Rohr, Ungar named 2023-24 Brock Athletes of the Year

Brock University celebrated its student-athletes at the annual Brock Badgers Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 27 at the Americana Conference Resort Spa & Waterpark in Niagara Falls. 

The varsity programs at Brock had another successful year, headlined by two national championship banners and four provincial titles.  

In all, 15 teams appeared at a national championship events while 26 teams competed at the provincial championships.  

The Badgers earned 17 major awards and eight Coach of the Year awards during the year.

On top of that, 26 student-athletes were named All-Canadians while the Badgers earned 81 provincial all-star selections across all sports during the 2023-24 season. 

Leading the Badgers’ award winners were Sara Rohr from the women’s volleyball team and Connor Ungar of the men’s hockey team who were named the Brock Badgers Female and Male Athletes of the Year.

As the starting setter, Rohr led the Brock Badgers women’s volleyball team to a third consecutive OUA (Ontario University Athletics) Quigley Cup Championship and third straight appearance at the national championship. 

The Milton, Ont product 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 led the OUA with 10.90 assists per set and 643 total assists, with the former putting her second in the country. She also set a program record, finishing her Badgers career with 2,677 assists.  

Rohr is the first women’s volleyball player to be named Female Athlete of the Year since 1992-93 when Tanya Stephens won the award. 

Ungar made an impressive debut for Brock men’s hockey, earning numerous awards from both the OUA and U SPORTS. 

He was recognized as the U SPORTS and OUA West Rookie of the Year and received a spot on both the U SPORTS and OUA West All-Rookie Teams.  In addition, he was selected as a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and was named the OUA West Goaltender of the Year and OUA West First Team All-Star.  

The Calgary, AB product finished first in the OUA and U SPORTS with 20 wins in the regular season, setting a new program record in the process.  

He recently signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). 

Fellow goaltender Clint Windsor was the last men’s hockey player to win Male Athlete of the Year, taking home the honour in the 2017-18 season. 

The Coach of the Year awards were awarded to Dave Collie of women’s wrestling and TJ Manastersky of men’s hockey.  

Collie was named both the U SPORTS and OUA Women’s Team Coach of the Year after guiding the Badgers to their 11th national title in program history and ninth consecutive provincial title. Over the two tournaments, Collie’s team took home ten individual gold medals, six silvers and two bronzes for a total of 18 medals.

Finishing with a program record 21 wins, Manastersky led the Badgers to new heights this past season and was named OUA West Coach of the Year. Under his leadership, the team made their fourth appearance at the University Cup (U SPORTS Men’s Hockey Championship) and won five major OUA West Division awards.  

For the second year in a row, the women’s and men’s wrestling teams were named Female Team of the Year and Male Team of the Year.  

The women’s wrestling team remains the masters of the mat, earning their 11th U SPORTS title in program history while earning three individual gold medals, three silver and two bronze.  They also won their ninth consecutive OUA championship and 22nd overall, winning seven provincial gold medals and three silvers.

Continuing their reign of dominance over the U SPORTS landscape, the men’s wrestling team won their ninth consecutive national championship banner and 22nd in program history. At the U SPORTS Championships, the Badgers won five gold medals and three silvers, while at the provincial championships, they earned their eighth straight provincial banner and 25th overall, winning six individual gold medals, two silvers and two bronze. 

Catriona Cormier from women’s hockey was awarded the David S. Howes Spirit of Brock Award, which is named after Howes for his commitment to Brock University and the community of Niagara. This award is presented annually to a student who best embodies the spirit of Sir Isaac Brock: leadership, courage, innovation, inspiration and community service. 

Women’s soccer defender Grace Tawil and men’s rower Connor Dodds earned the David Atkinson Surgite Award and R.M. Davis Surgite Award, respectively. These are awarded each year to current female and male student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically. 

Dodds also won the R.M. Davis Surgite Award for the 2022-23 season and was honoured at last year’s Brock Badgers Awards Gala.

Brock Sports Medicine (BSM) honoured Brianna Bruni as the winner of the Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award of Excellence. 

The Brock Sports Performance (BSP) Awards went to Nick Eck, who was recognized as the BSP Student Intern of the Year, and Dustin Cordeiro, who received the BSP Impact Award.

Receiving the Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award was Brock Sports Director of Recreation Karen McAllister-Kenny . This award recognizes an individual for their tireless dedication to Brock Sports. All previous award recipients have made a significant contribution to Brock Sports and gone above and beyond their standard call of duty to make the department and the experience for Brock’s student-athletes a positive one.  

McAllister-Kenny’s time with Brock and Athletics began in 1983 as the women’s volleyball coach. Under her guidance, the Badgers clinched provincial bronze medals. She also earned accolades such as the Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics Association Coach of the Year in 1989 and Brock’s Team of the Year award after an undefeated regular season. 

In 2003, she was inducted into the Brock Athletics Hall of Fame as a Builder. 

As Director of Recreation, McAllister-Kenny works tirelessly to expand programs and create a vibrant and inclusive environment for thousands of students and community members to participate and connect. She has played a leading role in growing campus recreation and athletics and has made it a key part of the university experience, whether students are participating in or facilitating programs. 

The full list of major award and team award winners is included below.  
  
