In varsity sports at UBC Okanagan, Veronika Fagan and Mitch McCaw set the bar high in 2016-17.
On Tuesday night at the Heat鈥檚 annual awards banquet, the two were rewarded with the institution鈥檚 highest athletic honours.
Fagan, a cross country runner, was named UBCO鈥檚 outstanding female athlete of the year, while McCaw, a keeper for the Heat men鈥檚 soccer team, earned the outstanding male award.
Fagan, a Mt. Boucherie grad, paced the Heat women鈥檚 team to a CCAA cross country title last fall, finishing fourth overall at the national championships.
Fagan, who was also named an all-Canadian, was not only thrilled with the award but encouraged by the rise of the cross country program over the past two seasons.
鈥淭he work ethic of my team has brought me to this,鈥� said Fagan, a second-year nursing student. 鈥淚 think being part of this in general, coming from high school and just knowing this university wasn鈥檛 a cross country institution, I really wanted to help push the program here and bring it to its potential.
鈥淚 feel so thankful to get this award, and I feel very good competing against such good athletes here.鈥�
A native of Calgary, McCaw transferred to UBC Okanagan in the fall of 2016 from Concordia University in Portland, Ore.
The 6-foot-2 keeper made an immediate impact with the Heat program, posting five shutouts, six wins and earning Canada West first-team all-star honours.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible,鈥� McCaw said of the award. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it without the support of not only the teammates and the coaching staff, but the community around UBC Okanagan. The first year has been incredible, I can鈥檛 thank the people around me enough.
鈥淓ven though it鈥檚 an individual award, it鈥檚 a tribute to a lot of people in the Okanagan community and UBCO, so I can鈥檛 be more grateful,鈥� he said.
The 0ther major award winners were:
鈥� Student Athlete of the Year (male)鈥擫ars Bornemann, men鈥檚 volleyball
The fourth-year engineering student led the Heat in kills with 290, and has been named an academic All-Canadian three straight years.
鈥� Student Athlete of the Year (female)鈥擲iobhan Fitzpatrick, women鈥檚 volleyball
An academic all-Canadian the past two seasons, Fitzpatrick led the Heat with 256 kills.
鈥� Graduating player of the year (male)鈥擜lex Swiatlowski, men鈥檚 volleyball
Swiatlowski played over 300 sets for the Heat during his career, the second most all-time.
鈥� Graduating player of the year (female)鈥擬egan Festival, women鈥檚 volleyball
鈥� Rookie of the year (male)鈥擪yle Hinchey, men鈥檚 volleyball
Third in team kills this past season (74), Hinchey was named to the Canada West all-rookie team.
鈥� Rookie of the year (female)鈥擲ara McCreary, women鈥檚 volleyball
Finished second on the Heat with 344 assists, while helping the team to a fourth straight Canada West final four appearance.
See all the award winners and finalists
