O’Connor, Ivanov named 2024-25 Brock University Athletes of the Year

It was a memorable night of celebration for Brock University’s student-athletes. 

The Brock Badgers Varsity Awards Gala took place on Wednesday, March 26 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites St. Catharines Conference Centre. 

This year, the Badgers continued to have athletic success, celebrating one national championship banner and three provincial championships. 

10 teams competed at national championships while 24 teams appeared at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships. 

During the 2024-25 season, eight different Badgers received major awards while three coaches earned Coach of the Year honours. 

Additionally, 22 Badgers received All-Canadian accolades and there were 65 provincial all-star selections. 

Tatum O’Connor from the women’s swimming team and Michael Ivanov from men’s track and field headlined the evening’s award winners, earning the titles of Brock Badgers Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively. 

O’Connor helped rewrite Brock swimming history, becoming the first athlete since Ian Young in 2002 to finish on the podium at the national championships after earning bronze medals in both the 50-metre and 100-metre backstroke events. 

With an impressive four medals, O’Connor helped the women’s team set a modern-day program record of seven podium finishes at an OUA Championships. The Kinesiology major won three gold medals (50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay) and one silver (50m butterfly) to lead all Brock athletes, finishing with four OUA all-star selections. 

Earlier in the year, O’Connor led the Badgers women to their first Dean Boles Divisional Championships victory in program history with six medals (four gold, two silver). This was highlighted by a meet and school record-breaking time of one minute, 44 seconds and 91 milliseconds in the 4x50m freestyle relay. 

O’Connor is the first women’s swimmer to win the Female Athlete of the Year award since Nikki Huggins earned the honour during the 2002-03 season.

Ivanov helped make Brock track and field history this past season in a dominant showing in the pole vault event.  

At the U SPORTS Championships, the local Niagara Falls product captured first with a jump of 5.12-metres which was the first-ever national gold medal for the Brock track and field program. His jump was 32 centimetres ahead of the next-best finisher. 

Impressively, Ivanov finished 35cm ahead of the second-place finisher at the OUA Championships to capture his second consecutive provincial gold medal in the pole vault. 

For his victories in the two championships, he was named a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian and an OUA First Team All-Star. 

The third-year jumper also won an additional six gold medals in the pole vault during the 2024-25 season, going undefeated in Canadian university competition. 

Ivanov made more Brock track and field history, being named the program’s first Male Athlete of the Year in 46 years when Terry Rigg last won the award in 1978-79.

The Coach of the Year awards were awarded to Dave Ling of the women’s swimming team and Tom Kent and Scott Anderson of the men’s rowing team. 

Ling led the Brock Badgers women’s swimming program to a banner year, finishing with a modern-day program record of seven medals at the OUA Championships and a national medal for the first time since 2002. He was voted by his peers as both the OUA Women’s and Men’s Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the provincial championships.  

Earlier in the season, the women’s team won their first Dean Boles Divisional Championships title, which partnered with the men’s team’s victory will allow the swim program to advance upward to the top division next season at the Merrily Stratten Divisional Championships. 

Kent and Anderson have been instrumental in leading the men’s rowing program to their fourth consecutive provincial title. This past season, the Badgers won their 15th OUA banner, earning ten total medals (five gold, three silver, two bronze) in the process. 

At the Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURCs), Brock placed second for the third straight season. Their medal haul included two gold medals, two silvers and one bronze.

The Brock women’s wrestling team was named the Women’s Team of the Year for the third consecutive season while the men’s rowing team captured the Men’s Team of the Year award. 

At the newly renamed Wrestling Canada Lutte U SPORTS Invitational Championships, the women’s team captured their second national title in a row and 12th overall.  

During the tournament, the team won one gold medal, six silvers and one bronze.  

Prior to that, the 9-time defending OUA champions secured their tenth consecutive and 23rd overall provincial championship. Impressively, the Badgers women medalled in each event, walking away with four gold medals, two silvers and four bronze.

The men’s rowing team continued to their reign over the Ontario landscape as they won their fourth straight and 15th overall provincial title. A medal haul of five gold medals, three silvers and two bronze was headlined by an OUA Male Rower of the Year award given to Charles Etienne-Tabet.  

