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the conference at just 18-years-old. The Mississauga native appeared in 11 games for the Gryphons, displaying outstanding vision and awareness while distributing to his U of G teammates with pin-point accuracy on both short and long passes.
See below for a full list of the 2023 U SPORTS All-Canadians and major award winners. For more information head to www.usports.ca.
2023 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Major Award Winners
Player of the Year (Joe Johnson Award) - Sebastian Dzikowski, UBC Thunderbirds
Rookie of the Year (Lou Bilek Award) - Brennen Fuerst, UBC Thunderbirds
Coach of the Year - Pat Raimondo, Montreal Carabins
Community Service Award - Luke Berryman, Dalhousie Tigers
2023 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians
Kyle Cordiero, StFX X-Men
Owen Sheppard, Cape Breton Capers
Jose Maria Ribeiro de Cunha, Cape Breton Capers
Gregory David, UQAM Citadins
Kareem Sow, Montreal Carabins
Omar Marzouk, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
Christian Zeppieri, York Lions
Kevon Grant, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
Sebastian Dzikowski, UBC Thunderbirds
Eric Lajeunesse, UBC Thunderbirds
Caden Rogozinski, Mount Royal Cougars
2023 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians
Luke Rosettani, UNB Reds
Logan Rieck, StFX X-Men
Timothe Makanzu-Tinadio, UQAM Citadins
Quinten Paumier, Montreal Carabins
Mahdi Abbassi, UQTR Patriotes
Kevin Espiro, Waterloo Warriors
Cole Fernandez, Guelph Gryphons
Raphael Garcia, Carleton Ravens
Bennett McKay, UBC Thunderbirds
Marus Velado-Tsegaye, Alberta Golden Bears
Javier Sagaste, Victoria Vikes
2023 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team
Isaac VanWychen, StFX X-Men
Augustine Opuoro, Memorial Sea-Hawks
Matteo Blanc, Moncton Aigles Bleus
Maxime Bourgeois, Sherbrooke Vert et Or
Matisse Chretien, McGill Redbirds
Tarek Ghamraoui, UQTR Patriotes
Michael Maslanka, Toronto Varsity Blues
Ibrahim Saadi, Western Mustangs
Jacob Cabral, Guelph Gryphons
Brennen Fuerst, UBC Thunderbirds
Philip Masri, MacEwan Griffins
Kian Proctor, Fraser Valley Cascades
