A pair of volleyball veterans soared above the crowd to earn top student-athlete honours for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks. Kristine Ward won female honours for the 2017-18 season, while Dax Whitehead earned the nod on the men’s side at the KODI Awards on Thursday evening.
Whitehead and Ward each earned the Tim Tollestrup Leadership/Athlete of the Year award. Named after long-time Lethbridge College athletic director Tim Tollestrup, the awards honour the student-athletes who best combined the three pillars of Kodiaks athletics: academic accountability, athletic excellence and the student-athlete experience.
“What strikes me about Kristine and Dax is how well-rounded they are as people,” says Todd Caughlin, manager of Kodiaks Athletics. “They are obviously tremendous athletes who led their teams to unprecedented on-court success. But they are also excellent students and community ambassadors and that’s what we want to celebrate about our programs.”
The KODIs celebrated all aspects of another very successful Kodiaks season, which saw the program earn 34 conference or national athletic and academic honours.
Ward (fourth year, Massage Therapy, Brandon, Man.) was an all-around leader for a resurgent women’s volleyball team. She was named both a CCAA academic all-Canadian and an ACAC all-conference team member. A left side hitter, Ward finished fourth in the conference in kills, with 278. She also finished among the conference leaders in attacks, hitting percentage and service aces.
Whitehead (fourth year, General Studies, Moose Jaw, Sask.) had a record-breaking season for the Kodiaks. During the season, he became the Kodiaks all-time leader in kills. He registered his 796th career kill in late December to surpass the record previously held by Jeffrey Marthaller. He was named an ACAC all-conference team selection for the second consecutive season. A left side hitter, he was in the top ten in the ACAC in kills, hitting percentage, attacks, digs and points.
Whitehead’s award was part of a big night for the men’s volleyball team. Head coach Greg Gibos was named Kodiaks coach of the year, while the team was named top Kodiaks team. The men’s volleyball squad finished fourth in the ACAC, qualifying for the conference semifinals for the first time in program history.
Another highlight of the evening was the inaugural presentation of the Emmalee Cherweniuk Memorial Award. Cherweniuk was killed in a car crash in March 2017 following her rookie season with the Kodiaks. Sponsored by the Kodiaks Association, the $500 award goes to the women’s volleyball student-athlete who loves the game, commits to her teammates and has a personality that everyone wants to be around, just like Emmalee. Megan Szott (first year, General Studies, Calgary) was awarded the honour.
KODI award winners are listed below:
KODIs major awards
- Tim Tollestrup Leadership/Athlete of the Year (Male) – Dax Whitehead (men’s volleyball)
- Tim Tollestrup Leadership/Athlete of the Year (Female) – Kristine Ward (women’s volleyball)
- Outstanding team - Men’s volleyball
- Kodiaks coach of the year – Greg Gibos (men’s volleyball)
- Best championships performance – Women’s futsal silver medal at ACAC championships
- Best upset - Men’s basketball beating undefeated and nationally top-ranked SAIT on the Trojans’ home court
- Best comeback – Men’s volleyball rallying from down 0-2 to beat King’s University in the ACAC quarterfinals
KODIs special awards
- Alvin Tietz/Knud Petersen Award for soccer – Braydon Jetten and Sydney Hope
- Alvin Tietz/Knud Petersen Award for futsal – Jimmy Bukuru and Christine Moser
- Gerry and Brian Stewart Memorial Award for cross-country – Sophia Nowicki and Daniel Robdrup
- Fire Safety Award for cross-country and indoor track – Kayla Enders and John Krause
- Emmalee Cherweniuk Memorial Award for women’s volleyball – Megan Szott
- Alvin Tietz/Knud Petersen Award for volleyball – Harper Elwood and Dax Whitehead
- 1981 Alberta Summer Games Athletic Award for volleyball – Dax Whitehead
- John Jasiukiewicz Award for men’s basketball – Keanu Funa
- John Jasiukiewicz Award for women’s basketball – Amy Arbon
KODIs pillar awards
- Men’s soccer
- Pillar award: Joel Arrieus
- Outstanding player: Braydon Jetten
- Newcomer: Ben Knight
- Women’s soccer
- Pillar award: Kayla Keech
- Outstanding player: Brittany Klein
- Newcomer: Payden Olsen
- Men’s futsal
- Pillar award: Seth Slomp
- Outstanding player: Jimmy Bukuru
- Newcomer: James Britton
- Women’s futsal
- Pillar award: Jill Brown
- Outstanding player: Maddie Folk
- Newcomer: Christine Moser
- Cross-country
- Pillar: Sophia Nowicki
- Outstanding player: Spencer Jackson
- Newcomer: Sophia Nowicki
- Indoor track
- Pillar: Dayton Jans
- Outstanding player: Sophia Nowicki
- Newcomer: Daniel Robdrup
- Men’s volleyball
- Pillar: Matt Primrose
- Outstanding player: Carter Hansen
- Newcomer: Michael Svab
- Women’s volleyball
- Pillar: Taya Mikado
- Outstanding player: Laura Serafini
- Newcomer: Jamie Brown
- Men’s basketball
- Pillar: Pierce Van Gaalen
- Outstanding player: Keanu Funa
- Newcomer: Michael Clemons
- Women’s basketball
- Pillar: Jaclyn Heggie
- Outstanding player: Courtney Kwasney
- Newcomer: Madi Gladstone