DR. MARY BEVERLEY-BURTON WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
2025-26 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Katrina Frlan (Women’s Curling)
Katrina Frlan is the 2025-26 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year after leading her rink to new heights for the Gryphons women's curling team. The first-year curler took over the leadership position as skip right away, leading the Gryphons to their first Ontario championship in 46 years alongside vice Erica Wainwright, second Aila Thompson, lead Kelsea Marcolini and alternate Liana Flanagan. Guelph defeated the reigning OUA champions, McMaster Marauders 6-4 in the gold medal match which was punctuated in the 7th end as Katrina's side was able to score four to clinch the Guelph's first women's curling banner since 1980. The Ottawa native was named the OUA Rookie of Year and MVP after guiding her side to their third provincial title. The Gryphons posted a 3-1 record in pool play to advance to the knockout round as the No. 2-seed where they defeated TMU in the quarters, Queen's in the semis before defeating the defending champions McMaster for the gold medal. The psychology major led her Gryphons to the 2026 U SPORTS/Curling Canada Curling Championships where they finished in 5th place with a pool play record of 3-4. Katrina is a hard worker who leads with quiet confidence and despite being a rookie, she was the right person to lead the Gryphons.
2024-25 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Dianna Proctor (Women’s Track and 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.
2023-24 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Reese Coffey (Women’s Hockey)
Reese Coffey takes home the Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women’s Rookie of the Year award after a standout 2023-24 season with the Gryphons women’s hockey team. The rookie blueliner became just the fourth Gryphons women's hockey player in program history to be named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team. The molecular biology & genetics major was one of the top defenders on the team all season, with the Thunder Bay, Ontario resident suiting up in 27 of the 28 regular season games for the Gryphons while adding 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) from the blueline. At just 19-years-old, Reese played a key role in helping the Gryphons concede the fewest amount of goals (34) during the 28-game OUA regular season schedule. Coffey becomes the first Gryphon in 11 seasons to earn a spot on the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team, with Christine Grant (2012-13) being the last Gryphon freshman to garner the national recognition.
2022-23 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Kelyn Young (Wrestling)
Kelyn Young takes home the Dr. Beverley-Burton Female Rookie of the Year award after an incredible first season with the Gryphon wrestling team. Kelyn is in her third year academically, but first as a Gryphon after transferring from the University of Alberta. In her first season of collegiate wrestling, the Brampton native reached the top of the podium at the OUA Wrestling Championships, pinning all four opponents on Day 1 before dominating in the gold medal match on Day 2. Two weeks later at the U SPORTS Wrestling Championships, the psychology major produced the Gryphons lone medal at the national level, earning bronze in the women's 50kg weight class.
2021-22 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Cloey Uddenberg (Women's Soccer)
Cloey Uddenberg is the recipient of the Dr. Mary Beverley Burton Female Rookie of the Year award after a sensational first season as a member of the Gryphons women’s soccer team.
Cloey made program history, becoming the first University of Guelph women's soccer player to earn the title of
national Rookie of the Year.
In her first season of on-field action in OUA women's soccer,
Cloey Uddenberg quickly established herself as one of the most dynamic centre midfielders in the country.
The Richmond Hill, Ontario native, who is currently in her second-year of studies at the University of Guelph, majoring in bio-medical science, played almost every minute of every game for the Gryphons women's soccer team in 2021, helping lead the team to a 6-2-2 regular season record and a berth in the OUA playoffs as the No. 5-seed in the conference.
The 19-years-old has also impressed on the international stage, where she has taken part in CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying for Saint Kitts and Nevis.
2019-20 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Kate Knafelc (Women's Soccer)
Kate Knafelc, an 18-year-old native of Ridgeville, Ontario, was one of just two OUA first-year players to earn a spot among the 12 best rookies in the country as part of the 2019 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team.
The marine and freshwater biology major became just the second player in program history to been named OUA Rookie of the Year, joining teammate Victoria Hinchliffe who did so in 2016.
Knafelc's stellar first season in the OUA saw her finish 3rd on the team in scoring with 5 goals in 11 games, including a game-winning goal in her U SPORTS debut on August 31 in a 2-1 win over York.
2018-19 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Tyra Boug (Track & Field)
It’s difficult for athletes to make a significant impact on the Gryphon track and field team in their first season. But Tyra proved to be an exception. The Kitchener, ON native was a highly sought after 60m hurdles recruit and as the meet season wore on, it was evident why. Tyra improved her results with each stop on Guelph’s schedule and she went into the provincial and national championships running at her best. She helped complete a Gryphon sweep of the podium at the OUA Championships by taking the bronze medal in a personal best time of 8.72 seconds. At the U SPORTS Championships in Winnipeg, Tyra, who was the only rookie in the 60m hurdles final, eclipsed that mark by running the race in 8.54 seconds to finish fifth in the country.
