Varsityblues.ca will highlight the nominees of U of T's major awards – men's and women's rookies of the year, Dr. Clara Benson honour award, George M. Biggs trophy, as well as the men's and women's Frank Pindar and T-Holders' athletes of the year - to be announced at the Varsity Blues Awards Gala on Friday, April 4.
The following Varsity Blues athletes were nominated by their coaches and chosen through the awards selection process as finalists for the George M. Biggs Trophy, given annually to the graduating undergraduate men's student-athlete who has contributed most to university athletics from the standpoint of academics, athletics, leadership and community service (in alphabetical order):
Miguel Garcia Alonso - Water Polo
Garcia Alonso stands out for both his exceptional achievements as a member of the Varsity Blues water polo team and as a mathematics and physical science student. Academically, he has garnered numerous accolades as a three-time U of T T-Holders' Academic Excellence Award winner, including being named Varsity Blues Top Scholar for the 2023-24 season. He has also received a number of prestigious scholarships such as the Alice Brown and Jack Coles Scholarship, the U of T Scholar – Beatty Scholarship, Stanley Tattershall Undergraduate Fund in Physics Award, and Tuohy Family Award for International Study to name just a few. Garcia Alonso has contributed significantly to his team's success, with highlights including being part of three conference championship teams and twice being named OUA Most Valuable Goalie. His leadership and sportsmanship are evident through his role as team co-captain, while he has also found success nationally, winning the Canadian national championship in 2023 with his club team, the Toronto Golden Jets. Moreover, he has found ways to support his team outside of the pool, assisting with campus visits and Q&A sessions with potential recruits.
Kinsale Philip - Football
Philip has left a significant mark on both his communities within the University of Toronto, as a member of the Varsity Blues football team and as a student advocate within U of T's philosophy program. On the field, he provided leadership in various roles, earning Varsity Blues Offensive Player of Year Honours in 2022 as the team's starting quarterback, before then receiving the Varsity Blues Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024 as the team's starting boundary halfback. His exceptional athleticism has earned him invites to the East-West Bowl in 2023 and CFL Invitational Combine in 2025. Providing further support for the football program, he has also served as an assistant with incoming recruits. Off the field, he has shown strong academic ability, earning U SPORTS academic all-Canadian honours twice, while receiving both the McCall MacBain Region Award and the Richard Yee Memorial Bursary. He has also been an advocate for his extended community, volunteering as a clerk for the Julius Alexander Isaac Moot, which focuses on an area of law in which issues of equity and diversity arise, and contributing as a member of the Ontario Green Party, attending annual general meetings and canvassing for local candidates.
Emmett Serensits - Hockey
A member of the Varsity Blues hockey team, Serensits has been a leader on-and-off the ice during his time studying environmental studies at the University of Toronto. On the ice, he has demonstrated his leadership as team captain during the 2024-25 season and assistant captain during the 2023-24 campaign. A strong reliable defenceman, he garnered several athletic honours including the Varsity Blues Men's Hockey Award of Merit (2021), M.R. Wright and Family Men's Hockey Award (2022), Larry and Judy Tanenbaum Athletic Award of Merit (2023), and Blues Hockey Spirit of 84' Award (2024). Additionally, he recently signed a professional contract with the Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL upon completion of the 2024-25 season. Beyond the rink, Serensits has also been an active supporter of motionball for Special Olympics, a national non-profit empowering young Canadians to be leaders in raising funds and awareness for Special Olympics. This included being a fundraiser, participant and volunteer for the University of Toronto's motionball Marathon of Sport, providing a full-day event of inclusive sports and activities with local Special Olympic athletes.
Brandon Tang - Track & Field
A sprinter and computer science student on the Varsity Blues track and field team, Tang has garnered athletic, academic, and community recognitions throughout his U of T career. Academically, Tang has been named a U SPORTS academic all-Canadian in multiple years, while most recently also receiving a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship nomination, the CIE International Experience Award, and the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD. Notably, he won the U of T Engineering NEST Hatchery start-up competition, helped in the development of the mobile app Perception which optimizes training schedules, and worked on the web app Allergy Alert which provides image recognition for food ingredients. Tang's athletic achievements include ranking fourth all-time on U of T's 60m record list, claiming OUA 60m bronze in 2024, and becoming a three-time OUA relay medalist following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. His leadership and sportsmanship are evident as a team captain and recipient of the OUA track and field community service award in 2024. Beyond sports and academics, Tang is engaged in various community initiatives, including membership in the BIPOC Varsity Association (BVA), serving as director of community engagement with the U of T AI Club, and acting as team lead for Project X.
Owen Taylor - Baseball
An active member of the Varsity Blues community since his arrival on campus, Taylor found multiple ways to engage as a student-athlete. On the diamond, he has been a member of three OUA championship teams with the Varsity Blues baseball program, including back-to-back provincial championships over the last two seasons. In addition to winning the OUA banner, Taylor was also named an OUA all-star and OUA MVP in each of those campaigns. However, beyond serving as a team captain with the baseball team, he has been a member of Varsity Board and served as Co-President for the 2023-24 season. As well within his role as a student-athlete in the commerce program at U of T, he has also served as director of corporate relations for the Blues in Commerce student club. Outside of U of T, he has been a youth baseball coach with the North York Blue, and a mentor for youth baseball players in the Bahamas.
