Stratford honoured with U SPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award; Sundara named Second Team All-Canadian

VANCOUVER, B.C. – After receiving the OUA Award of Merit just two weeks ago, Christina Stratford added another accolade to her resume this past Thursday. Stratford was recognized as the winner of the U SPORTS Thérèse Quigley Award for Student-Athlete Community Service in Vancouver at the 2023 U SPORTS All-Canadian Awards Reception.
 

??WVB?? Christina Stratford of @McMasterSports wins the Student-Athlete Community Service Award!

??VBF?? Christina Stratford de McMaster remporte le prix de services communautaires comme étudiante athlète !#ChaseTheGlory | #ViserHaut pic.twitter.com/TZT7vLMral

— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) March 17, 2023

The Thérèse Quigley Award rewards student-athlete excellence and is given to a recipient that exhibits outstanding achievement in three areas: volleyball, academics and community involvement.

A kinesiology student in her third-year of eligibility, Stratford impressed throughout the 2022-23 OUA season. The Burlington local ranked in the Top 10 across the province in both setter statistical categories. Stratford averaged 6.62 assists per set (No. 8 in the OUA) and recorded a total of 417 assists (No. 10 in the OUA). She also added nine kills, six service aces and 107 digs throughout the regular season.

In the classroom, Stratford is a 3x U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian as well as a 3x member of the McMaster Dean’s List.

Stratford is second to none when it comes to her community involvement. The third-year setter and captain of the Marauders is the Co-President of the Varsity Leadership Committee, where she implements educational workshops, improves engagement across teams at events (e.g. Paint Night) and promotes mental health initiatives. Stratford is also an executive member of Mac Athletes Care and the Women’s Athletic Leadership Council. In these roles, she coordinates the Raise the Grade Program for the Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton and is involved in creating workshops and seminars for female athletes at McMaster. Across campus, Stratford is a Science Society/Kinesiology Mentor and a tutor. In the Hamilton community, the veteran setter is the Head Coach of the 17U Kilimanjaro MVC team and, before that, served as an Assistant Coach within the club. She is also a grade seven and eight student mentor, where she holds interactive workshops.

Stratford, who has been maroon and grey, becomes just the second Marauder to win the Thérèse Quigley Award and first since Meagan Nederveen in 2012-13. 
 

Second-year outside hitter, Sullie Sundara, also made the trip to Vancouver where she was recognized as a 2023 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian. The Kanata, Ont. local now has two national accolades on her resume after being named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team last season in her first year with the Marauders.
 
Sundara ranked first in total kills in the OUA (295) and second in kills per set (3.99) throughout the regular season. With 347 total points, the second-year outside hitter was the conference leader in points, averaging 4.7 points per set. Sundara also ranked in the Top 5 in the province in total attacks (751) and service aces (27). A statistical leader in almost every offensive category, Sundara also contributed to the Marauders’ success in other ways, recording 16 assists, 34 blocks and 186 digs. Sundara had a season high 23 kills on the road on February 11th against the Waterloo Warriors. She also hit season highs in both points (26.5) and total blocks (3) that same night.
 

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