TORONTO – The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold announced their award winners from the 2023-24 season on Thursday, with volleyball player Ashley Ditchfield and hockey player Kyle Bollers taking home athlete of the year honours.
H.H. Kerr Female Athlete of the Year – Ashley Ditchfield, Volleyball
Ditchfield received the H.H. Kerr Award after an impressive campaign on the court. She was a force at the net for the Bold this season, racking up 84 total blocks to lead the OUA. She accumulated 196.5 total points on the season, including 115 kills and 21 service aces, was named an OUA First-Team All-Star, and guided the Bold to the OUA semifinal.
Ditchfield is the first volleyball player to win the award since Cailin Wark in the 2019-20 season.
Hockey player Emily Baxter, basketball player Kaillie Hall, and volleyball teammate Lauren Veltman were the other finalists for the award this year.
On the Record Male Athlete of the Year – Kyle Bollers, Hockey
Third-year forward Kyle Bollers earned the On the Record Male Athlete of the Year award after putting on an offensive show this season, racking up 42 points in 28 games, good for third in the OUA. His 18 goals was second in the conference, as were his 24 assists. Named an OUA First-Team All-Star, Bollers helped the Bold win an OUA silver medal and finish fourth in the country at the U Cup.
The win is Bollers' second of his career, following his first crown in the 2021-22 season.
Soccer player Chris Campoli, volleyball player Alex King, and basketball player Aaron Rhooms were also finalists for the award this year.
TMSU Female Rookie of the Year – Catrina Garvey, Basketball
Garvey was named the Bold top female rookie this season after making her presence felt in her first season with the Bold, playing 32.8 minutes per game, the fifth most among all OUA players. Garvey often controlled the offence from the point guard position, averaging 13 points per game and converting 109 field goals to land just outside the league's top ten while being named the OUA and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year.
Garvey is the first basketball player to win the award since the 2014-15 season when Sofia Paska earned the honour.
Fellow basketball player Hailey Franco-DeRyck and hockey player Neely Van Volsen were the other finalists for the award this season.
Eyeopener Male Rookie of the Year – Daniil Grigorev, Hockey
Grigorev won the Eyeopener Male Rookie of the Year award as he quickly became an offensive threat for the Bold in his first season. His 12 goals was third most on the team and 20th among all OUA players. Named to the OUA All-Rookie Team, Grigorev finished with 21 points in 27 games this season, helping the Bold to an OUA silver medal and fourth place finish in the country.
This is the second straight year a hockey player has won the award, following Kai Edmond's win in 2022-23.
Basketball player Gabriel Gutsmore was the other finalist for the award this year.
G.L. Dobson Female Community Contribution – Britney Veltman, Volleyball
Veltman took home the G.L. Dobson award this year having been an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council this year and showing her dedication to supporting the Bold community. Veltman volunteered at the Homeless Connect event at the MAC this fall, spending the day supporting the homeless population in Toronto, and is the lead organizer of this year's Motionball event for Special Olympics, coming up in April. Veltman's leadership helped drive fellow women's volleyball teammates to attend Bold events and to support other teams. She was also a lead promoter of the team's "Support the Girls" campaign which collected clothing and funds for Rose of Sharon and the Red Door Shelter in support of ending family homelessness and to provide services to young mothers.
Veltman is the first women's volleyball player to earn the honour since Erica Naccarato did so in the 2015-16 season.
Hockey player Tori Butler and soccer player Lizzie Farsang were the other finalists for this year's award.
D.H. Craighead Male Community Contribution – Kyle Bollers, Hockey
Bollers took home the D.H. Craighead award for the third consecutive season as he continued his pursuit of giving back to the community again this season. Bollers took a leading role in the hockey team's Regent Park Holiday Skate, distributing food and hockey gear to community members and teaching them to skate. His "KB's Bold Crew" is a weekly event at the Boys and Girls Club where he plays floor hockey with local kids to promote inclusivity in hockey, and encourages other Bold student-athletes to attend and experience giving back to the community. Bollers runs a learn to play hockey program, AAO Hockey, that nurtures the next generation of hockey players through coaching and mentorship, and acts as an assistant coach with a U16 AAA team, emphasizing the importance of youth development.
