OSHAWA, ON – Shay Morris (Ajax, ON) and Brendyn Beck (Port Hope, ON) were among many to hear their names called at the Durham College 51st annual athletic banquet on Wednesday evening, ending the night with 2022-23 Athlete of the Year honours.
 
Morris was among the most decorated athletes, both with individual and team accolades. In addition to capping off an undefeated 20-0 season with an OCAA gold medal in women's rugby, Morris was named the OCAA's Player of the Year, Scoring Champion, League All-Star and Championship MVP. In 18 regular season appearances, Morris finished the year with a league-leading 172 points in 18 games.

Beck also earned a gold medal in rugby with a men's team that went 4-0 in the regular season before cruising through the playoffs to their third gold medal in four seasons. After tallying 53 points in four regular season games, Beck was named OCAA Player of the Year, Scoring Champion and League All-Star.

Continuing a strong night for rugby, Emily Cooper (Guelph, ON) was named Female Freshman Athlete of the Year after finishing second in the OCAA in points this past season, more than good enough to earn the OCAA Women's Rugby Rookie of the Year award. Tyler Janes (Pickering, ON) was the OCAA Men's Rugby Rookie of the Year recipient, recording two tries and 15 successful converts for 40 points.

At the banquet it was announced that the Athletic Director's Award of Excellence would be named after Ken Babcock from this point forward as he retires after 36 years at Durham College.
 
51st DURHAM COLLEGE ATHLETIC BANQUET AWARD WINNERS
 
"Margaret Greenley" Overall Female Athlete of the Year Award
Shay Morris (Ajax, ON) - Women's Rugby
 
"William Avery Memorial" Overall Male Athlete of the Year Award
Brendyn Beck (Port Hope, ON) - Men's Rugby
 
Female Freshman Athlete of the Year
Emily Cooper (Guelph, ON) - Women's Rugby
 
"David Stewart" Male Freshman Athlete of the Year
Tyler Janes (Pickering, ON) - Men's Rugby
 
"Bonnie Ginter-Brown" Leadership Award
Female: Katie Stewart (Gananoque, ON) - Women's Volleyball
Male: Cam Lyon (Kingston, ON) - Golf
 
Team of the Year
Women's Rugby & Men's Rugby
 
#DC4DC Award
Men's Rugby
 
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 
Five-Year Award
Nate Paine (Whitby, ON) - Men's Soccer
Jessica Joensen (Brooklin, ON) - Women's Volleyball

Four-Year Award
Fioti Mabanza (Whitby, ON) - Men's Basketball
Brock Dunn (Ashburn, ON) - Men's Rugby
Robbie Eliadis (Uxbridge, ON) - Men's Rugby
Patrick Lynch (Oshawa, ON) - Men's Rugby
Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, ON) - Women's Softball & Women's Basketball

Athletic Therapy Student Trainer of the Year
Brianne Schneider
Sam Buckle
 
ETS Commitment Award
Female: Samantha Payne (West Kelowna, BC)
Male: Cole Klym (Ottawa, ON)
 
Athletic Director's Award of Excellence
Dave Ashfield
Tony Clarke
DK Ketheesparan
Tara Koski
Tim Watson
 
TEAM-BY-TEAM AWARDS
 
Men's Baseball
"Boom Baker" MVP: Tyler Chong (Markham, ON)
"Bob Johnston" Rookie of the Year: Eddie Borutskie (Oshawa, ON)
"Sam Dempster" Leadership Award: Ben Spunde (Elmira, ON)
Top Pitcher: Nick King (Whitby, ON)
 
Women's Softball
"Richard Snowden" MVP: Grace Hearns (Napanee, ON)
Rookie of the Year: Jocelyn Shelton (Aylmer, ON)
"Jim Nemish" Leadership Award: Sydney Redick (Alvinston, ON)
Top Pitcher: Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, ON)
 
Golf
"Gerry Pettit" Men's MVP: Matt Billington (Whitby, ON)
Women's MVP: Devyn Fraser (Uxbridge, ON)
"Ryan Hughes" Rookie of the Year: Chase Plain (Port Perry, ON)
"Tyler Martin" Leadership Award: Cameron Lyon (Kingston, ON) & Julian Hrywnak (Courtice, ON)
 
Women's Soccer
"Vaso Vujanovic" MVP: Jessica Ferreira (Ajax, ON)
"Gail Reid" Rookie of the Year: Erika Bjorgum (Kingman, AB)
"Gord Oliver" Leadership Award: Sinéad Kappel (Ajax, ON)
 
Men's Soccer
"Vaso Vujanovic" MVP: Garrett Werner (Ajax, ON)
"Mario Bombino" Rookie of the Year: Evan Amaral (Erin, ON)
"Gord Oliver" Leadership Award: Nate Paine (Whitby, ON)
 
Indoor Soccer
Women's MVP: Adrianna Vanderlaan (Drumbo, ON)
Men's MVP: Paul Valerie Mpeleng (Oshawa, ON)
 
Women's Rugby
MVP: Shay Morris (Ajax, ON)
Rookie of the Year: Emily Cooper (Guelph, ON)
Leadership Award: Heather Bews (Whitby, ON)
 
Men's Rugby
MVP: Brendyn Beck (Port Hope, ON)
Rookie of the Year: Tyler Janes (Pickering, ON)
Leadership Award: Patrick Lynch (Oshawa, ON)
 
Women's Basketball
"Bonnie Slaughter" MVP: Brianna Morrison (Oshawa, ON)
"Lindsay Panchan" Rookie of the Year: Hannah Heimonen (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
Leadership Award: Emily Glendinning (Plattsville, ON)
 
Men's Basketball
"Ted Harrison" MVP: Adam Hosseini (Toronto, ON)
"Anthony Batchelor" Rookie of the Year: Kanskie Simon (Pickering, ON)
"Ernie Rainbow" Leadership Award: Oshane Taylor-Douglas (Scarborough, ON)
 
Women's Volleyball
"Stan Marchut" MVP: Jessica Joensen (Brooklin, ON)
"Carol Cruwys-Hart" Rookie of the Year: Samantha Payne (West Kelowna, BC)
Leadership Award: Katie Stewart (Gananoque, ON)
 
Men's Volleyball
"Laurence Bishop" MVP: Tyler Jegen (Calgary, AB)
"David Dobson" Rookie of the Year: Nandor Gallo (Oshawa, ON)
Leadership Award: William Egan (Cobden, ON)
 
Esports
Rocket League MVP: Nathan Wilson
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate MVP: Mitchell Peltenburg
Valorant MVP: Brandon Mueller
Leadership Award: Aidan Mohammed