Finalists Announced for Major Awards at Clubs Banquet

Members of the 26 Gee-Gees Competitive Sport Club teams will gather next week on Thursday, March 30 to celebrate the 2022-2023 season at the annual banquet, including the presentation of annual awards.

The Gee-Gees are proud to introduce the finalists for the major awards for the Competitive Sport Clubs for 2022-2023, each in alphabetical order within their categories. Winners will be announced on March 30 in addition to the recipients of the True Sport Award, and the team MVPs.

Athletes of the Year:

The four finalists from women's teams are: Chloé Gagnon (equestrian), Jordanna Hartley (softball), Naomi Peterson (ultimate), Shilo Rousseau (Nordic skiing)

Chloé Gagnon: one of the equestrian team's most consistently high-performing athletes of the season, Gagnon finished the season on a high point. The fourth-year philosophy and political science student's scores ranked her reserve high point rider both days of her final IHSA competition. In OCEA competition she finished sixth overall in Entry Flat and tenth overall in Entry Over Fences, as well as seventh overall in the Entry division for the East Zone.

Jordanna Hartley: a fourth-year health sciences student, Hartley started every game for the Gee-Gees this season, either at pitcher or first base. She was the runner up for the OUS Pitcher of the Year award with a 3.21 ERA and 66 strikeouts with only 14 walks in 59 innings. As a hitter she batted .317 and was named an OUS All-Star. Hartley competed at the 2022 Canadian Championships and was invited to Team Canada's Development Camp.

Naomi Peterson: with the Gee-Gees, the first-year environmental science student's strong play contributed to the team reaching the Division 1 University National Championship tournament. Her performance at Nationals led to her being voted Rookie of the Year. With her club team, Peterson competed at the Canadian Ultimate Championships, winning bronze, and the World Ultimate Club Championships. She has been selected to Canada's U24 Women's National team which will compete at the World Championships this summer.

Shilo Rousseau: a fourth-year biology student, Rousseau made Team Canada history by claiming two gold and one silver medal in biathlon at the 2023 FISU World University Games. She followed that with the top Canadian finishes in the women's events at the International Biathlon Union Cup event in March. With the Gee-Gees, she competed in Nordic events at two Eastern Canada Cup events and the Eastern Canadian Championships, including a first place and two second place finishes. 

The four finalists from men's teams are: Alex Bianchini (badminton), Cameron Kennedy (ultimate), Aidan Kirkham (Nordic skiing), Evan Whiteway-Willard (baseball)

Alex Bianchini: a second-year law student (droit civil), Bianchini was named to the OUA All-Star team at the 2023 conference championships as the Gee-Gees placed sixth as a team. Bianchini represented Quebec at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, winning a silver medal in men's doubles and placing fifth in singles play. He also captured the 2022 U23 Canadian singles championship.

Cameron Kennedy: a fourth-year biochemistry student, Kennedy was the Gee-Gees most versatile and dependable player, displaying his elite cutting abilities as the primary cutter while also showing his ability to drop back and provide elite throwing, all helping the team to its highest placing in program history with a second place finish at the Canadian University Ultimate Championships. He has been selected to Canada's U24 national mixed team for competition this summer.

Aidan Kirkham: A Master's student in epidemiology, Kirkham stepped onto the podium three times at the OUA Championships, helping the team to its best ever men's finish. First, he claimed individual silver in the skate event, then he anchored the men's relay team to silver. His performances heped uOttawa claim the OUA bronze medal in the men's team standings. Kirkham also represented uOttawa at the FISU World University Games, finishing sixteenth individually in skate and helping the Canadian relay team to a ninth place finish.

Evan Whiteway-Willard: a fourth-year Human Kinetics student, Whiteway-Willard batted fourth in the cleanup spot and led the Gee-Gees in the majority of offensive categories. He produced a clutch, two-out hit in the seventh inning of the OUA Regionals which drove in two runs and moved the eventual tying runner to third. He also played and played lockdown defense in right field, going the whole season without an error.

Award of Merit - Outstanding combination of Academics and Athletics: 

The four finalists from the men's teams are: Ben Dodek (baseball), Shaafi Mahbub (soccer), Julian Rogers (volleyball), Kartikay Tyagi (badminton).

Ben Dodek: a fourth-year Conflict Studies and Human Rights student, Dodek has served as the baseball team's special projects coordinator and recruiting chair and also acts as a peer mentor. A Gee-Gees Academic Award winner since 2020, Dodek has worked at a government relations firm and does volunteer work at the Toronto Foundation for Youth Involvement in Politics, and also is an active member of the Ottawa Jewish community, serving as president of the local Chabad. 

Shaafi Mahbub: a third-year Biomedical Science student, Mahbub was a key contributor to the Gee-Gees soccer team this season. He held a 10.0 annual grade point average in 2021-22 and again posted a perfect GPA in fall of 2022.