Bollers becomes the first person to win the award three times in their career.
Basketball player Lincoln Rosebush and volleyball player Lucas Yang were the other finalists for the award this year.
Outstanding Performance in Club Sport - Erika Dominguez, Fencing
Fourth-year fencer Erika Dominguez earned the award this season after winning the individual gold medal in the foil weapon at the OUA championship. She went undefeated through the competition and was named an OUA all-star.
This award is in its third season, with Dallyssa Huggins from the track and field team as the inaugural winner followed by wrestling's Dechlan Papadopoulos a year ago,
Golfer Abigail Dove, fencer Ethan Haines, and wrestler Dechlan Papadopoulos were also finalists for this year's award.
See below for the full list of this year's award winners.
H.H. Kerr Female Athlete of the Year
Ashley Ditchfield, Volleyball
On the Record Male Athlete of the Year
Kyle Bollers, Hockey
TMSU Female Rookie of the Year
Catrina Garvey, Basketball
Eyeopener Male Rookie of the Year
Daniil Grigorev, Hockey
G.L. Dobson Community Contribution
Britney Veltman, Volleyball
D.H. Craighead Community Contribution
Kyle Bollers, Hockey
Outstanding Performance in Club Sport
Erika Dominguez, Fencing
Gold 'B' Recipients (Outstanding Career)
Emily Baxter, Hockey
Kyle Bollers, Hockey
Luca Di Marco, Soccer
Ashley Ditchfield, Volleyball
Erika Dominguez, Fencing
Jessica Filipcic, Curling
Ethan Haines, Fencing
Kaillie Hall, Basketball
Ivymae Perez, Soccer
Ryan Wells, Hockey
President's Team Award
Women's Volleyball (varsity) and Baseball (club)
Team MVPs
Badminton: Kayley Wong & Clement Linardi
Baseball: Domenic Gonzalez
Women's Basketball: Kaillie Hall
Men's Basketball: Aaron Rhooms
Cross Country: Meghan Muldoon & Jack Heintz
Curling: Jessica Filipcic & Mattias Cheung
Fencing: Erika Dominguez & Ethan Haines
Figure Skating: Ines Jaber
Golf: Abigail Dove & Matt McRae
Women's Hockey: Emily Baxter
Men's Hockey: Kyle Bollers
Women's Rugby: Athena Slater
Men's Rugby: Massimo Baldassarra
Women's Soccer: Vanessa Pianta
Men's Soccer: Chris Campoli
Softball: Sabrina Jada
Track & Field: Meghan Koo & Jacob Duck
Women's Volleyball: Ashley Ditchfield
Men's Volleyball: Alex King
Wrestling: Dechlan Papadopoulos
Peffers Staff Award
Robyn Parr, University Registrar
Athletic Therapy Awards
Callista Tsangarakis
Harjot Suri
Larissa Borowiec
Kendyl Oele
Michael Chan
Hamza Khan
Ari Barook
Megan Van Mol
Devon Lord Brooks Scholarship Award
Emily Baxter, Hockey
Kyle Bollers, Hockey
Evan Brand, Hockey
Gaby Gareau, Hockey
Michael Kayembe, Basketball
Serhii Khoma, Soccer
Meghan Koo, Track & Field
Mia Morano, Hockey
Jess Pollard, Hockey
Aidan Quimpo, Baseball
Aaron Rhooms, Basketball
Krystyna Ng Scholarship
Jia Lonardi, Volleyball
TMU Athletics & Recreation is grateful for our community of donors who support our student-athletes' success on and off the playing field through providing financial support with named awards. If you would like to create a named award, or have any questions about the athlete financial award program at TMU, please contact Robyn Kennedy, Associate Director of Advancement for Athletics & Recreation, at robynmkennedy@torontomu.ca
