Callahan & McCalla Named Athletes of the Year

The Loyalist Lancers gathered Wednesday, March 25th for the final annual Athletics Banquet in the original Lancerdome, celebrating the achievements, resilience, and spirit of Loyalist's varsity student‑athletes throughout the 2025–2026 season. Athletes, coaches, and supporters from all programs came together, with College President & CEO Mark Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice‑President Sandra Dupret and Director of Athletics & Recreation Cristy Latham, in attendance to honour this year's recipients.

Across seven varsity programs, student‑athletes were recognized for their commitment, leadership, and athletic performance through both team awards and awards of excellence, highlighting the depth of talent within the Lancers community.

Team Award Winners

Women's Soccer
• MVP: Emily Mealing
• Coaches' Award: Jetayah Casselman
• Leadership Award: Kaite Hazlewood

Women's Rugby Sevens
• MVP: Faith Ayres
• Coaches' Award: Madi Reid & Holly McMaster
• Leadership Award: Mayan Mackinnon

Cross Country
• Men's MVP: Michael Griepsma
• Leadership Award: Mustafa Alali

Women's Basketball
• MVP: Grace Callahan & Kayley Lemaire
• Coaches' Award: Dana Zashi Ventenilla & Nina Anderson
• Leadership Award: Gwen Forrester & Ayana Tomlinson

Women's Volleyball
• MVP: Charles Cudmore
• Coaches' Award: Fayth Bender
• Leadership Award: Taylor Baker

Men's Basketball
• MVP – Bruce Collins Award: Romain McCalla
• Jaden White Award: Jalen Carter Julien
The Jaden White Award honours the memory of Jaden "Big O" White, whose positivity, kindness, and love for the game continue to inspire the program.
• Leadership Award: Romeo Kigenza & Kobe Tablate

Men's Volleyball
• MVP: Jacob Diefenbach
• Coaches' Award: Simon Canon
• Leadership Award: Tobias Archibald

Lancer student‑athletes also excelled academically, achieving the highest combined GPA in program history at 79.96%. Twenty‑six students earned averages of 90% or higher, while 60 received Dean's List and OCAA All‑Academic recognition. Four teams surpassed the 80% threshold for the Academic Award of Excellence, led by Women's Soccer with an outstanding 86.96%.

Excellence Award Recipients
These awards come with an immense amount of history and pride. Each one has been carefully developed to honour the person who they're named for and the amazing impact they've had on the Lancers. Every winner announced tonight joins a long line of incredible student-athletes who came before them.   

Andrée Mathurin Scott Award – Emily French
Presented to a member of the Lancer community who through their commitment and dedication as a fan and supporter of the Loyalist Lancers embodies our virtues of passion, pride, and tradition.  

Bob Young Award – Michael Griepsma (X-Country)
Presented to the student athlete who demonstrates both academic and athletic excellence. 

Larry Cook Award – Madi Reid (Women's Rugby 7s)
Presented to the student athlete who best exemplifies the values of fair play, integrity, and commitment. 

Dave Butler Award – Evan Westerman (Men's Volleyball)
Presented to the student athlete who through their enthusiasm and love of sport attracts others to participate. 

Greg Gavin Award – Taylor Baker (Women's Volleyball)
Presented to the student athlete for their outstanding commitment and dedication to varsity athletics. 

Peter Williams Award – Emily Mealing (Women's Soccer)
Presented to the student athlete who has been selfless in their dedication to athletics, Loyalist College, and the community. 

Jim Buck Award – Tobi Archibald (Men's Volleyball)
Presented to the student athlete who through their integrity, commitment, open and honest interactions with others, and clear leadership both on and off the field of play inspires a culture of excellence within their team, program of study, and community at large. 

Rookies of the Year

This year's rookie class made an immediate impact, with some of the OCAA's top first-year talent proudly representing the Lancers. Their strong performances, dedication, and contributions throughout the season set them apart, and the Lancers are proud to recognize three outstanding athletes as Rookies of the Year.
• Sophie Vanni earned OCAA East Division Second Team All‑Star, East Rookie of the Year, Overall OCAA Rookie of the Year, and All‑Rookie Team honours.
• Tai Ajose became a key contributor for Men's Basketball, earning OCAA East Division Rookie of the Year and All‑Rookie Team recognition.
• Jacob Diefenbach led Men's Volleyball in total points and kills, earning East Division All‑Rookie and Second Team All‑Star honours.

Athletes of the Year

This year's Athletes of the Year represent the highest standard of performance, leadership, and competitive excellence at Loyalist College. Each demonstrated exceptional ability on the court and an unwavering commitment to elevating their teams.

Grace Callahan delivered one of the most impressive seasons in Lancer history, becoming a driving force behind the women's basketball program. An OCAA East Division First Team All-Star, East Division Defensive Player of the Year, East Player of the year and CCAA All-Canadian award recipient, Grace consistently showcased her two‑way dominance—averaging 15.6 points, 7 rebounds, and setting new Lancer records in steals and assists. Her standout performance in the bronze medal matchup, where she posted 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals, cemented her status as one of the conference's elite competitors.

Romain McCalla continued his rise as a leader and one of the OCAA's most dynamic scorers. Now the Lancer record holder for most points in a season, Romain averaged 25 points per game, shot 80% from the free‑throw line, and an extraordinary 43% from beyond the arc. His team‑first mentality, coupled with OCAA accolades that include East Division First Team All-Star, East Division Scoring Champion and overall OCAA Scoring Champion, made him both a dominant force on the men's basketball roster and an inspiring presence within the program.

Together, Grace and Romain exemplify what it means to be a Lancer; skilled, dedicated, team‑focused, and driven to succeed at the highest level.

As the Lancers conclude not only another exceptional year but the final season in the historic Lancerdome, the community celebrates far more than award winners. This year reflected the strength, pride, and progress of every athlete, coach, and supporter who contributed to a landmark chapter in Loyalist's history. With decades of memories behind them and a new home ahead, the Lancers now carry their legacy forward—into a bright and exciting next era of Loyalist Athletics.

 Award Winner Announcement Graphics

More photos coming soon!