GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphons celebrated the best and brightest from a memorable 2024-25 season by holding the annual Gryphons Athletics Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Highlighting the major award winners were track and field standout Max Davies and women's wrestling standout, Kelyn Young, who were named the University of Guelph's men's and women's athletes of the year. The awards handed out on the evening were produced by Nothers the Award Store, the official awards sponsor of the Guelph Gryphons athletics awards. A complete list of award winners from the 2024-25 Gryphons Athletics Awards Ceremony can be found below.
 
2024-25 Major Award Winners

Men's Athlete of the Year: Max Davies (Track & Field)
Women's Athlete of the Year: Kelyn Young (Women's Wrestling)
W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Cole Fernandez (Men's Soccer)
W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman of the Year: Renee Armstrong (Women's Basketball)
President's Trophy (Men's): Blake Brand (Men's Volleyball)
President's Trophy (Women's): Ali Bertrim (Women's Swimming)
"Gryphie" Moment of the Year: "Leave it to Levale" (Women's Rugby)
Fred Ramprashad Award: Lucy Street (Figure Skating)
Don Cameron Award (3-year M.I.P.): Tomas Dallan (Men's Rugby)
Shirley Peterson Award (3-year M.I.P.): Gabrielle Cole (Women's Track & Field)
Scott Yanchus Men's Rookie of the Year: Casey Harkley (Men's Wrestling)
Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Dianna Proctor (Women's Track & Field)
Dr. John T. Powell Award: Adam Maahs (Men's Rugby)
Gunner Obrascovs Trainer of the Year: Kyla Hrycusko (Wrestling)
Cathy Rowe Manager of the Year: Charandeep Dhillon (Women's Soccer)
Student-Athlete Mentor Award:  Blake Brand (Men's Volleyball)
Strength & Conditioning "CARED" Award:  Nova Holt
 
​Men's Athlete of the Year – Max Davies (Men's Track & Field)
 
For a second consecutive season, Max Davies has been named the University of Guelph's Men's Athlete of the Year. The 21-year-old endurance runner from Toronto, continued where he left off from a season ago, excelling both indoors, with the Gryphons men's track and field program, as well as outdoors, with the Gryphons men's cross country program. During the 2024 cross country season, Max was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and an OUA First Team All-Star, while helping lead the Gryphons men's cross country team to a 4th-place finish in the team standings at the 2024 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships, and a 2nd-place finish in the team standings at the 2024 OUA Cross Country Championships. During the 2024-25 indoor track and field season, Max was once again in a class of his own. The management major was named U SPORTS (Track) Athlete of the Year for his outstanding performances throughout the course of the 2024-25 season. In doing so, Max became the first Gryphon track athlete in program history to be named U SPORTS (Track) Athlete of the Year on multiple occasions, with Tommy Land (2017-18) the only other Gryphons men's track athlete to have earned the national award. At the 2025 U SPORTS Track & Field Championships in Windsor, Max was named U SPORTS (Men's) Athlete of the Meet after claiming gold in the men's 1000m, men's 1500m and men's 4x800m relay. In the men's 1000m race, Max broke his own U SPORTS record with a time of 2:20.22. The Gryphons finished 2nd in the overall team standings at nationals. At the 2025 OUA Track & Field Championships, Max led the Gryphons men's track and field team to the 2024-25 OUA title, marking the ninth conference banner in program history, with Davies taking home three OUA medals in the process (gold in 1000m, gold in 4x800m relay and bronze in 1500m).

​Women's Athlete of the Year – Kelyn Young (Women's Wrestling)

Kelyn Young is the University of Guelph's 2024-25 Women's Athlete of the Year following an unforgettable season on the mat for the Gryphons women's wrestling team. Kelyn, a psychology major from Brampton, capped off her Gryphon wrestling career in grand fashion at the 2025 Wrestling Canada U SPORTS Invitational Championships in St. Catharines.
Fresh off of winning her second career OUA gold medal in the women's 50kg weight class, Kelyn entered the national championships looking to top the podium for the first time at a U SPORTS Championship. Young was flawless in pool play winning all 4 of her matches to book her spot in the U SPORTS gold medal match. In the gold medal match, Kelyn pinned Brock's Samantha Romero in the first round to finish first in her weight class to secure a national gold medal. At the conclusion of the national championship, Kelyn was named a U SPORTS major award winner, taking home the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award for the student-athlete who best exemplified sportsmanship and competitive talent throughout the national championship tournament. At the OUA level, Kelyn was also named a major award winner during the 2024-25 season, as she earned recognition as the OUA Female Wrestler of the Year following the 2025 OUA Wrestling Championships, becoming only the third Gryphon woman ever to win the award, joining Natassya Lu (2016-17) and Tara Hedican (2001-02 & 2002-03). Kelyn's dominance on the mat was showcased all season as she only allowed two points to be scored on her throughout the 2024-25 wrestling season.
 

