Familiar faces win major Broncos 2019-20 awards

Jadon Frank
Olds College Sports Information
April 28, 2020

OLDS, AB – Some familiar names were selected for top awards at the Olds College Broncos Awards Night, held via social media April 17-28. There were several repeat winners from the 2018-19 and even 2017-18 season. Several highlights from the 2019-20 season were:
1) ACAC medals – Priyanna Ramdhani (badminton women's singles silver and women's doubles bronze); Layce Donaldson (badminton women's doubles bronze); Troy Morgan (badminton men's singles bronze and men's doubles bronze); Noah Jeffery (badminton men's doubles bronze)
2) ACAC Player of the Year – Brittney Thibeaux (women's basketball)
3) ACAC Rookie of the Year – Julliana Hallock (women's soccer)
4) CCAA All-Canadian – Brittney Thibeaux (women's basketball)
4) ACAC South All-Conference Team – Fabian Gromenida (men's soccer); Felicia Rodney, Julliana Hallock and Katharina Oeltermann (women's soccer); Thundersky Walkingbear (men's volleyball); Brittney Thibeaux, Brandi Thibeaux and Michaela Allen-Gullion (women's basketball)
5) ACAC Coaches of the Year – Chris Leeming (women's hockey); Ryan Marsden (men's volleyball)

Fabian Gromenida took home Male Athlete of the Year honour for the second season in a row, as the forward from Formosa, Argentina once again dominated in both soccer and futsal this season, earning ACAC South All-Conference honours in soccer for the second consecutive year after scoring 12 goals in 12 regular season games, including a four goal outburst against Augustana. His futsal season was cut short as the championship was cancelled as quarantine regulations kicked in the weekend of the championship. Gromenida is one of the Olds College's international exchange success stories, coming to Olds College as a one semester exchange student and three years later graduating and receiving his diploma while leaving a permanent stamp on the ACAC and the Olds College soccer program. He leads by example on and off the field, dominant in his position while also maintaining a high standard in the classroom. He has been one the cornerstones of the Broncos program and one of the main reasons behind the consistent growth of the program.

Another soccer player, Calgary's Felicia Rodney was named Female Athlete of the Year. Rodney has been an exemplary student-athlete since she joined the Broncos in the 2018-19 season. Since joining the Broncos, Felicia has performed well in school and has been the top striker in the ACAC. This season, Felicia continued her success from last season and found herself in a familiar place at the top of the ACAC for goals. You could find her on every score sheet and impacted every game in a significant way. This season Felicia also tied an ACAC record, by scoring seven goals in a single game against Red Deer College. If it was not for some unfortunate injuries this season, her stats would have been even more impressive and she would have been in the running for the ACAC Player of the Year. She was recognized for a second consecutive year with a spot in the ACAC South All-Conference Team. Off the field, Felicia is heavily involved with Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) and is always one of the first to sign up for any volunteer or community events.

Badminton's Priyanna Ramdhani was selected as Broncos Female Rookie of the Year. Hailing from Peter's Hall, Guayana, Ramdhani maintained third place finishes all year long in women's singles. Priyanna placed second at the ACAC championships earning her a silver medal in singles. She also partnered with Layce Donaldson to secure a bronze medal in women's doubles. Ramdhani led the team stretches all year, organized the team on group chat, and supported every player on the team. She is extremely positive and her energy spreads throughout the team. Fantastic results for a first-year player, who represented the Broncos with a fourth place at CCAA nationals in Toronto, ON.

On the men's side, basketball player Ben Nelson took home Male Rookie of the Year honours. The Calgary native had an exceptional rookie campaign on the court for the Broncos, leading the team in three-point baskets made, while ranking second in three-point percentage and free-throw percentage. Nelson was also a leader off the court maintaining a high GPA, volunteering with Jr. NBA and was a valuable member of the Student Athlete Leadership Team.

Men's volleyball captain Jesse Stoddart took home the Male Impact Athlete of the Year award for the third straight season for his efforts on the court and in the community. The Calgary, Alberta native's impact included his volunteer work for many events such as Oldstoberfest, Broncos Scholarship Breakfast, Grizzly's hockey games and coaching and officiating volleyball at the camp, club and elementary and secondary school levels. He also ranked second in the ACAC with 258 digs in his first season as libero. Stoddart is always the first to volunteer for anything and made sure he was one of the last to leave. He excels in the classroom as well. This year he will be graduating with both his Business and Sports Management Diplomas. He will then be continuing into the Bachelor of Applied Science- Agri-Business Degree program for his 4th and 5th years at Olds College.