2017-18 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Morgan Byng (Track & Field)
A rookie athlete must be special to feature prominently on the Guelph Gryphons track and field team. And Morgan Byng fit that criteria. The fast and powerful native of Alliston, ON worked hard to secure a spot on the Gryphon relay teams and she proved to be a worthy inclusion, helping the 4x200m set an OUA and school record in a gold-medal performance at the OUA Championships. Morgan was on the same relay team that eclipsed the U of G record two weeks later for another gold at the U SPORTS Championships. She also won individual OUA bronze in the 300m event and was on the 4x400m silver medal winners at nationals. Morgan was named OUA Rookie of the Year.
2016-17 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Shyvonne Roxborough (Track & Field)
In just her first season at the University of Guelph, Shyvonne Roxborough very quickly put herself in the conversation amongst the absolute best athletes in Canadian university Track & Field. Her unforgettable rookie season saw her win the OUA title in the women's 60m while also claiming gold in the women's 4x200m relay. As a result, she was named a two-time OUA First Team All-Star and was a crucial member of the Gryphons women's Track & Field team that claimed the OUA title by finishing atop the final team standings. On the national stage, Shyvonne won a silver medal in the 60m at the U SPORTS Track & Field Championships in Edmonton where the Gryphons women's team finshed 2nd in the overall team standings.
2015-16 Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year: Danielle Jossinet (Cross Country / Track & Field)
In a team full of veterans, rookie Danielle Jossinet stepped up to help the Gryphons cross country team take home both the OUA & CIS banners this past season. Aside from being named the OUA Rookie of the Year for women’s cross country, Danielle also performed well indoors where she qualified for the CIS track & field championships in the 3000m. Earlier this year, Danielle was in Venezuela representing Canada at the Pan Am Junior Cross Country Cup.
Return to Awards Archive
List of winners of the Dr. Mary Beverley-Burton Women's Rookie of the Year Award:
YEAR |
WINNER SPORT |
YEAR |
WINNER SPORT |
| 1980-81 |
Avril Peaker SWIM |
2009-2010 |
Genevieve Lalonde XC/TRACK |
| 1981-82 |
Brenda Banning XC/SWIM |
2010-2011 |
Emily Driedger XC |
| 1982-83 |
Michelle Turley FH |
2011-2012 |
Madison Parks WRES |
| 1983-84 |
Janice Price SWIM |
2012-2013 |
Christine Grant WHKY |
| 1984-85 |
Maria Borges FH |
2013-14 |
Katelyn Ayers WLAX, TRACK |
| 1985-86 |
Wendy Lamers SWIM |
2014-15 |
Bridget Atkinson WBB |
| 1986-87 |
Pam Spero BB |
2015-16 |
Danielle Jossinet XC, T&F |
| 1987-88 |
Debbie Parsons SWIM |
2016-17 |
Shyvonne Roxborough (T&F) |
| 1988-89 |
Susan Brandon SWIM |
2017-18 |
Morgan Byng (T&F) |
| 1989-90 |
Sarah Dale SWIM |
2018-19 |
Tyra Boug (T&F) |
| 1990-91 |
Stacey Guest BB |
2019-20 |
Kate Knafelc (WSCR) |
| 1991-92 |
Lynne Forsyth SOC |
2020-21 |
* COVID * |
| 1992-93 |
Kathy Butler XC/TRACK |
2021-22 |
Chloe Uddenberg (WSCR) |
| 1993-94 |
Jennfer Dewar IHOC |
2022-23 |
Kelyn Young (WRSTL) |
| 1994-95 |
Laurie Halfpenny SOC |
2023-24 |
Reese Coffey (WHKY) |
| 1995-96 |
Lyanne Durand VB |
2024-25 |
Dianna Proctor (T&F) |
| 1996-97 |
Christine Powell RUGBY |
2025-26 |
Katrina Frlan (WCURL) |
| 1997-98 |
Coley Dosser FH/IDH/IH |
|
|
| 1998-99 |
Leah Gillingham SOC |
|
|
| 1999-2000 |
Heather Loree TRACK |
|
|
| 2000-2001 |
Tara Hedican RUG/WRES |
|
|
| 2001-2002 |
Lindsay Trimble FH/IH |
|
|
| 2002-2003 |
Stephanie Car VB |
|
|
| 2003-2004 |
Stephanie Yallin BB |
|
|
| 2004-2005 |
Neb Zacahariah T&F |
|
|
| 2005-2006 |
Kristine Wishart FH |
|
|
| 2006-2007 |
Rachel Cliff XC/Track |
|
|
| 2007-2008 |
Lindsay Carson XC/Track |
|
|
| 2008-2009 |
Jessalyn Walkey FH |
|
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