---

W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year – Cole Fernandez (Men's Soccer)
 
Cole Fernandez is the recipient of the W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year award as one of the anchors of the backline on the Gryphons men's soccer team. The sociology major from Hamilton was named an OUA First Team All-Star as one of the premier defenders in the conference on a backline that conceded 14 goals and had an OUA leading 6 clean sheets to go along with scoring a goal. Cole was the recipient of the OUA Community Service Award for his work off pitch for the 2024 season. Fernandez is an active and valued volunteer member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Guelph. Through the charity organization, the U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, spends time at Kortright Hills Public school where he connects with elementary school students on a regular basis in a mentorship role, helping to boost morale and academic motivation.
 

---

​W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman of the Year – Renee Armstrong (Women's Basketball)
 
Renee Armstrong of the Gryphons women's basketball team is this year's recipient of the W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman of the Year award. Renee is a leader both on and off the court with her commitment to community involvement through basketball and her volunteer work in her hometown of London and here in Guelph. She is a valuable member to the Gryphon community as a member of the Gryphon Sutdent-Athlete-Mentor Program and Gryphon Leadership Academy. Armstrong is an advocate for IEDI and participated in the making of the Black History Month video for the women's basketball team and is a member of the IEDI Athlete panel. She was a speaker at the President's Golf Tournament as well as the Gryphons She's Got Game Gala. Renee also excels in the classroom as an U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian in child and youth studies. Armstrong was named an OUA major award winner as this year's recipient of the Joy Bellinger Award for her outstanding service to sport and to the advancement of university athletics to go along with their career contributions. On the court, Renee has impressed for Gryphons women's basketball team. Armstrong was one of the top distributors in the conference, finishing 5^th with 86 assists on the season. One of her standout games of the season came on November 29 against Ontario Tech where was an assist short of a triple double, finishing the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists in the win. She also has shown she can take over a game like she did in the playoff game against the Laurier Golden Hawks in the playoffs, finishing with 22 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds and made all 11 of her free throws in the victory.
 
President's Trophy – Blake Brand (Men's Volleyball)
 ​
In his final season with the Gryphons men's volleyball team, Blake Brand is this year's recipient of the President's Trophy Award. The Sarnia native has proven himself to be the ultimate Swiss army knife for team as an outside hitter or in the libero position. Blake finished the season with 25 kills and 47 digs as a valuable member for the Gryphons with his versatility on the court.
Off the court, Blake shows his value in the classroom. The human kinetics major recorded an average of 95% in the fall 24' semester.
 
President's Trophy – Ali Bertrim (Women's Swimming)
 ​
Human kinetics major and swimmer with the Gryphons women's swim team, Ali Bertrim takes home the President's Trophy. The Lively, Ontario in her third year with the team was a finalist in all her individual events and winning a bronze medal at OUAs in the women's 100m fly to go along with a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay and a bronze in the 4x50m medley relay. Ali at the U SPORTS Championships finished 10^th in the country in the women's 50m fly after placing in 2^nd in the 'B' finals. Bertrim alongside Alanna Casasanta, Hannah Nordquist and Liz Greaves set a new team record in the 4x100m medley relay at nationals with a time of 4:12.32. Ali impressed in the pool and was more impressive in the classroom with the human kinetics major earning 94.2% average during the winter '24 semester, followed by a 97% average in the fall of '24.
 
Fred Ramprashad Scholarship – Lucy Street (Figure Skating)
 
​Second-year wildlife biology and conservation major, Lucy Street, takes homes the 2024-25 Fred Ramprashad Award after and outstanding season in the rink and in the classroom. On the rink Lucy helped the Gryphons figure skating team to a podium finish at the OUA Championship as bronze medalists and won a silver medal in the team synchro. In the classroom, Lucy has impressed as she finished the winter '24 and fall '24 semesters with a 95.4% average earning U SPORTS All-Academic status.
 
