2012 CIS Women's Soccer Award Winners

In celebrating the contribution of Canadians to women's sports in 2012, the realm of women's soccer has made great strides. In the wake of success that Canada's women's soccer team experienced at the 2012 London Summer Games, the level of talent at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport levels proves that the future is in great hands.

With the Queen's Golden Gaels and Trinity Western competing in the CIS National Championship, the rivalry that has developed between the two is quickly developing into one of the finest in Canadian sports.

Chantal Navert Memorial Award: Gillian Baggott

Awarded to the Most Outstanding Women’s Soccer Player of Canadian Interuniversity Sport. Competing for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, she accepted the award at a banquet prior to the beginning of the CIS National Championships in Victoria.

Baggott becomes the first Gee-Gees player to claim the award since Noel Trepanier did in 2000.

CIS Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Alana Fairfax, Acadia Axewomen

For the second consecutive season, a player from Acadia University was granted the Community Service Award. Cathleen Bleakney claimed the award last season for the Axewomen.

Through her first two seasons with the Axewomen, Fairfax has earned Academic All-Canadian honors. Fairfax is the team captain and contributed with one goal and two assists during Atlantic University Sport conference play.

She donates her time to Acadia Global Medical Brigade, along with an anti-bullying campaign and a fundraising campaign for breast cancer.

CIS Rookie of the Year Award: Nour Ghoneim, York Lions

Ghoneim is the first York Lions player to win the Rookie of the Year Award in five years. The last York Lions to win the honor was Stefania Morra.

In 10 Ontario University Athletics conference games, she logged a remarkable 13 goals. She had natural hat tricks in back-to-back contests versus the Brock Badgers and McMaster Marauders. She was a key part of the Lions finishing with a record of 8-2-6.

CIS Coach of the Year Award: Stephen Timmons, Cape Breton

The head coach of the Cape Breton Capers, he led his team to an undefeated season. With a record of 10-0-3, the Capers were one of only two undefeated teams in the nation (the other being Ottawa at 14-0-2).

In addition, he helped the Capers to their first regular-season title since the 2008 campaign, as the club allowed only eight goals in 13 matches.

Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy, Awarded to the CIS National Champion

The CIS National Championship final featured the squads that have won the last four national titles. Trinity Western from Alberta claimed the title in 2008 and 2009, while Queen’s University based in Kingston, Ontario were the champions from 2010 and 2011.

Although Queen’s attempted to be the first school in CIS history to win three national titles in a row, they were upset by a highly touted Trinity Western squad.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Goalkeeper, Kristen Funk, Trinity Western

The fifth-year student from Calgary, Alberta is majoring in human kinetics. She was named a First Team All-Star for the second consecutive season. In addition, she was a finalist for the 2012 CIS Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Defender, Bahar Sansar, McGill

Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, she is a second-year student athlete at McGill. In 2011, she played soccer at the University of South Florida. She logged two goals and one assist for the McGill Martlets.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Defender, Gillian Baggott, Ottawa

The fifth-year student also claimed the Chantel Navert Memorial Award, helping the Ottawa Gee-Gees to an undefeated season of 14-0-2.

She led a defense that allowed only one goal during the regular season. The 5'10" senior also logged six goals as she was named a First Team All-Star for the first time in her career.

In addition, she helped the Ottawa Fury of the W-League capture a North American championship.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Defender, Robbyn McNeill, Cape Breton

A fourth-year student from Kentville, Nova Scotia, the 5'6" midfielder was named a co-captain at the beginning of the season.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Defender, Colleen Webber, Trinity Western

The defender scored the shootout winner in the 2012 CIS National Championship against Queen's. This was not the first time that she has logged game-winning goals in the postseason.

In the 2009 national semis versus Queen's and the 2009 gold medal game versus Montreal, she scored the game winners in both contests.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Midfielder, Rieka Santilli, Dalhousie

A fifth-year student from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the commerce major was named the Most Valuable Player of her respective conference. In addition, she was named First Team All-Star for the second consecutive season. She was also a finalist for the Chantal Navert Memorial Award.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Defender, Andréanne Gagné, Sherbrooke

The fifth-year student earned her fourth nod to a CIS All-Star team. From 2008 to 2010, she was named to the Second Team All-Stars. This marks her first time as a First Team All-Star selection.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Striker, Éva Thouvenot-Hébert, Montreal

In her final season with the Montreal Carabins, the native of Montreal was named the Most Valuable Player of her respective conference. It has marked the third straight season that she was named a First Team All-Star. She was also a finalist for the Chantal Navert Memorial Award.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Striker, Janine Frazao UBC

The fourth-year arts major from Port Moody has contributed greatly to the Thunderbirds' season. She was was named the Most Valuable Player of her respective conference. She was also named a First Team All-Star for the second straight time.  Frazao was also a finalist for the Chantal Navert Memorial Award.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Striker, Emily Brown, Laurier

A second-year student with the Laurier Golden Hawks, the Waterloo, Ontario native has a great future ahead. She led all players in Ontario University Athletics conference play with an astounding 15 goals.

