2023-24 Brock Badgers Female Athlete of the Year Nominees

With the 2023-2024 Brock Badgers Award Gala taking place on the evening of Wednesday, March 27, Brock Sports would like to celebrate the six individuals who have been nominated for Female Athlete of the Year. 

The Brock Athlete of the Year Award recognizes student-athletes who have shown superior athletic performance with a significant impact that led their team to reach the highest competition results and outcomes, earning individual athletic awards and honours.  

The list of nominees for Female Athlete of the Year (listed in alphabetical order) is as follows: 

Isabella and Zoe Durcak – Rowing 

At the 2023 Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURC), Isabella, a third-year Accounting Major, and Zoe, a third-year Business student, earned a gold medal in the women’s lightweight double.  After the event, the two were honoured as Canadian University Rowing Association (CURA) All-Stars. 

The Stoney Creek duo helped lead the Badgers to an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) bronze medal after placing first in the women’s lightweight double and second in the lightweight four at the provincial championships, with the former earning them an OUA all-star selection.  

In an impressive accomplishment, the Durcaks went undefeated during the university season in the lightweight women’s double event.  

Brianna Fraser – Wrestling 

Fraser delivered a commanding performance on the mats throughout the university season, winning every match within the first round and every event she competed in. 

The fourth-year Kinesiology student capped off the year with her second consecutive U SPORTS gold medal, earning a First Team All-Canadian selection. 

At the OUA Championships, Fraser won her second straight provincial gold medal, winning all three matches by fall. For her first-place finish in the 83-kilogram division, she was also named an OUA First Team All-Star.  

Competing against the best Canadian wrestlers in the senior division, Fraser placed third at the 2023 Canadian Olympic Trials in the 76kg weight class. 

Sara Rohr – Volleyball 

The Milton, Ont product led the Brock Badgers women’s volleyball team to a third consecutive OUA Quigley Cup Championship and third straight appearance at the national championship from the key setter position.  

For her efforts, Rohr was recognized as a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, OUA Co-Player of the Year and OUA First Team All-Star.  

During the regular season, Rohr finished with 10.90 assists per set; good for second in the country and first in the province. Her 643 total assists were tops in the OUA while ranking her eighth among all setters in U SPORTS.  

This marks Rohr’s second consecutive nomination for Female Athlete of the Year. In the 2022-23 season, she was named an OUA First Team All-Star and led the OUA in assists per set with 9.80. 

Grace Tawil – Soccer 

A key defender on the backline, Tawil was the stabilizing force for the Brock Badgers women’s soccer team. 

Tawil played every minute for the Badgers during the regular season and playoffs and was tasked with taking on the conference’s top strikers in every contest. 

Under her leadership, the two-time captain helped the Badgers advance to the playoffs for a second consecutive year.  

The OUA recognized Tawil’s impact on the field with an OUA Second Team All-Star selection.  

Madalyn Weinert – Basketball 

Weinert was an instrumental part of the Badgers’ 16-5 regular season that culminated with an OUA Central Division title.  

Leading the country and province in points per game (22.5) and blocks per game (2.0), the local St. Catharines product was awarded a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian selection and was named the OUA Player of the Year. 

On top of that, Weinert also earned an OUA First Team All-Star selection, finishing second in the province in assists per game (4.5) and placing fifth in both rebounds per game (9.6) and steals per game (2.5). 

Weinert has been nominated for Female Athlete of the Year for the second straight year and received an OUA Second Team All-Star selection in 2022-23 after finishing third in the province in points per game with 17.0 and fifth in rebounds per game (9.2) and blocks per game (1.4). 

The winners will be announced at the 2023-24 Brock Badgers Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 27. You can watch the live stream of the event on YouTube starting at 5:50 p.m.