DON CAMERON AWARD - MOST IMPROVED MEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE
2024-25 Don Cameron Award (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 78th minute to extend Guelph’s lead to 10 points as his kick clinched his team’s 4th straight OUA Championship in their 31-21 victory over Queen’s.
2023-24 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Josh Glasbergen (Men’s Volleyball)
Gryphons men's volleyball middle blocker, Josh Glasbergen, takes home the Don Cameron 3-Year Most Improved Award for 2023-24. Glasbergen, an environmental science major at the University of Guelph, played a key role for the Gryphons men's volleyball team all season long in what was one of the best seasons in program history. The 6-foot-6, 21-year-old from Burlington, Ontario appeared in all 20 matches for the Gryphons during the regular season, where Guelph set a program-record for wins after posting a 15-5 record. Glasbergen, who was named an OUA Second Team All-Star this season, was a constant presence in the middle for the Gryphons throughout the season, recording 22 solo blocks during the regular season, ranking him tied-for-2nd in all of U SPORTS in that category.
2022-23 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Jack Sears - Men's Soccer
22-year-old mathematical science major, Jack Sears, is the 2022-23 recipient of the Don Cameron three-year most improved award after a standout season with the Gryphons men's soccer team. Since arriving on campus for the 2019-20 season, the Ajax native has progressed each season as a Gryphon, and has now established himself as one of the top midfielders in the country. After starting in 9 games his rookie season, Jack has become a fixture in the middle of the pitch for the Gryphons, playinng nearly every game since. Jack has been named an OUA All-Star in each of the past two seasons, and this season, added national honours to his resume after being named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
2021-22 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Alec Purnell - Men's Track & Field
22-year-old adult development major, Alec Purnell, is the 2021-22 recipient of the Don Cameron three-year most improved award after a standout season with the Gryphons men’s track and field and cross country teams.
Since arriving on U of G campus in the fall of 2018, the native of Dundas, Ontario has progressed each season as a Gryphon, and now has established himself as one of the top distance athletes in the country.
Purnell just the 5th student-athlete in program history to be named OUA (Men's) Track MVP following his outstanding performance at the 2022 OUA Track and Field Championships where he produced a double-gold in the men’s 1,000 & 1,500m. At nationals, Alec would add 2 silver medals as well as a gold in the 4x800m relay, helping the Gryphons men’s track and field team claim their 5th straight national title and 8th in program history. Purnell was also an OUA Second Team All-Star and part of an OUA team title in men’s cross country this past fall.
2019-2020 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Zarko Ubiparip - Men's Volleyball
After being named an OUA West 2nd Team All-Star a season ago, Zarko Ubiparip went one step further this season as he was named an OUA West 1st Team All-Star in 2019-20. A product of Kitchener, Ontario, the 3rd-year student athlete led the Gryphons in kills with 194, which was good enough to tie for 5th in the OUA.
His 227.5 points accumulated during the 2019-20 campaign was also good for 5th in the conference. Ubiparip also provided problems for his opponents with his serve, tallying 19 service aces while helping lead the Gryphons to an OUA Final Four appearance.
2018-2019 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Banky Alade - Men's Basketball
Three seasons ago, Banky Alade joined the Gryphons men’s basketball program as a 17-year-old who battled injuries while taking on a limited role on a veteran team. As a sophomore, Banky emerged as a consistent contributor at both ends of the floor, appearing in 24 games and averaging 18 minutes per game. This season, Banky took yet another huge step forward, with the third-year Marketing Management student finishing the 2018-19 regular season as the leading rebounder in the entire country, averaging 11.1 rebounds per game. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native also finished 3rd on the team in scoring with 14.5 PPG and helped lead the men’s basketball team back to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
2017-2018 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Job Reinhart - Wrestling & Football
2016-2017 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Kendrick Kerr - Volleyball
Three years ago, Kendrick Kerr broke onto the OUA scene playing in 13 games, averaging 1.8 points per set and earned a spot on the OUA West All-Rookie Team. In his second season, he continued to shine, averaging 2.6 points per set in 18 games while being named an OUA West Second Team All-Star. In 2016-17, Kerr took yet another step forward, establishing himself as the OUA's most efficient attacker with a league-best .508 hitting percentage to go along with a team-high 3.8 points per set. Kerr not only earned the title of OUA West First Team All-Star, he also became the first Gryphons men's volleyball player in seven years to reach All-Canadian status as he was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian. Kerr's individual accolades coincide with incredible team accomplishments in 2016-17 as the Gryphons made the playoffs for the first time in six years and ended their season with a win by claiming an OUA Bronze medal.
