GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE 2012-13 ATHLETIC AWARDS
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.
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