At the national championships, the Badgers placed second with five total podium finishes (two gold, two silver, one bronze), and for the third consecutive CURCs, Harris was honoured as CURCs Male Rower of the Year.

Madalyn Weinert, a fourth-year guard/forward on the women’s basketball team, and Brayden McReelis, a fourth-year prop on the men’s rugby team, were recognized as the winners of the David Atkinson Surgite Award and R.M. Davis Surgite Award, respectively. These awards are awarded annually to the female and male student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically. 

Weinert was named a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and Brock Badgers Academic Excellence Award winner for the third straight year. She also excelled on the court, receiving a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian selection, OUA Player of the Year and OUA First Team All-Star for the second consecutive season. 

McReelis joined the Badgers in 2020 and has been a Brock Badgers Academic Excellence Award recipient ever since. On the field, he was a critical member of the team’s set piece and was one of the top scrummagers in the province as made evident by his second straight OUA First Team All-Star nod. 

Emmery Borg was recognized at the ceremony by Brock Sports Medicine (BSM) with the Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award of Excellence. 

The Brock Sports Performance (BSP) Awards were presented to Mike MacDonald who was selected as the BSP Student Intern of the Year and Marisa Freeman who received the BSP Impact Award.

Heather Sweezey and Dave Collie received the Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award.  

This award recognizes a student, coach, staff or community member for their tireless dedication to Brock Sports and the program’s pursuit of excellence. Recipients are those who have made a significant contribution as the ‘doers’ and ‘builders’ of current and past athletic programs at Brock. 

Sweezey, who has been an assistant coach with the women’s wrestling team since 2021-22, has been responsible for helping mentor the next generation of Brock wrestlers.  

She assists with recruiting, fundraising and helps run the Brock wrestling program year-round, ensuring continued success. 

During her time at Brock as a coach, Sweezey helped the women’s wrestling program win two U SPORTS championships and four OUA titles. 

Sweezey continues to be an important figure in the wrestling community, being involved as coach at the last five Canada Summer Games for Team Ontario as well as at Thorold High School.  

Collie has been a central figure in the continued development and success of the women’s wrestling program at Brock. 

First starting with the men’s team as an assistant back in 1987-88, Collie returned to the Brock program as associate coach in 2013-14 and started as the women’s head coach in 2018-19. 

During that span, the Badgers women’s wrestling team has won nine U SPORTS titles and 10 OUA championships.  

Like Sweezey, Collie is responsible for helping with the program’s recruiting, fundraising and year-round development. 

Most recently, Collie helped coach Brock alumna Hannah Taylor (BSM ’21) at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The full list of major award and team award winners is included below.  
 
2024-25 BROCK SPORTS MAJOR AWARD WINNERS 

Female Athlete of the Year: Tatum O’Connor (Women’s Swimming) 
Male Athlete of the Year: Michael Ivanov (Men’s Track and Field) 
Women’s Team Coach of the Year: Dave Ling (Women’s Swimming) 
Men’s Team Coach of the Year: Tom Kent and Scott Anderson (Men’s Rowing) 
Women’s Team of the Year: Women’s Wrestling 
Men’s Team of the Year: Men’s Rowing 
David Atkinson Surgite Award: Madalyn Weinert (Women’s Basketball) 
RM Davis Surgite Award: Brayden McReelis (Men’s Rugby) 
Joseph P. Kenny Student Therapist Award: Emmery Borg 
BSP Student Intern of the Year: Mike MacDonald 
BSP Impact Award: Marisa Freeman 
Marilou Iusi Memorial Service Award: Heather Sweezey and Dave Collie 

2024-25 TEAM AWARDS
Baseball 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Cole Carpenter 
Co-Most Valuable Badger – Charlie Hughes 
Emerging Badger – Tyson Gomm 
 
Men’s Basketball 
Most Valuable Badger – Davanté Hackett
Emerging Badger – Ben Herbert 

Women’s Basketball 
T.J. Kearney Most Valuable Badger – Madalyn Weinert
 
Men’s Cross Country 
Most Valuable Badger – Isaac Iannarelli 
Emerging Badger – Evan Ryall 
 
