Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year Headlines Awards Ceremony

Hancock, MI – Thursday, April 19th, Finlandia University honored it’s student-athletes with their annual Athletic Awards Ceremony held at the CHS Building.
Headlining the awards show this year was a new award, naming Finlandia’s top male and female athlete of the year.  These awards went to:
Female Athlete of the Year:         Brittany Garland
Male Athlete of the Year:                Mike Wuthrich
The primary awards that each team gave out were: MVP, Most Improved, Academic Excellence, and our Lion Award – which is given to the athlete that epitimizes what it is to be a Finlandia student-athlete.

Team	MVP	Most Improved	Lion Award	Academic Excellence
Men’s Cross-Country	Eric Monticello	John Manderfield		Eric Monticello
Women’s Cr0ss-Country	Leah Kanost	Leah Kanost	My Lindskog	Jenny Johnson
Men’s Soccer	Miguel Gamez	Nic Hendrickson	Gerardo Preciado	Adam Arthur
Women’s Soccer	Jessica Ingold	Hillary Guynn	Dawn Engman	Dawn Engman
Volleyball	Mallory Torola	Augustine Brutus	Lauren Jarvinen	Mallory Torola
Women’s Basketball	Marissa Burke and Paige Yoho	Brierra Ruska	Dawn Engman	Kristen Fallon
Men’s Basketball	Jonathon Moore	Andrew Johnston	Keith Arnold and Chase Leskala	Matt Strong
Women’s Hockey	Siera Hache	Alex Chutskoff	Mariah Mumford	Mariah Mumford
Men’s Hockey	Sean Burke	Alex Heinonen	Mike Wuthrich	Reece Anderson
Women’s Golf	Mariah Mumford	Ashley Christy	Kelly Poelstra	Mariah Mumford
Men’s Golf	Dylan Peterson	Collin Saint-Onge	Dylan Peterson	Collin Saint-Onge

The Okanagan Hockey Academy is pleased to announce two female midget players commit to university programs

The Okanagan Hockey School’s female midget program has taken another monumental step forward this week with the signing of two of its members to university programs.  Aimee Dibella and Natasha Panahi have confirmed their respective commitments to Colgate University and Western University.

Aimee Dibella, 17, spent the 2011-12 season patrolling the blue line for the OHA female team.  She racked up, a team leading, 104 minutes in penalties and collected 24 points along the way.  Aimee was a big contributor in the team’s success and will be expected to bring her edge to Colgate as they build for the future.

Natasha Panahi, 17, collected 3 game winning goals on her way to a 36 point season.  Natasha’s leadership and focus in the classroom was instrumental in securing a commitment from one of the top programs in the country.  Natasha will make her way to Western University late this summer, to settle in before a big season of CIS hockey begins.

“I’m very excited at the opportunity to play for Colgate,” said Dibella.  “I have been working for this since I began playing the game and I know I will have the time of my life.”

“I am also very excited to be part of such a great hockey program and a very reputable educational institution,” said Pahani.  “I want to thank both Gina and Rebecca for supporting me throughout the year and always being there when I needed them.  I have had a wonderful time at the OHA and looking forward to the next chapter.”

For more information:

Rebecca Russell

Head Coach, OHA

Okanagan Hockey School

rebeccarussell@hockeyschools.com

The Okanagan Hockey Academy is pleased to announce former players on hockey’s biggest stage

The Okanagan Hockey Academy and its staff are eager to congratulate four former OHA student athletes who have been instrumental in their teams’ success.

Zach Urban, Grant Nicholson and Cody Depourcq helped the Vees rewrite history this season, and are now crowned 2012 RBC Cup Champions.  All three have served a role in what could be one of the all-time best Junior A teams.

Curtis Lazar, 16, spent the season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL and he and his teammates are now headed to Shawinigan, Quebec to compete in the Memorial Cup.  Curtis has been a key component in Edmonton’s dynamic offensive ability.

“I’ve had the opportunity to coach all four players in my time at the Academy,” said Robert Dirk.  “As a staff we are very proud of their accolades (this season) but more proud of the bright, young citizens that they have become.”

Six BC Players Invited to Hockey Canada Strength and Conditioning Camp

Hockey Canada announced April 27, 2012 a list of 57 players invited to attend the Women’s U18 Strength and Conditioning Camp that will be held in Toronto, ON May 2-6, 2012.  The following six (6) players from BC were selected to attend.

Kimberley Newell (Burnaby, BC): This is the second year that Newell has been invited to the Strength and Conditioning Camp.  Last year she was the youngest goalie invited to attend.  Newell will be completing high school early to attend Princeton University.

Hannah Miller (North Vancouver, BC): Miller was a member of the 2011 Team BC that played in Saguenay, QB and Team BC that competed at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, NS. She currently leads the Okanagan Hockey Academy in scoring.

Michaela Logan (North Vancouver, BC): Logan is currently a goaltender at the Pursuit of Excellence, and she attended the 2011 Provincial Camp.  In addition to hockey, Logan is a competitive swimmer.

Samantha Fieseler (Kelowna, BC): Fieseler played on the 2011 Team BC and was the youngest member to represent the team. She currently attends Warner Academy, which is a finalist in the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) this year.

Alexa Ranahan (Salmon Arm, BC): Ranahan plays defence at the Okanagan Hockey Academy and was a member of the 2011 Team BC.

Hannah Miller (North Vancouver, BC): Miller was a member of the 2011 Team BC that played in Saguenay, QB and Team BC that competed at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, NS.  She currently leads the Okanagan Hockey Academy in scoring.

Jesse Keca (Kelowna, BC): Keca was a member of the 2011 Team BC.  She balances playing hockey at a top level while continuing to train as an elite speed skater.  She attended the Canada Winter Games in Halifax, NS for speed skating.

Invitations were made based on evaluations done throughout the 2011-2012 season by Hockey Canada’s regional scouts and the coaching staffs of Canada’s National Women’s Team, National Women’s Under 22 Team and National Women’s Under 18 Team.  Those who were chosen to attend the off-ice camp were evaluated while they played with their club teams in-season, as well as at various national camps and events.

The camp will consist of five (5) days of off-ice fitness training and is considered an important first step in identifying those who could be in the running to represent Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

For more information about BC Hockey, please visit the BC Hockey website at www.bchockey.net or email info@bchockey.net.