Don Cameron 3-Year Most Improved – Tomas Dallan (Men's Rugby)
 
Tomas Dallan, a winger from the Gryphons men's rugby team takes home the Don Cameron 3-Year Most Improved Award for 2024-25. The management economics and finance major in his third season with the men's rugby program was named a First Team All-Canadian after an exceptional 2024 season. Tomas was the team's leading point scorer on the team with 68 points (4 tries, 24 converts) on the season, finishing as the OUA's third highest scorer. The Oakville native had one of his best games of the season in one of his team's biggest at the OUA Championship game. Dallan was money all night, scoring 11 of his team's 31 points and making all his converts. With the Turner Trophy within grasp for the Gryphons, Tomas stepped up in the clutch and drilled a successful penalty try in the 78^th minute to extend Guelph's lead to 10 points as his kick clinched his team's 4^th straight OUA Championship in their 31-21 victory over Queen's.
 
Shirley Peterson 3-Year Most Improved – Gabrielle Cole (Women's Track & Field)
 
Gabby Cole, a third-year sprinter on the Gryphons women's track and field team, is the recipient of the 2024-25 Shirley Peterson 3-Year Most Improved Award. The Ajax, Ontario native had a phenomenal indoor track season which culminated at the 2025 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships where she took home four medals. The Academic All-Canadian, majoring in culture and technology studies, won a silver medal in the women's 60m, bronze in the 300m and a pair of gold medals as part of the 4x200m and 4x400m relay teams at nationals. Gabby also impressed at the OUA Championships, winning gold with the women's 4x200m relay team, as well a silver medal in the 60m where she posted a time of 7.23 seconds to set a new school record. Cole helped her Gryphons women's track and field team to a second place finish at provincials and nationals.
 
​Scott Yanchus Rookie of the Year – Casey Harkley (Men's Wrestling)
 
Guelph native Casey Harkley on the Gryphons men's wrestling team, is the 2024-25 Scott Yanchus Men's Rookie of the Year. The management economics and finance major became just the second U of G student-athlete to be named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year since Jake Jagas is 2009-10. Harkley fresh off winning a bronze medal at the OUA Championships, went on an incredible run at the 2025 Wrestling Canada Lutte U SPORTS Invitational Championships culminating in his first gold medal in the men's 68kg weight class in his national championship debut. The John F. Ross graduate showcased his dominance in pool play, winning all four of his matches including a decisive 11-0 technical superiority victory over Brock's Gabe Blanchette to qualify for the gold medal match. Casey would earn a pinfall victory in the first two minutes of the match over Alberta's Issac Le Morgan to come in first place in the men's 68kg weight class to finish off a marvelous gold medal run at nationals.
 
​Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Rookie of the Year – Dianna Proctor (Women's Track & Field)
 
Dianna Proctor takes home the Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year award after a sensational 2024-25 season on the track for the Gryphons women's track and field team. The first year sprinter became the fourth Gryphon to be named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year since the inception of the award in 2000-01. The music major took the indoor track season by storm, taking home three provincial and national gold medals. The Edmonton native had a magnificent showing at her first OUA Championships in Windsor coming in first place in the women's 300m, 4x200m relay and crossed the finish line first in the 4x400m relay as the team's anchor leg. Dianna was the leading point for the team at the provincial championships and was named OUA Rookie of the Year. Proctor returned to Windsor in for nationals and repeated the feat to put a bow on her remarkable rookie season by winning three more gold medals in the women's 300m and ran the anchor leg for both the 4x200m and 4x400m relay team. Dianna becomes the first Gryphon in 11 seasons to be named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year since Katelyn Ayers in 2013-14.
 
​"Gryphie Moment of the Year" – 'Leave it to Levale' (Women's Rugby)
In a matchup between perennial powers in OUA women's rugby, it would be the leg of Tausani Levale on the final kick of the match that would ultimately secure the 18th OUA title in program history for the Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team, who claimed the OUA banner in dramatic fashion on Friday night, October 25 at Queen's University's Nixon Field. In their seventh straight meeting in the OUA women's rugby championship game, the Guelph Gryphons would 'Leave it to Levale' to defeat the Queen's Gaels, 26-24.
 

