W.F. MITCHELL SPORTSMAN AWARD
2024-25 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman: 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.
2023-24 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman: Kobe Faust (Men’s Rugby)
Kobe Faust is the recipient of the W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year Award after a sensational 2023 season with the Gryphons men’s rugby team, in which he led the Gryphons to a third consecutive OUA championship title.
The sport management major from Uxbridge, Ontario led the OUA in tries and also led the Gryphons to a national bronze medal. A valuable member of the Gryphons Leadership Academcy and a team captain for the men’s rugby team for multiple years, Kobe has been a key figure during arguably the greatest stretch in program history.
2022-23 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Thomas Whitty (Men's Lacrosse)
Thomas Whitty
is the recipient of the W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year Award after demonstrating incredible dedication and leadership on the Gryphons men's lacrosse team. The fifth-year native of St. Catharines came into the 2022 season looking to lead his team back to the national championship game after falling just short in overtime last season. However, towards the end of training camp in August, his senior season would be lost on a season-ending injury. Despite the setback, Thomas remained determined to continue to lead the team, with the food and agricultural business major attending nearly every practice and game throughout the season in support of his Gryphon teammates and their run to the national semifinals.
2021-22 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Michael Berger (Men's Lacrosse)
Michael Berger is the first men’s lacrosse player to be named the W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year in the history of the award, which dates back to the late 1970’s.
The 23-year-old Uxbridge native ends his Gryphon career as a 4-time All-Canadian. In 2021, Berger led the Gryphons to a national title game, and would later be named league MVP by the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association.
The criminal justice major has led by example on and off the field, and has also made an impact in the community as a volunteer with the Guelph Elite program, teaching lacrosse skills to local youth.
2019-20 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Alexander Chaves (Men's Wrestling)
Guelph native Alexander Chaves ends his Gryphon career as the recipient of the W.F. Mitchell Sportsman award following a dominant 2019-20 wrestling season.
The landscape architecture major defended his national title at the 2020 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships, taking home the gold in the men's 72kg weight class for a second year in a row.
Alexander defeated Alberta's Aidan McKeage in the finals, capping a memorable week in St. Catharines for the fifth-year veteran, who gave up just two points the entire tournament. Chaves finishes his Gryphon career as both an OUA and U SPORTS gold medalist and leaves the 2020 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships having won each of his matches by technical superiority.
Over the course of this year's OUA and U SPORTS Wrestling Championships, Chaves outscored his opponents by a combined score of 76-2.
2018-19 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Connor Black (Men's Cross Country / Track)
In the final cross country race of his Gryphon career, Connor Black battled through injury to claim the individual gold medal at nationals in Kingston. In doing so, Connor became just the 9
th different University of Guelph men’s cross country athlete to ever earn the title of individual national champion. Indoors, Connor took home a pair of medals at the OUA meet and was part of overall team titles at both the OUA and U SPORTS Track and Field Championships. Throughout his career, the Human Kinetics major has impressed not only athletically, but also academically as well as within the community. The Forest, Ontario native, a member of the Gryphon Leadership Academy, has also volunteered in U of G’s Wellness Education Centre as a facilitator for the “Bystander Training Program.” The program encourages students to be active bystanders to help intervene and prevent violence and/or sexual harassment or assault.
2017-18 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Scott Simmonds (Men's Hockey & Men's Rugby)
Over the last four memorable years, Scott Simmonds has embodied precisely what it means to be a Gryphon. The Uxbridge, ON native is a rare two-sport athlete but what makes him unique is that his demanding rugby and hockey schedules overlap, meaning that he has competed on both the pitch and ice on the same day. Simmonds is a two-time captain of the Gryphon hockey team and respected for his skills, scoring 39 goals with 65 assists in a decorated career that includes a Queen's Cup, U SPORTS bronze medal & an OUA West First Team All-Star nod. He is also a centre on the rugby team and was a prominent figure on a side that won an OUA gold medal in 2016. Simmonds is a member of the Leadership Academy and an individual who inspires his teammates in both sports, while representing Gryphon Athletics with class in the both the classroom and the community.