Meanwhile, Jesse Jack's incredible community efforts were recognized for the second year in a row, as she maintained the five- year streak for women's hockey players to be named the Broncos Female Impact Athlete of the Year. The Byemoor, AB., native was heavily involved on campus and in the community this season, including ties to CLC Tri-Active Youth Camps and Female Try Hockey Days in central Alberta, community initiatives like Oldstoberfest, Olds Fashioned Christmas and Boys and Girls Club Haunted House, as well as being a member of the Broncos' Student Athlete Leadership Team.  She was also a leader in organizing the Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Game. Jack was an assistant captain this season and led the ACAC in shorthanded goals while ranking second in seven statistical categories for the Broncos this season.

There were ties in both Academic Student-Athlete of the Year categories with soccer and futsal player Katharina Oeltermann (Pattensen, GER), another repeat winner, and first-year soccer and badminton player Jenna Kardos (Olds, AB) sharing the Female award with identical 4.0 GPAs. On the men's side, first-year soccer and futsal player Noah Kambeitz (Calgary, AB) and first-year basketball student-athlete Anders Eklund (Rocky Mountain House, AB) shared the award with identical 3.94 GPAs.

 COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

ACAC Minor Officials

Kathleen Andres (hockey)
Merrell Dickie (community)
Luiz Guimaraes (basketball)
Abbey Iverson (all sports)
Jenna Kardos (volleyball)
Jonathan Kazimir (soccer)

Men's Soccer and Futsal
Rookie of the Year, Soccer – Garren Oosterhuis
Rookie of the Year, Futsal – Jackson Schulz-Kingsely
Impact Athlete of the Year, Soccer – Brendan Klassen
Impact Athlete of the Year, Futsal – Ryan Murphy
Athlete of the Year, Soccer - Fabian Gromenida
Athlete of the Year, Futsal – Luiz Guimaraes

Women's Soccer and Futsal
Rookie of the Year, Soccer – Julianna Hallock
Rookie of the Year, Futsal – Kassidy Kelly
Impact Athlete of the Year, Soccer – Katharina Oeltermann
Impact Athlete of the Year, Futsal – Kyla Bosomworth
Athlete of the Year, Soccer - Felicia Rodney
Athlete of the Year, Futsal – Jayna Espie-Sanderson

Curling
Rookie of the Year – Thomas Chesterman
Impact Athlete of the Year – Jamie Kuzma
Athlete of the Year – Shandra Moxham

Badminton
Rookie of the Year – Priyanna Ramdhani
Impact Athlete of the Year – Noah Jeffery
Athlete of the Year – Troy Morgan

Men's Volleyball
Impact Athlete of the Year - Jesse Stoddart
Athlete of the Year - Thundersky Walkingbear/Jesse Stoddart
Rookie of the Year - Ryzen Walkingbear

Women's Volleyball
Rookie of the Year – Francesca Sandini
Impact Athlete of the Year – Tabitha Martin
Athlete of the Year – Searra Schoepfner

Rodeo
Rookie of the Year – Tatum Wilson
Outstanding Rodeo Executive – Carter Seminuk
Impact Athlete / Most Dedicated – Judy Fuengeling
Cowboy of the Year – Tanner Turcato
Cowgirl of the Year – Shaylee McMann

Women's Hockey
Rookie of the Year – Maddy Black
Impact Athlete of the Year - Jesse Jack
Athlete of the Year – Kali Cummings

Men's Basketball
Rookie of the Year – Ben Nelson
Impact Athlete of the Year - Landon Parrington
Athlete of the Year – Muktar Mohamed

Women's Basketball
Rookie of the Year – Dani Earl
Impact Athlete of the Year – Brandi Thibeaux
Athlete of the Year - Brittney Thibeaux

Escape Coach Lines Award (Presented at Broncos Scholarship Breakfast February 8, 2020)
Felicia Rodney, Women's Soccer
Abu Bangura, Men's Soccer
Jesse Jack, Women's Hockey
Braden Bates, Men's Volleyball
Katharina Oeltermann, Women's Soccer
Landon Parrington, Men's Basketball

Konica Minolta Scholarship (Presented at Broncos Scholarship Breakfast February 8, 2020)
Jesse Stoddart, Men's Volleyball

Female Academic Student-Athlete of the Year
Jenna Kardos, Soccer and Badminton
Katharina Oeltermann, Soccer and Futsal

Male Academic Student-Athlete of the Year
Noah Kambeitz, Soccer and Futsal
Anders Eklund, Basketball

Male Rookie of the Year
Ben Nelson, Men's Basketball

Female Rookie of the Year
Priyanna Ramdhani, Badminton

Male Impact Athlete of the Year
Jesse Stoddart, Men's Volleyball

Female Impact Athlete of the Year
Jesse Jack, Women's Hockey

Male Athlete of the Year
Fabian Gromenida, Men's Soccer and Futsal

Female Athlete of the Year
Felicia Rodney, Women's Soccer and Futsal

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