The Holland Hurricanes handed out their awards from the 2023-24 season on Thursday evening at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown on the Holland College Prince of Wales Campus.
The evening consisted of team awards being handed out to start (see full list below), followed by major award winners to conclude the evening.
The big winners were Emily Lepine (soccer, Bridgewater, N.S.) and Bryce Corless (basketball, Quispamsis, N.B.), who were named the 2024 Holland Hurricanes Athletes of the Year.
Lepine led the women's soccer Hurricanes to their seventh Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) title in program history and their first-ever national medal at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Nationals in Summerside. The generational winger was named the 2024 ACAA Player of the Year, a member of the 2024 ACAA 1st All-Conference Team, and a 2024 CCAA All-Canadian.
To cap off her 2023-24 collegiate athletics year, Lepine was also named the Most Valuable Player for the women’s soccer Hurricanes.
Corless led the men’s basketball Hurricanes to a third-place finish in the ACAA regular-season and a spot in the semifinals at the ACAA Basketball Championships in Charlottetown. The star guard was named to the 2024 ACAA 1st All-Conference Team and was also recognized as the Top Offensive Player and the Most Valuable Player for the men’s basketball ‘Canes.
Other major award winners on Thursday evening included Allison Rutt (soccer, Sheffield Mills, N.S.) and Izumo Ueda (volleyball, Heathfield, South Australia) as the Hurricanes Rookies of the Year, and Andrew MacNevin (baseball) as the Hurricanes Coach of the Year.
The recipient of the Hurricanes Physiotherapy Award, presented to a Holland College student-athlete who exemplifies perseverance and overcomes adversity to return to play or continue to contribute to their team after injury or health challenge was Bella Sibbick, of women’s rugby.
The recipients of the Hurricanes Award, in recognition of those that have helped develop and promote the Holland Hurricanes, were women’s hockey head coach, Brody Irving, and football assistant coach and head recruiter, Zach Davidson.
The recipients of the Leadership in Sport Award, in recognition of the contribution to the development and promotion of sport at Holland College and in our community, were Madison Tingley, from women’s rugby and women’s hockey, and Kristyn Taylor and Bethany McDougall, from women’s soccer and women’s hockey, the Hurricanes three dual-athletes from 2023-24.
The recipient of the Citizenship Award, in recognition of outstanding athletic ability, academic excellence and demonstrating leadership and commitment to the community, was Keanna Ryan, from women’s soccer.
The recipient of the President’s Award, recognizing those who are actively involved in promoting and building the varsity program at Holland College, was the City of Summerside, who hosted the CCAA Women’s Soccer Nationals in November.
The following are the 2023-24 Hurricanes team award winners:
BASEBALL
Most Valuable Player – Ethan Smith
Leadership Award – Sam Worth
Offensive Player of the Year – Matthew Peacock
Pitcher of the Year – Ethan Smith
CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING
Male Most Valuable Runner – Colton March
Female Most Valuable Runner – Melanie Mitchell
EQUESTRIAN
Rider of the Year – Denika DeCoste
FOOTBALL
Most Valuable Player – Mitch Spence
Offensive Lineman of the Year – Chris Bennett
Defensive Lineman of the Year – Braedyn Charette
Offensive Player of the Year – Hunter Prus
Defensive Player of the Year – Parker Orr
Special Teams Player of the Year – Simon Hales
Leadership Award – Owen MacLeod
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Most Valuable Player – Emily Lepine
Leadership Award – Keanna Ryan
Offensive Player of the Year – Misha Koyari
Defensive Player of the Year – Allison Rutt
MEN'S SOCCER
Most Valuable Player – Mohammad Alhaj Ali
Leadership Award – Nolan Barry
Offensive Player of the Year – Vinicius Boyd
Defensive Player of the Year – Yannick MacPhee
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
Most Valuable Player – Emma Arsenault
Leadership Award – Emma MacKinnon
Offensive Player of the Year – Taylor Gillis
Defensive Player of the Year – Jacy McMillan
WOMEN'S RUGBY
Most Valuable Player – Tori Hogan
Leadership Award – Annik Whiten
Top Forward – Madison Tingley
Top Back – Ella McLean
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Most Valuable Player – Ella Hickey
Leadership Award – Mason Babey
Offensive Player of the Year – Myah Utrosa
Defensive Player of the Year – Jenna O’Neill
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Most Valuable Player – Carson Gray
Leadership Award – Tyler McBride
Offensive Player of the Year – Izumo Ueda
Defensive Player of the Year – Marcus Lapointe
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Most Valuable Player – Alexa Rancourt
Leadership Award – Danielle McKinnon
Offensive Player of the Year – Amy Plaggenhoef
Defensive Player of the Year – Lauren Armstrong
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Most Valuable Player – Bryce Corless
Leadership Award – Ryan MacKinnon
Offensive Player of the Year – Bryce Corless
Defensive Player of the Year – Aaron Simmons
The replay of the broadcast from the 2024 Hurricanes Awards night can be viewed at www.youtube.com/@gocanesgo.
Connect with the Holland Hurricanes at www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes,www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.
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