2023-2024 Rustlers Year in Review

After a successful 2022–23 season Rustler programs followed it up with the most successful season in Rustlers history.

Competitively the Rustlers earned ACAC Championships in women’s volleyball and mixed curling and women’s basketball. The women’s hockey team brought home conference silver  and our men’s basketball team secured a ACAC Bronze medal.  Men’s Curling and men’s volleyball finished just out of the medals with strong 4^th place finishes to finish off their seasons. The women’s volleyball team went on to win their second national title in as many years and Lakeland played host to the CCAA National women’s basketball championships and was able to secure the national title at home for the programs first national championship win in the history of the program.

Individually twenty two Lakeland student athletes received All-Conference Awards. Women’s Basketball student athlete Hineaupounamu Nuku  was selected as a ACAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and CCAA women’s basketball player of the year. Jana Laing, women’s volleyball and Hineaupounamu Nuku, women’s basketball, were also selected as All Canadians for their efforts this past year.

Rustler Women’s Hockey Coach, Taylor Dyer men’s volleyball head coach and Chris King women’s basketball head coach were all selected at ACAC Coaches of the year. Rustler women’s basketball coach, Chris King was also selected as the CCAA coach of the year in March and was also announced at the CCAA Coaching Excellence Award winner for 2023–24.

Academically - Rustler student-athletes continued to strive for excellence in the classroom compiling a collective GPA just shy of 3.0. Thirty seven student-athletes were awarded CCAA National Scholar awards while forty four student–athletes were awarded ACAC Academic Athlete awards. Eight student-athletes were presented with CCAA Academic All Canadian awards.

In the Community Rustler student athletes continued to coach youth in club programs and camps in their sports. Rustler programs also initiated fundraisers, assisted local charities and raised awareness around mental health and cancer. In the 2023 – 24 year student athletes and coaches contributed over 8200 hours in and around the Lakeland community leading and engaging