---

 
Badminton (W): M.V.P. – Abby Burns
Badminton (M): M.V.P. – William Cheng
Baseball: R.O.Y. – Evan Ogston
Baseball: M.V.P. – Sam Brown
Basketball (W): R.O.Y. – Larissa Ruggiero
Basketball (W): M.V.P. – Hannah Bourdon
Basketball (M): Jack Tanner R.O.Y. – Amare Hamilton
Basketball (M): Bill Dimson Memorial M.V.P. – Eric Armstrong
Cross Country (W): R.O.Y. – Kristina Etezadi
Cross Country (W): M.V.P. (Vic Matthews Award) – Laura Yantha
Cross Country (M): R.O.Y. (Al Claremont Freshman Harrier Trophy) – Jack Lehto
Cross Country (M): M.V.P. (Art Hackett Trophy) – Max Davies
Curling (W): M.V.P. – Jillian Uniacke
Curling (M): M.V.P. – Brayden Chumbley
Fencing: M.V.P. (W) – Sveta Uzhova
Fencing: M.V.P. (M) – Campbell Merer
Field Hockey: R.O.Y. – Macy Peters
Field Hockey: Laura Sharp M.V.P. – Abby Warriner
Figure Skating: R.O.Y. – Tanvi Pannu
Figure Skating: M.V.P. – Zoe Graziano
Football: R.O.Y. – Evan Lakatos
Football: M.V.P. (Donald Forster Trophy) – Vyshonne Janusas
Golf (W): Grace Glofcheskie M.V.P. – Jacqueline Giles
Golf (M): David Fell M.V.P. – William Drewery
Hockey (W): R.O.Y. – Maddie Min
Hockey (W): M.V.P. – Jaime Magoffin
Hockey (M): R.O.Y. (Walter Rickard Memorial Award) – Nolan Dann
Hockey (M): M.V.P. (Jack Pos Trophy) – Tristan de Jong
Lacrosse (W): R.O.Y. – McKenna Murray
Lacrosse (W): M.V.P. – Rachel McConvey
Lacrosse (M): R.O.Y. – Joe Columbus
Lacrosse (M): M.V.P. – Liam Aston
Nordic Skiing (W): M.V.P. – Janna Wardell
Nordic Skiing (M): M.V.P. – William Fairhead
Rowing (W): R.O.Y. – Jenna Nicholson
Rowing (W): M.V.P. – Paige Burns
Rowing (M): R.O.Y. – Joseph Owen
Rowing (M): M.V.P. – Connor Wideman
Rugby (W): R.O.Y. – Heather Armstrong
Rugby (W): M.V.P. – Natalie Armatage
Rugby (M): R.O.Y. (Robin Best Award) – Liam Bowman
Rugby (M): M.V.P. (Leuan Evans Rugger Award) – Adam Ford
Soccer (W): R.O.Y. – Rebecca Draeger
Soccer (W): M.V.P. – Olivia Rizakos
Soccer (M). R.O.Y. – Peter Bandula
Soccer (M): M.V.P. (Bill McAnuff Memorial) – Ambrose Tinmouth
Squash (W): M.V.P. – Khadija Hamada
Squash (M): M.V.P. – Ishwak Singh Barmi
Swimming (W): R.O.Y. – Samantha Peace
Swimming (W): M.V.P. – Elizabeth Greaves
Swimming (M): R.O.Y. – Declan MacDonald
Swimming (M): M.V.P. (C.M. Kinnear Memorial) – Jacob Stojanovic
Track & Field (W): R.O.Y. – Dianna Proctor
Track & Field (W): M.V.P. – Gabrielle Cole
Track & Field (M): R.O.Y. – Keon Rude
Track & Field (M): M.V.P. (Hamilton Olympic Club Award) – Max Davies
Volleyball (W): R.O.Y. (Makala King Memorial) – Sloane Fortin
Volleyball (W): M.V.P. – Payton King
Volleyball (M): R.O.Y. – Tian Harcevic
Volleyball (M): M.V.P. – Joshua Glasbergen
Wrestling (W): R.O.Y. – Kylee Lubbers
Wrestling (W): M.V.P. – Kelyn Young
Wrestling (M): R.O.Y. – Casey Harkley
Wrestling (M): M.V.P. – Brennan Laplante Brady
 
Thank you to our official awards sponsor: