GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE 2012-13 ATHLETIC AWARDS

TORONTO - She's a distance runner and so is he. And both are exceptionally good student athletes.

Liz Seguin (Richmond Hill) and Sean Sweeney (Toronto) were chosen as the top female and male athletes, respectively, at George Brown College's 44th annual banquet and celebration of athletic excellence held at the Toronto Marriot Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel.

Seguin exceled as a rookie while Sweeney, fighting back from a nasty injury, was also dominant. Now, both carry the distinguished titles of Athletes of the Year.

Seguin and Sweeney came to George Brown for specific academic programs – and both, in addition to Diplomas after graduation, will also have fond memories of their personal accomplishments as well as contribution to the success of teammates.

Seguin and Sweeney were honored in front of a crowd that included George Brown administration, faculty, coaches, managers, athletes and a number of special guests featuring Canadian Football League Hall of Famer Michael "Pinball" Clemons, Olympic boxer and George Brown fashion design graduate Troy Ross and Rahul Bhardwaj, a member of the College Board of Governors and Chairman of the 2012 Ontario Summer Games.

"I am delighted to congratulate our Liz and Sean, as well as all of our varsity and intramural athletes on a great season," said Anne Sado, President, George Brown College. "By participating in athletics, you not only stay active, but you also have the opportunity to make new friends, learn important skills like co-operation and communication and you help spread school spirit amongst staff and students."

Seguin, who at one time this year called herself "an in-experienced runner", became one of George Brown's most decorated female athletes – and certainly in cross country - finishing the year with a variety of medals, female Rookie of the Year, all-star recognition and an appetite for success in athletics.

The 22-year old, who came to George Brown for the Behavioral Science Technology Program after graduating in Psychology from the University of Guelph, wants to work with people who suffer brain injuries.

She claimed three medals in four scheduled season distance races. Seguin won gold at the Humber (Toronto) Invitational, silver at the Fanshawe (London) Invitational and bronze at the Seneca (Toronto) Invitational. In her first race of the year, Seguin was fifth at the St. Lawrence (Kingston) Invitational.

Then came the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association final placing seventh in bitter cold conditions in Sault Ste. Marie followed by a 14th place finish at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championship in Montreal.   

Chosen an all-star at both the OCAA and CCAA finals, Seguin was not done. She won the 600 and 1,000 metres at the George Brown Indoor Invitational at Variety Village.

Sweeney, who had a difficult return to sport following illness and being anemic, missed several races early in the season. But, when the 23-year old was healthy, he was a solid performer.
A former provincial champ, he placed third and won a bronze medal at the OCAA final covering the 8 km course in 25 minutes, 31 seconds. That qualified him for the national run-offs where he finished ninth. After scratching from races in Kingston and London, Sweeney was 17th at the Seneca Invitational and second at the Humber Invitational.

At the Guelph New Year's Indoor Invitational, he won the 3,000 metres and at the University of Toronto Fred Foot Classic, beat a field of 36 runners in the 1,500 metres with a personal best time. Wanting to pursue a career helping people in need, Sweeney is in George Brown's popular Child and Youth Worker Program.

"Liz and Sean exemplify what amateur sport is all about – the ability to learn, to adapt, to take control and to excel," said Ed Mark, George Brown's Manager of Athletics and Recreation.

A number of special awards were also handed out for distinguished excellence in academics and athletics while 21 athletes, one of the largest numbers in years at George Brown, were recipients of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association All-Academic awards.

In special awards, the inaugural Michael "Pinball" Clemons Fair Play Award – one that signifies the importance of fairness, respect and showing a positive attitude by a student athlete in sport – went to basketball player Nathaniel Elliott and badminton star Christina Truong.

Erin Andrews, P.J. Aucoin, Matt Beck, Taylor Dinner, Amanda Jericho, Mark Lloyd and Maika Takashashi were part of a team called Root Seven – a group of post-graduate students in the Sport and Event Marketing Program – who won an internal competition after coming up with some perceptive and insightful thoughts on what they would do to draw awareness and productivity to an expanded George Brown Athletics and Recreation Program.

The Alex Barbier Bursary for outstanding leadership in their sport to student life involvement went to Mithuya Arumai and Leanne Prade. The Husky Merit Award for an all-around outstanding contribution to varsity athletics was given to Ishan Aksel. Marrietta Wong won the Therapy Award, for outstanding service and support to athletics and recreation,; The Men's Basketball Award for Sport and Academics winner was Dwayne Harrison. The KC Fitness Award for Academic Excellence and Contribution to Sport was awarded to Edwin Sheon. Rookies of the Year Award went to Liz Seguin and Eric Olivera.

George Brown College MVP winners were:

Cross Country: Liz Seguin & Adam Czuchnicki
Men's Outdoor Soccer: Kyle Taitt
Women's Volleyball: Iris Su Wong
Men's Volleyball: Edwin Sheon
Women's Basketball: Aria Charles
Men's Basketball: Bruno Silvestrin
Badminton: Ken Cao
Men's Indoor Soccer: Marcus Neves-Polonio
Women's Indoor Soccer: Mackenzie Oram

Source: George Brown College