OSHAWA, Ont. – Soccer stole the show at the 48^th annual Durham College athletic banquet as Bruce Cullen (Pickering, Ont.) and Bailey Colangelo (Whitby, Ont.) were named the athletes of the year.
 
Cullen capped off his collegiate career on a high note leading the men's soccer team to their first Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) gold medal in 20 years and participating in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship held in Nanaimo, B.C. Cullen was named a CCAA All-Canadian, OCAA championship MVP and an OCAA all-star.
 
Other male MVPs included baseball veteran Logan Stewart (Lindsay, Ont.), golfer Ryan Trapp (Janetville, Ont.), indoor soccer's Stephane Ahanda (Cameroon), basketball graduate Funsho Dimeji (Malton, Ont.), volleyball veteran Erik Janssen (Hampton, Ont.) and rugby captain Malcom Hooper (Orangeville, Ont.).
 
Colangelo became the first freshman in school history to be named the overall female athlete of the year. In her rookie campaign, she was named the overall OCAA rookie of the year, OCAA east region defensive player of the year and an OCAA all-star. As a defender, Colangelo was key in cutting Durham College's goals against in half this year, down from 34 in 2016 to 16 this year and leading the team to their first OCAA championship appearance since 2009.
 
Other female MVPs were softball captain Alanna Stanoev (Whitby, Ont.), indoor soccer player Erin Dicaire (Oshawa, Ont.), women's basketball veteran Maddie Dender (Ajax, Ont.), volleyball player Jessica Joensen (Pickering, Ont.) and women's rugby player Masrine Edwards (Whitby, Ont.).
 
Connor May (Oshawa, Ont.) of the baseball team and Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, Ont.) of the women's softball and basketball teams were named the freshmen athletes of the year. Glendinning, proved to be a big asset to both the women's softball and basketball teams this season. She helped the softball team win their third straight OCAA title and then went on to finish her rookie basketball season as a starter, averaging 10.5 points per game. May also had an outstanding freshman campaign that concluded with him being named a national championship all-star. May posted a .333 batting average with 17 runs, 10 runs batted in and six stolen bases.
 
With two OCAA championship titles, an OCAA bronze medal, two final four appearances at nationals, all of the teams qualifying for the postseason and introducing men's and women's rugby, there was plenty to celebrate over the course of the night.
 
The men's soccer team was awarded the team of the year award while the women's softball team won the inaugural community service award for their countless hours of volunteer work.
 
Prior to the awards ceremony, the Lords paid tribute to the victims of the Humboldt Broncos with moment of silence.
 
48th DURHAM COLLEGE ATHLETIC BANQUET AWARD WINNERS
 
Overall Male Athlete of the Year "William Avery Memorial" Award
Bruce Cullen (Pickering, Ont.) – Men's Soccer
 
Overall Female Athlete of the Year Award
Bailey Colangelo (Whitby, Ont.) – Women's Soccer
 
Freshman Athletes of the Year
Male: Connor May (Oshawa, Ont.) – Men's Baseball
Female: Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, Ont.) – Women's Softball/Basketball
  
Team of the Year
Men's Soccer
 
Community Service Award
Women's Softball
 
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 
 
Four-Year Award
Daniel Kaminski (Oshawa, Ont.) – Men's Soccer
Erik Janssen (Hampton, Ont.) – Men's Volleyball
Kaitlyn Cruickshank (Oshawa, Ont.) – Women's Basketball
Ashley Black (Waterloo, Ont.) – Women's Softball
 
Five-Year Award
Nicholas Axhorn (Pickering, Ont.) – Men's Soccer
 
Athletic Therapy Student Trainer of the Year
Mikaela Washer (Kingston, Ont.) – Women's Volleyball
 
TEAM-BY-TEAM AWARDS
 
Baseball
Leadership Award: Brodie Harkness (Bowmanville, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Connor May (Oshawa, Ont.)
Boom Baker MVP: Logan Stewart (Lindsay, Ont.)
Top Pitcher: Brodie Harkness (Bowmanville, Ont.)
 
Softball
Leadership Award: Sabrina Stalteri (Vaughan, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Emily Hill (Ohsweken, Ont.)
Richard Snowden MVP: Alanna Stanoev (Whitby, Ont.)
Top Pitcher: Ashley Black (Waterloo, Ont.)
 
Golf
Leadership Award: Colin Jex (Port Hope, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Josh Taylor (Barrie, Ont.)
Gerry Pettit MVP: Ryan Trapp (Janetville, Ont.)
 
Women's Soccer
Gord Oliver Leadership Award: MacKenzie Barry (Ajax, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Bailey Colangelo (Whitby, Ont.)
MVP: Bailey Colangelo (Whitby, Ont.)
 
Men's Soccer
Gord Oliver Leadership Award: Cody Kraemer (Whitby, Ont.) 
Rookie of the Year: Dylan Yeo (Newmarket, Ont.)
Vaso Vujanovic MVP: Bruce Cullen (Pickering, Ont.)
 
Indoor Soccer
Women's MVP: Erin Dicaire (Oshawa, Ont.)
Men's MVP:  Stephane Ahanda (Cameroon)
 
Women's Basketball
Leadership Award: Dekota Kirby (Markham, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, Ont.)
Bonnie Slaughter MVP: Maddie Dender (Ajax, Ont.)
 
Men's Basketball
Leadership: Julian Hinckson Jr. (Ajax, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Tyler Henry (Pickering, Ont.)
MVP: Funsho Dimeji (Malton, Ont.)
 
Women's Volleyball
Leadership Award: Nicole Vandenheuvel (Whitby, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year:  Cassidy Nicholson-Clarke (Ajax, Ont.)
Stan Marchut MVP:  Jessica Joensen (Pickering, Ont.)
 
Men's Volleyball
Leadership Award: Rory Langley (Uxbridge, Ont.)
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Banga (Oshawa, Ont.)
MVP: Erik Janssen (Hampton, Ont.)
 
Women's Rugby
MVP: Lydia Knott (Curve Lake, Ont.)
Leadership Award: Masrine Edwards (Whitby, Ont.)
 
Men's Rugby
MVP: Liam King (Brooklin, Ont.)
Leadership Award: Malcolm Hooper (Orangeville, Ont.)