Academic Awards
2022-23 CCAA National Scholars:
The CCAA National Scholar Award recognizes student-athletes who achieve honours standing in academics while competing in intercollegiate athletics.
Emma Moore - Criminal & Social Justice
Krista McKnight, Education
Jaden Hood, Engineering
Hunter Jacobucci, Kinesiology
Claire Newsome, University Studies
PACWEST Academic Excellence Award:
This award is presented to student-athletes who have achieved honors standing at their institution based on their cumulative GPA in a minimum of 27 credit hours
Emma Moore, Criminal & Social Justice
Jaden Hood, Engineering
Hunter Jacobucci, Kinesiology
Noah McFadzen, Pre-Med
College of the Rockies Academic Excellence Award:
Recognizing student athletes with a GPA of 7.5 or higher in 12 or more credit hours.
Emma Moore, Criminal & Social Justice
Saige Kehoe, Tourism & Recreation Management
Ella Nichols, Business
Daivan Scherman, Business
Jaden Hood, Engineering
Hunter Jacobucci, Kinesiology
Noah McFadzen, Pre-Med
Scholarship Awards
Freshman Athletic Award
Presented to a first-year student athlete that shows outstanding commitment, leadership and sportsmanship to the Avalanche Athletic Program.
Award Sponsored by Brianna and Dylan Thompson
Daivan Scherman, Women's Volleyball
Daivan has shown total excellence both on and off the court this season. On the volleyball side, she is truly our hardest working athlete. She has committed to the weight program (usually up in the gym at 8am) and it helped her gain the strength and agility to earn a starting spot halfway through the fall semester. Daivan is highly coachable. She makes great eye contact, listens intently, and tries new techniques relentlessly until they become part of her game. She makes the coaches look like geniuses!
Academically Daivan is one of the best I've come across. She is consistently in the 90% zone in all her classes. She attends every class and is consistently used as an example by her instructors.
Right from the start of the season Daivan fully bought into our team values and has been a role model for all her teammates, classmates, and the youth volleyball athletes in this community. She has volunteered her time with EKVC and VCREP many times and always gives her best.
Avalanche Spirit Award
Presented to a student with contagious energy and consistent demonstration of behavior that lines up with the spirit of being "Small College Proud".
Award Sponsored by Dianne Teslak
Krista McKnight & Jaden Hood
Women's Volleyball Team Awards
Most Valuable Player
Hannah Zurakowski
The best way to describe Hannah's style of play is FEARLESS. No matter the opponent, the score, the atmosphere, or the implications of a match, she just kept showing up and doing her job extremely well game after game. She athlete brings so much of both kindness and competitiveness to the gym every day and demonstrates what it is to be the teammate everyone wishes to have on their team. She is humble in her successes and supportive to everyone around her. This season she was our offensive quarterback, our team's top server, and one of our most consistent competitors.
Most Improved
Ella Nichols
Ella had an incredible 1st season as an Avalanche after transferring from Med Hat College. Ella quickly developed the ever important mindset that she was going to have to allow herself to make mistakes in order for her to get closer to the player she wanted to become. Sticking with this mindset, she was able to make big improvements in almost every technical aspect of her game, and found herself a spot on the floor as one of our most effective and consistent players. Academically she had an amazing year and is one of the highest achieving student athletes on our team.
Rookie of the Year
Daivan Scherman
Daivan sees the big picture and her methodical approach has paid off in her overall growth this season. Her work ethic and clear vision of improvement were the reasons for her incredibly drastic development. The outcome of this development was not only that her performances improved each weekend, but she also pushed her teammate's to a higher level of play. This athlete is a living demonstration of leading by example. Academically she is INSAINELY intelligent, but so humble when she speaks about her academic accomplishments.
Avalanche Award
Winter Knudsgaard
Winter truly just loves what she does and that allows her to pursue her volleyball, academics, and relationships with her full self. She brings meaningfulness into her endeavors and just being in the vicinity of this athlete is enough to shift you into a more present state of mind. She's resilient and genuine and we are so lucky to have someone like this in our lives! She cares so much about the community and about this team and is one of our best local ambassadors.
Men's Volleyball Team Awards
Most Valuable Player
Diego Policarpo
Diego had a wonderful 3rd season for the Avalanche. For the second time in his career he was named a Pacwest 1st team All-Star and was a tournament all-star at Pacwest Conference Championships. Diego totalled 278 kills (2nd in the conference), 125 digs, 35 blocks and 22 aces and was second in the Pacwest in points/set at 4.35. Arguably the most spectacular athlete in the conference, Diego was twice named the Pacwest Athlete of the Week and for his outstanding play, Diego was voted an All-Canadian by Pacwest coaches.
Most Improved
Dylan Annala
Dylan turned himself from a solid player in his first year of eligibility to a Pacwest 1st team conference all-star this year. A dominant presence at the net as an Opposite, Dylan totalled 205 kills, 104 digs, 47 blocks and 25 aces. Dylan finished the season 3rd in the Pacwest in total kills, 2nd in total blocks and 5th in points/set. The best Opposite in the conference, Dylan truly took his game to a new level in 2023/24.
Rookie of the Year
Boston Thiessen
As a first year setter from Manitoba, Boston established himself as a top player in the conference with a tremendous rookie season. A leader on the court, Boston played all 80 sets for the Avs this season tallying 655 assists, 103 digs, 17 aces, 15 kills and 11 blocks. For his command of the Avs offence Boston was named Pacwest Setter of the Year and Pacwest Rookie of the year in addition to the Pacwest All-Rookie team. The future is very bright for Boston.
Avalanche Award
Gustavo Bertoli & Hunter Jacobucci (Co-Winners)
Gustavo Bertoli and Hunter Jacobucci. A truly memorable season for the Avalanche men's volleyball team had a number of athletes exemplify the commitment needed to pursue excellence on and off the court. Gustavo, a 5th year Captain, was named a conference all-star for the 3rd time in his career and will be completing his second diploma at COTR. His mentoring of younger athletes and leadership combined with strong performance on the court make him an excellent recipient. Hunter, only a 2nd year, demonstrates professionalism and consistency at the highest level. A strong student, a force in the weight room, an active and highly visible member of our college community and a steady middle blocker on the floor, Hunter is truly a pillar of our program.