2023-24 BROCK SPORTS MAJOR AWARD WINNERS 
Female Athlete of the Year: Sara Rohr (Women’s Volleyball) 
Male Athlete of the Year: Connor Ungar (Men’s Hockey) 
Women’s Team Coach of the Year: Dave Collie (Women’s Wrestling) 
Men’s Team Coach of the Year: TJ Manastersky (Men’s Hockey) 
Female Team of the Year: Women’s Wrestling 
Male Team of the Year: Men’s Wrestling 
David S. Howes Spirit of Brock Award: Catriona Cormier (Women’s Hockey) 
David Atkinson Surgite Award: Grace Tawil (Women’s Soccer) 
R.M. Davis Surgite Award: Connor Dodds (Men’s Rowing) 
Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award: Brianna Bruni 
BSP Student Intern of the Year: Nick Eck 
BSP Impact Award: Dustin Cordeiro 
Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award: Karen McAllister-Kenny 
  
2023-24 Team Awards 
Baseball 
Most Valuable Badger – Cole Carpenter 
Emerging Badger – Flynn Matheson 
  
Men’s Basketball 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Jevon Brown 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Jordan Tchuente 
Emerging Badger – Andrew McKenna 
  
Women’s Basketball 
T.J. Kearney Most Valuable Badger – Madalyn Weinert 
Emerging Badger – Vienna Vercesi 

Men’s Cross Country 
Most Valuable Badger – Isaac Iannarelli 
Emerging Badger – Marco Di Felice 
  
Women’s Cross Country 
Most Valuable Badger – Madelyn Huston 
  
Men’s Curling 
Most Valuable Badger – Victor Pietrangelo  
Emerging Badger – Graham Dix 
Most Improved Badger – Patrick Sipura 
  
Women’s Curling 
Most Valuable Badger – Chloe Morby 
Emerging Badger – Alyssa Mayville 
Most Improved Badger – Lena Haase 
  
Women’s Fencing 
Ken Douglas Most Valuable Badger – Tamara Tait 
Emerging Badger – Addison Mahoney 
  
Men’s Fencing 
Ken Douglas Most Valuable Badger – Nicholas Gutierrez-Sarabia 
Emerging Badger – Robert Cruickshank 
  
Figure Skating 
Most Valuable Badger – Kaia Fogh 
Emerging Badger – Ashleen Hale 
Most Improved Badger – Olivia Hussey 
 
Men’s Golf 
Most Valuable Badger – Tate Smith 
Emerging Badger – Liam McKeiver 
Most Improved Badger – Matthew Lundy 

Women’s Golf 
Most Valuable Badger – Olivia Stoddart  
Emerging Badger – Ella Hertner 

Men’s Hockey 
Ed Davis Most Valuable Badger – Jacob Roach 
Denholm Emerging Badger – Connor Ungar 
  
Women’s Hockey 
Most Valuable Badger – Kenzie Harmison 
Most Valuable Badger – Randyll Strongman 
  
Men’s Lacrosse 
Most Valuable Badger – Aidan Buis 
Emerging Badger – Avery Steinbach-Parker 
  
Women’s Lacrosse 
Most Valuable Badger – Elise Vestergaard 
Emerging Badger – Lucy Lee 
  
Men’s Rowing 
Oarsman of the Year – Connor Dodds 
  
Women’s Rowing 
Oarswoman of the Year – Connor Dodds 

Men’s Rugby 
Most Valuable Badger – Steven Commerford 
Emerging Badger – Joel Michel 
Clubman of the Year – Caleb Willmets 
Most Improved Badger – Noah Coleman 
  
Women’s Rugby 
Most Valuable Badger – Paige DeNeve 
Emerging Badger – Backs – Julie Grohal 
Emerging Badger – Forwards – Brooke Rempel 
  
Men’s Soccer 
Most Valuable Badger – Luca Ragagnin 
Emerging Badger – Conrad Czarnecki 
  
Women’s Soccer 
Most Valuable Badger – Grace Tawil 
Emerging Badger – Julia Martins 
 
Softball 
Most Valuable Badger – Reagan Lalande 
Emerging Badger – Emma Young 
  
Men’s Squash 
Most Valuable Badger – Tyson Schille 
Emerging Badger – Finley Armstrong 

Women’s Squash 
Most Valuable Badger – Danielle Tonna 
Emerging Badger – Addie Hambly 

Men’s Swimming 
Joe Kerkhoven Most Valuable Badger – Julien Legault 
Herb deBray Progressive Emerging Badger – Michael McCormick 
  
Women’s Swimming 
Joe Kerkhoven Most Valuable Badger – Tatum O’Connor 
Herb deBray Progressive Emerging Badger – Quinn Mersereau 

Men’s Tennis 
Most Valuable Badger – Jaden Chamberlain 
Emerging Badger – Evan Goad 

Women’s Tennis 
Most Valuable Badger – Aleks Paramentic 
Emerging Badger – Gabby Cayen 
  
Men’s Track and Field 
Most Valuable Badger – Michael Ivanov 
Emerging Badger – Marco Di Felice 
Badger Award – Tyrell Smikle 
Coaches Award – Noah Nadon 
  
Women’s Track and Field 
Most Valuable Badger – Sarah Saldutto  
Emerging Badger – Brielle Greenslade  

Women’s Volleyball 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Laurin Ainsworth 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Aleiah Torres 
Emerging Badger – Mackenna Knox 
Most Improved Badger – Daryan Chadwick 

Men’s Volleyball 
Most Valuable Badger – Kylar Code  
Most Valuable Teammate – Kersey Robinson 
  
Men’s Wrestling 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Bobby Narwal 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Garette Saunders 
Emerging Badger – Nicolae Gandrabura 
 
Women’s Wrestling 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Brianna Fraser 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Mia Friesen 
Emerging Badger – Francesca Lo Greco