Julian Rogers: a fourth-year Economics and Political Science student, Rogers has been the volleyball team captain for three years and his influence on and off the court is second to none. A quiet leader off the court but very vocal on the court, the team considers him their foundation. Rogers has been an Academic Award winner since 2018-19.

Kartikay Tyagi: a medical student in residency, Tyagi is a veteran leader on the badminton team who exhibits excellent effort in training and competition. He competed at the OUA Championships and won his two opening round matches in men's singles to advance to the playoffs where he lost 1-2 in three close sets. He paired with Alex Bianchini in men's doubles, winning two matches including a playoff match before being beaten in the semifinal. 

The finalists from women's teams are: Madeline MacMillan (golf), Zoe Pekos (Nordic skiing), Rachel Matheson-Green (softball), Kennis Ross (equestrian)

Madeline MacMillan: a fourth-year Communciations and Sociology student, MacMillan is a golf team captain who demonstrates her strengths as role model and leader. She is also co-president for uOttawa Student-Athlete Council and volunteers in the community with training service dogs and junior golf programs. She has been an Academic Award winner since 2020.

Rachel Matheson-Green: a Master's student in Human Kinetics, Intervention and Consultation, Matheson-Green brought veteran leadership to the softball team this year and performed in big moments both as a pitcher and at the plate. She volunteered at CHEO facilitating Kinetic Coping sessions for patients within the Mental Health unit and worked with individual patients on health behaviour change. Working toward becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, she has already made connections with various teams in the Ottawa area.

Zoe Pekos: a fourth-year biology student, Pekos represented the Gee-Gees at Canada Cups and represented Canada at the FISU World University Games this year including 3 top 15 performances. These results earned Zoe a spot on Team Canada for an International Biathlon Union Cup event in March. Academically, Pekos held a 10.0 annual grade point average in 2020-21 and again posted a perfect GPA in fall of 2022. She won a NSERC-USRA grant to study the role of non-native plants in the nectar diet of the monarch butterfly and is currently completing her honours thesis.

Kennis Ross: a third-year Biomedical Sciences student, Ross provided consistent top placings in both the IHSA and OCEA competitions for the Gee-Gees this season. She served as team secretary and also provides tutoring sessions in science courses as a volunteer with "Learning for Charity" which donates all proceeds to local organizations. Ross was a Gee-Gees Academic Award recipient for 2021-22, which was her first year on the equestrian team.

Gee-Gees Leadership and Initiative Award: 

This award recognizes those who stand out as leaders within their club in terms of team management and administration, as well as their overall contribution to the student-experience of competitive sports clubs student-athletes. The finalists this year are: Yacine Amalou (volleyball), Michael Kanter (baseball), Erin Moore (equestrian), Luke Phelan (men's ultimate). 

Yacine Amalou: Head coach of the men's volleyball team, Amalou has been leading the program for three seasons and each season has been better. From improving the team's equipment to the competition schedule, he has given team members an experience like none other - in particular by entering the team in the prestigious Eastern Collegiate Volleyball Association, and providing incredible support to players trying to balance sport and studies.

Michael Kanter: as the baseball team president, Kanter has led the executive by ensuring that everything that needed to be done in order for the team to succeed was not only done on time, but also exceeded expectations. On top of being extremely successful academically himself, Kanter lends his support to his teammates whenever he can, assisting in everything from course selection to resume building to creating a study schedule, as well as running the weekly team study hall. Kanter is a leader who works hard and is dedicated to success in addition to making sure that everyone around them is also successful. 

Erin Moore: in just her second year on the equestrian team and her first year competing, Moore stepped up to fill the roles of both OCEA Assistant Captain and IHSA Assistant Captain and dedicated herself to fulfilling both jobs. She was then elected as one of two Undergraduate Representatives on the Regional Standards and Ethics Committee (RSEC) of IHSA Zone 2, Region 2, for a two-year term. Moore was responsible for discussing and addressing any infractions of IHSA rules and regulations by any coach or athlete alongside the IHSA Regional President and Zone Chair, and her presence has had a meaningful impact on the Gee-Gees teambuilding.

Luke Phelan: in his second year as head coach of the men's ultimate team, Phelan guided the club to its best-ever performance, reaching the Division One national finals. Phelan's leadership and confidence in his team to get the job done when it matters most is unwavering. Not only has he brought together an elite team of young Ultimate players, he has instilled a culture of sportsmanship that was recognized as the team finished with the second-highest Spirit of the Game score at nationals.

The Gee-Gees would like to thank all those who took time to nominate student-athletes and coaches for this year's awards.

For a list of historical Gee-Gees Annual Award winners, please visit this page.