Kyle Grewal and Kayla Bruce were named the University of the Fraser Valley's athletes of the year at the Cascades' awards banquet last week.
Grewal, a fourth-year power forward, helped the UFV men's basketball team to a breakthrough season that included a Canada West silver medal and a fourth-place finish at the CIS national championships. He averaged 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during the regular season, and finished with a 35-point, 14-rebound performance in the national bronze medal game against St. Francis Xavier.
“Kyle has really developed into an all-around student-athlete, as he has brought his grades up to an 'A' average, to combine with his national recognition on the court," Cascades men's basketball coach Barnaby Craddock said.
Bruce led the UFV women's volleyball team to a similar breakthrough – her Cascades finished second at the PacWest provincials and won bronze at CCAA nationals. Bruce was named the PacWest women's volleyball MVP as well as the conference female athlete of the year.
"Kayla's stats shine brighter than most in the country,” said UFV women’s volleyball coach Dennis Bokenfohr. “She has a very strong work ethic when it comes to training hard consistently in practice and is a role model to her teammates.”
Colton O’Neill (men’s soccer) and Krista Hogewoning (women’s volleyball) were named the Cascades' rookies of the year, while Alexa McCarthy (women's basketball) won the outstanding community service award for the second straight year.
Bethany Whitehead (rowing) was the recipient of the Jen Simpson Award, while the rowing team won the President's Shield award for the highest team grade point average.
2011-12 Cascades team MVPs
Basketball: Kyle Grewal (men), Tessa Klassen (women)
Golf: Aaron Pauls
Rowing: Bryan Siemens/Scott Micona/Mat Morrison
Soccer: Sasa Plavsic (men), Chelsea Steffen (women)
Volleyball: Trevor Nickel (men), Kayla Bruce/Jenna Evans (women)
Individual team awards
Men's basketball: Sheldon Bjorgaard, most inspirational player
Women's basketball: Kayli Sartori, rookie of the year
Golf: Dan McArthur, most inspirational player
Rowing: Becky Hildebrandt, most inspirational player
Men's soccer: Colton O’Neill, rookie of the year
Women's soccer: McKenzie Shopland, rookie of the year
Men's volleyball: Adam Chaplin, rookie of the year Women's volleyball: Jillian Saunders, most inspirational player