2016-17 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Justin Springer (Men's Soccer)
Left-to-right: Jane Moore, Cierra Carere, Justin Springer & Bob Mitchell
Justin Springer's sensational five-year career with the Gryphons men's soccer program came to an end in 2016-17 following an unforgettable season. For the first time in 26 years, the Gryphons men's soccer team were crowned OUA Champions after defeating three-time defending OUA Champions York. The Gryphons would go on to also claim a bronze medal at nationals, which were hosted at Alumni Stadium at the University of Guelph. Aside from these tremendous team accomplishments, Justin was also recognized with several individual awards, including being named an OUA West First-Team All-Star for a fifth consecutive year. Springer was also the lone Gryphon to be recognized nationally as he was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian. The Burlington native anchored a Gryphon defence that ranked among the best in the conference, allowing just 12 goals against in 16 regular season games played. In the Fall of 2016, the standout centre back also picked up his first international cap, suiting up for his native country of St. Kitts and Nevis in an international friendly against Nicaragua.
2015-16 W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year: Evan Vanmoerkerke (Men's Swimming)
Evan has already qualified to swim in the 2016 Olympics in RIo.
This Fourth-year swimmer Evan Van Moerkerke has put together one of the most decorated careers in Gryphon history. After winning OUA gold medals in the men’s 100m freestyle in each of his first four years, Evan took yet another step forward in his third-year by claiming a gold at the CIS championships in his signature event.
Evan also represented Canada last summer as a member of the 4x100m freestyle relay team.
Return to Awards Archive
W.F. Mitchell Sportsman of the Year Winners
| Year |
Name |
Sport |
| 2024-25 |
Cole Fernandez |
Men's Soccer |
| 2023-24 |
Kobe Faust |
Men's Rugby |
| 2022-23 |
Thomas Whitty |
Men's Lacrosse |
| 2021-22 |
Michael Berger |
Men's Lacrosse |
| 2020-21 |
* COVID * |
|
| 2019-20 |
Alexander Chaves |
Men's Wrestling |
| 2018-19 |
Connor Black |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2017-18 |
Scott Simmonds |
Men's Hockey | Men's Rugby |
| 2016-17 |
Justin Springer |
Men's Soccer |
| 2015-16 |
Evan Vanmoerkerke |
Men's Swimming |
| 2014-15 |
Rob Farquharson |
Football |
| 2013-14 |
Robbie Murphy |
Men's Soccer |
| 2012-13 |
Rob Jackson |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2011-12 |
Dan McCarthy |
Men's Basketball |
| 2010-11 |
Guyson Kuruneri |
Men's Track and Field |
| 2009-10 |
Scott Van Doormaal |
Men's Swimming |
| 2008-09 |
Josh Roundell |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2007-08 |
Ferdinanda Serpe |
Men's Soccer |
| 2006-07 |
Greg Hutchinson |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2005-06 |
Dave Neill |
Men's Rugby |
| 2004-05 |
Bryan McMillan |
Men's Swimming |
| 2003-04 |
Mark Vollmer |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2002-03 |
Mark Halfpenny |
Men's Basketball | Football |
| 2001-02 |
Peter Sullivan |
Men's Track and Field | Cross Country |
| 2000-01 |
Sean Sepulis |
Men's Swimming |
| 1999-00 |
Jeremy Oxley |
Football |
| 1998-99 |
Gerrit Stam |
Football |
| 1997-98 |
J.P. Davis |
Men's Hockey |
| 1996-97 |
Chris Clancy |
Men's Hockey |
| 1995-96 |
Dave Anderson |
Men's Hockey |
| 1994-95 |
Hugh Tharby |
Football |
| 1993-94 |
Steve Sweetnam |
Men's Swimming |
| 1992-93 |
Tim Mau |
Men's Basketball |
| 1991-92 |
Chuck Sims |
Football |
| 1990-91 |
Ray Darling |
Men's Basketball |
| 1989-90 |
Tom Dimitroff |
Football |
| 1988-89 |
Wayne England |
Football |
| 1987-88 |
Dan Wicklum |
Football |
| 1986-87 |
Steve McTiernan |
Men's Hockey |
| 1985-86 |
Brian McMahon |
Men's Hockey |
| 1984-85 |
Chris Crooks |
Men's Wrestling |
| 1983-84 |
Gavin Carrow |
Men's Wrestling |
| 1982-83 |
Ray Irwin |
Men's Hockey |
| 1981-82 |
Tom Heslip |
Men's Basketball |
| 1980-81 |
Tom Gastle
Tony Tenwesteneind |
Men's Hockey
Men's Volleyball |
| 1979-80 |
Paul Goldup |
Men's Hockey |
| 1978-79 |
Mark Brown |
Football |
