Photo GalleryVarsity Blues swimming standout Zack Chetrat and women's hockey goalie Nicole Kesteris were named the 2014 T-Holders' male and female athletes of the year during the University of Toronto's annual athletic banquet awards ceremony on Saturday, March 29 at Chestnut Residence.
The Blues also honoured men's pole vaulter Townsend Benard as the George M. Biggs Trophy award winner, as well as women's volleyball setter Malena Rapaport as the recipient of the Dr. Clara Benson Honour award, for their outstanding athletic achievement, scholarship and community service during their time at the University of Toronto.
In addition, football lineman Danny Sprukulis and women's volleyball middle Tessa Davis took home the fourth annual Varsity Blues male and female rookie of the year awards.
A native of Oakville, Ont., Chetrat becomes the first student-athlete at the University of Toronto to be named the male athlete of the year three times. Chetrat led the men's swimming team to their 11
th consecutive OUA banner and their second straight CIS national title in 2013-14.
He took home four medals at the national championships, including his fifth career 200 butterfly title, while also earning a silver medal in the 100 butterfly and bronze medals in the 400 and 1500 freestyle events.
The five-time OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian was also named the OUA male swimmer of the year for the second straight year after sweeping the butterfly events and adding a silver-medal finish in the 400 freestyle at the provincial championships.
Kesteris also etches her name in the U of T history book as the first goalie in any sport and only the second women's hockey player to be honoured as female athlete of the year. She was named an OUA first team all-star and CIS first team all-Canadian after leading all goaltenders in the country with a .948 save percentage and five shutouts this season.
The Aurora, Ont., native also won both the OUA and CIS Marion Hilliard award, recognizing excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement.
Kesteris posted a regular season-high 34 saves in a 3-1 victory versus Windsor on Nov. 2 and was equally impressive in the playoffs, holding a .937 save percentage in six post-season games. She made a season-high 35 saves and earned her first career playoff-shutout win against the Laurier Golden Hawks in Game 2 of their OUA semi-final series en route to Toronto's best finish since 2008.
A two-time CIS bronze medalist in men's pole vault, Benard also won the OUA silver medal in 2012 and earned an OUA all-star nod. He is a three-time CIS academic all-Canadian and has won the Dr. Donald H.H. MacKenzie and Worts Lennox smart scholarships, as well as the University of Toronto scholar award.
A native of St. Catharines, Ont., Benard served as the co-chair of the Council of Athletic and Recreation (CAR), which is responsible for overall athletics and recreation policy, including: allocation of funds to program areas, staffing policy, and rental and fees policy. He sat on many sub-committees as a member of CAR, including KPE sponsorship, awards, budget, equity, membership and restricted funds.
The fifth-year kinesiology major won the Dean's student leadership award and the KPE Kirkwood award in 2012 and 2013, and was also a third-year representative on the R. Tait McKenzie Society.
A three-time OUA bronze medalist, Malena Rapaport was named a member of Canada's national B team in 2012. She was a Blues team co-captain in 2011 and 2012 and served as a leader in the women's volleyball community outreach events, including the CAAWS newcomer 'on the move' project in conjunction with the COSTI immigrant services, introducing 12 female high school students to the U of T campus and women's volleyball program.
She volunteered with after-school clinics at Winona Public School, and community club clinics, while also getting involved in the Safe Spaces charity awareness campaign. Rapaport served as the head intramural volleyball official in 2012 and 2013 and presented at the KPE Berth Rosenstadt national undergraduate research conference in 2014.
Sprukulis was the only first-year athlete to start on the Toronto Varsity Blues football offensive line this season. He and the Blues offence ranked fifth in the OUA with 420 yards per game and was a vital part of U of T's run and pass protection.
Also hailing from Oakville, Sprukulis was named a member of the OUA all-rookie team in helping the Blues to their best team finish since the 1993 Yates and Vanier Cup winning season.
Davis led all players in the CIS with 41 solo blocks, quickly establishing herself as a force at the net in CIS volleyball. She was named the OUA East rookie of the year, and also a member of both the OUA and CIS all-rookie teams.
The South Surrey, B.C., native also led the Blues and ranked second in the OUA with 53 total blocks in 19 matches and sat third on the team with 3.17 points per set. Davis helped the Blues to a first-place regular season finish in the OUA East division and an OUA bronze medal this season.
2013-14 Varsity Blues Major Award Winners T-Holders' Association Athletic Award Presented annually to the male and female student T-Holder - the U of T Athlete of the Year - for exhibiting the highest degree of excellence in athletics. Male – Zack Chetrat (Swimming)
Female – Nicole Kesteris (Hockey)
George M. Biggs Trophy Awarded to the graduating male student-athlete who has contributed most to university athletics from the standpoint of leadership, sportsmanship and performance. Townsend Benard (Track & Field)
Benson Honour AwardAwarded to the female student-athlete in her graduating year for outstanding ability in athletics and scholarship. Malena Rapaport (Volleyball)
Rookie of the Year AwardAwarded to a male and female Varsity athlete in their first year of post-secondary eligibility that exhibit outstanding athletic performance. Male – Danny Sprukulis (Football)
Female – Tessa Davis (Volleyball)
