Lakeland Rustlers wrap up memorable season

April 2, 2024

A monumental Rustlers Athletics season needed a memorable Awards Banquet for its ending and that was the case Wednesday.

Lakeland College hosted more than 200 people between student-athletes, coaches, administration and other staff members in the Lloydminster gymnasium, celebrating the many accomplishments of the Rustlers from the past seven months. CEO and President Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart and Vice President of External Relations and Infrastructure Georgina Altman were in attendance, delivering a surprise gift for each member of the teams' coaching staff. Director of Athletics Alan Rogan spoke to the success of the past season and pointed to how the culture at Lakeland has grown to represent a family.

"Our department has grown and now has a family mindset where every team supports each other," Rogan said. "Our extended family is our student athletes' parents, our community internal and external communities."

"We are truly now a nation, Rustler nation."

This was visibly present in the number of family members from staff who attended the banquet, the most that have ever attended the year-end banquet.

"Spouses and children of our coaches and staff probably sacrifice the most, as when most parents are at home engaging with their families on evening and weekends, coaches are spending time with our student athletes," Rogan said. "It is important that our coaches' families know we appreciate the sacrifices they make, so that our student athletes have a positive experience."

Rustlers Athletics set multiple records during the 2023-2024 season. In addition to a CCAA women's basketball championship at home, back-to-back women's volleyball national titles, an ACAC three-peat in mixed curling, ACAC silver in women's hockey, nine teams making their respective postseasons and multiple program best finishes, the department also saw new highs in All-Conference athletes (23), All-Canadians and Academic All-Canadians (8) and Coaches of the Year (3).

In addition to the Academic All-Canadians, Lakeland's athletic programs performed well as a whole this year. An impressive 11 student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA in the first semester and the combined GPA of the best performing students for each team averaged to 3.91.

Following a special presentation to Recreation Programmer Tami Klatt for her outstanding work prior to and during the CCAA Women's Basketball Championship, the Female and Male Athlete of the Year awards were handed out. Because the women's selection was a tie, both Jana Laing (CCAA WVB Championship MVP) and Hineaupounamu Nuku (CCAA WBB Player of the Year) were named co-winners.

"It speaks to the quality of student athletes we have in our programs and the passion they have for their sport, team, our department and Lakeland," Rogan said of having two recipients for a major award.

Hani Tekheste, an All-Conference selection in both soccer and futsal and invested mentor in youth sports, was named Male Athlete of the Year. A member of the men's program since 2019, Tekheste has also become known on campus for his work on mic as the PA announcer for volleyball and basketball events.

Here is a full list of the award winners from the Rustlers Athletics Awards Banquet

Highest Academic Achieving

Women's Soccer - Sarah Mandeville

Men's Soccer - Hani Tekheste

Men's Basketball - Favour Ugbah

Women's Basketball - Niomi Thiele

Men's Volleyball - Vaughn Zimmer

Women's Volleyball - Emma Jeffs

Men's Curling - Adam Peters

Women's Curling - Grace Christensen

Women's Hockey - Madelyn Mann

Men's Rowing - Adam Peters

Women's Rowing - Rayna Bender

Sport Specific Awards

Rowing

Rookie of Year: Rayna Bender
Most Improved: Kyle Neidermaier
MVP: Kyle Neidermaier
Rustler Crew Award: Grace Churchill, Rayna Bender, and Kyle Neidermaier

Women's Soccer/Futsal

Rookie of Year: Emiley Thoms
Most Improved: Leah Rioux
Rustler Award: Mackenzie Gerow
Futsal MVP: Gracey Smithson
Soccer MVP: Megan Hockley

Men's Soccer/Futsal

Rookie of Year: Jonah Elliott
Most Improved: Ethan Stroud
NGolo Kante Award (unselfish and engaging teammate in effort of team success): Oba Nassar
Futsal MVP: Nathan Tran
Rustler Award: Hani Tekheste
Soccer MVP: Hani Tekheste

Men's Volleyball

Top Defensive Player: Jake Willick
Top Offensive Player: Brock Tomyn
Rustler Award: Gabriel Brinchmann - Bjorkas
MVP: Kiefer Sinclair

Curling

Rookie of Year: Shayna Benson
Most Improved: Ryan Chesterman
Rustler Award: Madeline Christiansen
MVP: Grace Christiansen

Men's Basketball

Defensive Player of the Year: Bahaeddin Salma
Most Improved: Jordan Horobetz- Simpson
Rustler Award: Favor Ugbah
MVP: Andre McFadden

Women's Hockey

Rustler Award: Mackenzie Dojahn
MVP: Hailey Carothers

Women's Volleyball

Rookie of Year: Mya Lavallee
Most Improved: Carly Hawryluk
Rustler Award: Kaylie Lueck
MVP: Jana Laing

Women's Basketball

Rookie of Year: Caitlin Shillabeer
Most Improved: Susan Ayaa
Rustler Award: Jaden Cook
MVP: Hineaupounamu Nuku

ACAC All-Conference Selections/Awards

Women's Soccer:

Darian Pluhator: North Division – Forward
Megan Hockley: North Division – Midfielder

Men's Soccer:

Nathan Tran: North Division – Forward
Hani Tekheste: North Division – Midfielder
Nicholas Filipovic: North Division – Goalkeeper

Women's Futsal:

Gracey Smithson: North Division

Men's Futsal

Hani Tekheste: North Division