Women’s Cross Country 
Most Valuable Badger – Lauren Macsai 
Emerging Badger – Jolanta Clark 
 
Men’s Curling 
Most Valuable Badger – Owen Henry  
Emerging Badger – Elias Whittington 
 
Women’s Curling 
Most Valuable Badger – Rhiannon Beckstead 
Emerging Badger – Sophia Barbosa 
 
Women’s Fencing 
Ken Douglas Most Valuable Badger – Isamaris Escano 
Emerging Badger – Olivia Sheriffs 

Men’s Fencing 
Ken Douglas Most Valuable Badger – Parker Triano  
Emerging Badger – Nico D’Amelio 
 
Figure Skating 
Most Valuable Badger – Trinity Males 
Emerging Badger – Isabella Ranalli 

Men’s Golf 
Most Valuable Badger – Robbie Pemberton 
Emerging Badger – Sean Fraser 

Women’s Golf 
Most Valuable Badger – Olivia Stoddart  
Emerging Badger – Casey Kenney 

Men’s Hockey 
Ed Davis Most Valuable Badger – Holden Rogers 
Denholm Emerging Badger – Zack Stringer 

Women’s Hockey 
Emerging Badger – Avery Diljee 
Emerging Badger – Sydney Hood 

Men’s Lacrosse 
Most Valuable Badger – Jack Parker
Emerging Badger – Ben Smellie
 
Women’s Lacrosse 
Most Valuable Badger – Alyssa Worth
Emerging Badger – Abby Holliday
 
Men’s Rowing 
Oarsman of the Year – Michael Ciepiela 
Emerging Badger – Trevor Andrews 
 
Women’s Rowing 
Co-Oarswoman of the Year – Isabella Durcak 
Co-Oarswoman of the Year – Zoe Durcak 

Men’s Rugby 
Most Valuable Badger – Grant Meadows 
Emerging Badger – Koen Schroeder 
  
Women’s Rugby 
Most Valuable Badger – Abbie Wade 
Emerging Badger – Maya Rickerby 

Men’s Soccer 
Most Valuable Badger – Conrad Czarnecki 
Emerging Badger – Gabriel Tardif 

Women’s Soccer 
Most Valuable Badger – Maleah Pinkston 
Emerging Badger – Nyssa Navalta 

Softball 
Most Valuable Badger – Emma Andres 
Emerging Badger – Mya Booker 
 
Men’s Squash 
Most Valuable Badger – Aidan Parris 
Emerging Badger – Mohryan Baksh 

Women’s Squash 
Most Valuable Badger – Danielle Tonna 
Emerging Badger – Rachael Liu 

Men’s Swimming 
Joe Kerkhoven Most Valuable Badger – Camren Courchene-Carter 
Herb deBray Progressive Emerging Badger – Jared Banta 
 
Women’s Swimming 
Joe Kerkhoven Most Valuable Badger – Tatum O’Connor 
Herb deBray Progressive Emerging Badger – Grace Chai 

Men’s Tennis 
Most Valuable Badger – Ethan From 
Emerging Badger – Alex Williams 

Women’s Tennis 
Most Valuable Badger – Fiona Barkovic 
Co-Emerging Badger – Emma Shea 
Co-Emerging Badger – Cynthia Szebeni 
 
Men’s Track and Field 
Most Valuable Badger – Michael Ivanov 
Emerging Badger – Jason Friesen 
 
Women’s Track and Field 
Most Valuable Badger – Sarah Saldutto  
Emerging Badger – Sofia Aljourmi 

Women’s Volleyball 
Most Valuable Badger – Madison Chimienti 
Emerging Badger – Charlotte Ross 
 
Men’s Volleyball 
Most Valuable Badger – Devin Cooney 
Most Valuable Teammate – Nanle Yusuf 

Men’s Wrestling 
Most Valuable Badger – Yazdan Farokhizad 
Emerging Badger – Zakir Ibrahimkheil 
 
Women’s Wrestling 
Most Valuable Badger – Brianna Fraser 
Emerging Badger – Olivia Mathezer