CIS First Team All-Canadian, Striker, Krista Gommeringer, Trinity Western

Gommeringer is the third player from Trinity Western to be selected a First Team All-Star. The freshman from Calgary, Alberta is poised to have an outstanding career with the squad. 

In addition, she was named a finalist for the CIS Rookie of the Year Award. The 2012 CIS Rookie of the Year, Gommeringer topped off her remarkable rookie campaign with a CIS National Championship.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Goalkeeper, Sarah Fiorini York

A fourth-year film major from Newmarket, Ontario, Fiorini was the goalkeeper for a York Lions team that went 8-2-6. The 5'9" goalkeeper is also a multiple OUA All-Star selection during her distinguished career.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Defender, Kelly Cook

The fifth-year player from Maple Ridge, British Columbia ends her career with a nod to the CIS All-Star team. Her final game was on November 8, 2012 as UBC claimed the bronze medal in the Canada West soccer playoffs.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Defender, Élyse Turcotte Sherbrooke

Working on a master's degree in physiotherapy, the 24-year-old Turcotte helped Sherbrooke defeat the McGill Martlets and the Montreal Carabins in the 2012 RSEQ soccer playoffs to earn a spot in the CIS National Tournament.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Defender, Kelsey Tikka, Laurier

The biology major from Thunder Bay, Ontario continues to add to her impressive list of accolades. On top of her CIS selection, she was named to the Ontario University Athletics First Team All-Star.

The former CIS Rookie of the Year, she marks her third straight season that she was named an OUA All-Star, and the second season in which she was named a CIS All-Star.  

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Midfielder, Michelle Yates, Saint Mary’s

A fourth-year student, she was also named to the Atlantic University Sport First Team All-Star. Yates helped Saint Mary's reach the AUS semifinals before losing to Cape Breton.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Midfielder, Christine Hardie, Ottawa

Hailing from Lyons Brook, Nova Scotia, Hardie was key component of the Ottawa Gee-Gees logging an impressive 14-0-2 regular season mark. She also won the Ontario University Athletics women's soccer Community Service Award.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Midfielder, Hannah Rivkin McGill

A second-year player from St. John’s, Newfoundland, the marketing major was the Martlets' leading scorer. She accumulated 10 points during the season. In 14 regular season games, she registered seven goals.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Midfielder, Natalie Boyd, Trinity Western

The fourth player from Trinity Western to be named a CIS All-Star, Boyd was also named to the CIS National Tournament All-Star team. During the championship game against Queen’s, Boyd successfully scored during penalty kicks. 

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Striker, Jackie Tessier Queen’s

Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tessier has helped the Golden Gaels reach the CIS National Championship game for the third consecutive season. In addition to soccer, Tessier is pursuing a musical career through Queen’s as a trumpet player.

She has logged over 50 goals in her career, and was named OUA East Most Valuable Player.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Striker, Chelsea Currie, Cape Breton

The freshman from Sydney, Nova Scotia was named a finalist for the CIS Rookie of the Year Award. She was also named the 2012 Atlantic University Sport rookie of the year. It marked the third consecutive year that a Cape Breton player earned the nod. She scored five goals in her freshman season and led all players on her team.

She also led the team with 38 shots—23 shots on goal—while being named an AUS First Team All-Star.

CIS Second Team All-Canadian, Striker, Emma Landry Dalhousie

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Landry helped the Dalhousie Tigers is in her fourth year. The 5'6" midfielder is majoring in science and was named Dalhousie's female athlete of the week for September 10, 2012.

She scored a goal in a 3-1 win vs. St. Francis Xavier and had a stout defensive performance versus St. Mary's. Landry is considered one of the veteran leaders on the team. Her two goals for Dalhousie helped contribute to the school leading Atlantic University Sport with 31 regular season goals.