2015-2016 Don Cameron Award (Most Improved): Johnny Augustine - Football
As a rookie, people were already aware of Johnny Augustine’s incredible potential as he ran for 127 yards against Laurier in his OUA debut. By his 2nd year, he continued to progress and provided the Gryphons with a deadly combination in the backfield as he served as Rob Farquharson’s backup.
In his third year, this past season Johnny took over as the feature back and the numbers speak for themselves - a school record 12 rushing TD's during the regular season, 814 rushing yards during the regular season – 7th highest regular season total on UofG's all-time list, and in the playoffs he continued his great season. During the OUA semifinal vs. Carleton he helped the Gryphons book a spot in the Yates Cup with a monster performance against the Ravens (35 carries, 235 yards, 2TD's).
Return to Awards Archive
DON CAMERON AWARD WINNERS
YEAR |
WINNER |
YEAR |
WINNER |
1951-52 |
Jack Hanna BB |
1988-89 |
Ray Darling BB |
1952-53 |
John F. Doane BOXING |
1989-90 |
Bryan Maltby FB |
1953-54 |
Harry Brightwell WRES |
1990-91 |
Brent Barnhardt BB |
1954-55 |
Bob Hart FB |
1990-91 |
Matt Rolleman FB |
1955-56 |
Doug Miller XC |
1991-92 |
Chris O'Rourke BB |
1956-57 |
Frank Brown WRES |
1992-93 |
Shawn Hagarty FB |
1957-58 |
Joe Brent FB |
1993-94 |
Charles Assmann FB |
1958-59 |
Harold Grunau FB |
1994-95 |
Shayne Campbell SOC |
1959-60 |
Anthony Black WRES |
1995-96 |
Chad Pearson WRES |
1960-61 |
Dave Hull VB |
1996-97 |
Nick Gallo FB |
1961-62 |
Ray German WRES/FB |
1997-98 |
Mark Gowan HOC |
1962-63 |
L. Arnold XC |
1998-99 |
Jeremy Oxley GOLF |
|
J. MacMillan WRES/FB |
1999-00 |
Sean Spender FB |
1963-64 |
M. Sauve FB |
2000-01 |
Taylor Murphy XC/TRA |
1964-65 |
Eldon Zuill SWIM |
2001-02 |
Mike Palmer FB |
1965-66 |
Gary Scott FB |
2002-03 |
Kyle Desormeaux XC |
1966-67 |
Nick Schori WRES |
2003-04 |
Andrew Oosterhuis FB |
1967-68 |
Ross Slaughter SKI |
2004-05 |
Ken Ritson HOC |
1968-69 |
Peter Symons WRES |
2005-06 |
Owen Willems T&F |
1969-70 |
Gerry Organ FB |
2006-07 |
Duncan Milne BB |
1970-71 |
Barry Snider XC |
2007-08 |
Justin Dunk FB |
1971-72 |
Jack Vandenpol BB |
2008-09 |
Rob Maver FB |
1972-73 |
Paul Allen BB |
2009-10 |
James Savoie FB |
1973-74 |
Adrien Gauthier VB |
2010-11 |
Tim Hendry |
1974-75 |
Jim Chorostecki FB |
2011-12 |
Andrew Nixon XC |
1975-76 |
Bob McKinnon BB |
2012-13 |
Robert Farquharson FB |
1976-77 |
Mike Kappel WRES |
2013-14 |
Aaron Hendrekx XC, T&F |
1977-78 |
Dave Lemon VB |
2014-15 |
Curtis Newton FB |
1978-79 |
Jeff Inglis FB |
2015-16 |
Johnny Augustine FB |
| 1979-80 |
Rick Dundas BB |
2016-17
|
Kendrick Kerr - VB |
| 1980-81 |
Bruce Jackson HOC |
2017-18 |
Job Reinhart - FB/WRST |
| 1981-82 |
Mark Scott BB & John Hammill, HOC |
2018-19 |
Banky Alade (MBB) |
| 1982-83 |
Greg Hook BB |
2019-20 |
Zarko Ubiparip (MVB) |
| 1983-84 |
Mimo Dimuzio FB |
2020-21 |
* COVID * |
| 1984-85 |
Brett Marshall FB |
2021-22 |
Alec Purnell (T&F) |
| 1985-86 |
Dave Guest SOC/VB |
2022-23 |
Jack Sears (MSCR) |
| 1986-87 |
Dan Wicklum FB |
2023-24 |
Josh Glasbergen (MVB) |
| 1987-88 |
Mike Shoemaker FB |
2024-25 |
Tomas Dallan (MRGBY) |
