Men’s Final 8
The U SPORTS Athletes of the Month and Future Stars from Canadian high schools for January 2020 were announced on Friday.
Tevaun Kokko of the Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team and Lauren Golding of the York Lions women’s basketball squad are the U SPORTS Male and Female Athletes of the Month.
At the high school level, Andrew Kadhe, a soccer player from Vaughan Secondary School in Thornhill Ont., and Jessica Diep, a volleyball player from Tommy Douglas Secondary School in Woodbridge Ont., have been named U SPORTS Future Stars. Launched for the 2019-20 season, the new program is designed to highlight the next generation of U SPORTS student-athletes.
Through national team distributor T. Litzen Sports, Nike Team – the exclusive performance apparel partner of U SPORTS – will provide monthly prizing to all selected Future Stars Athlete of the Month winners, while also outfitting multiple influencers and ambassadors at U SPORTS member schools to represent Nike Team. For more information, visit futurestars.usports.ca.
Male Athlete of the Month: Tevaun Kokko, Ryerson
Kokko filled up the stat sheet throughout the month of January, helping the Rams to a 6-1 record in the calendar month which included three wins over nationally-ranked opponents and earned the Rams their own national ranking for the first time this season.
Kokko averaged 27.0 points per game in January, which was highlighted by a 33-point performance in a win against then-No. 5 ranked Ottawa. The diminutive guard raised his scoring average from 21.8 points per game at the start of the month to 24.1 at the end of January and currently sits third in U SPORTS in points per game.
The Rams guard has been efficient from three-point range all season and currently leads the conference and ranks fourth nationally in three-point field goal percentage. He also has been instrumental in getting his teammates involved and ranks fifth in the OUA in assists this year.
The No. 8 ranked Rams are now 12-6 on the season and are on track to come out of the OUA Central division for their 13th straight playoff appearance.
WATCH |Tevaun Kokko is our Male Athlete of the Month
Nominees
- CW: Eric Loeppky, Volleyball, Trinity Western
- OUA: Tevaun Kokko, Basketball, Ryerson (Winner)
- RSEQ: Clément Secchi, Swimming, McGill
- AUS: Keevan Veinot, Basketball, Dalhousie
Female Athlete of the Month: Lauren Golding, York
Golding had a monster January to lead the York Lions women’s basketball team to a 4-1 record and a playoff spot in the OUA.
In five games, the third-year forward averaged 24.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals, putting up three double-doubles and five straight games scoring at least 17 points. She began the month in impressive fashion, earning U SPORTS Female Athlete of the Week honours after recording 25 points and 14 rebounds in an upset win over nationally-ranked Brock and then scoring 35 points and adding 17 rebounds in an overtime win over defending champion McMaster. She added 28 points and 13 rebounds the following week as the Lions defeated Nipissing, and then had 18 points and five rebounds against Laurentian and 17 points and nine rebounds in a rematch with the Badgers.
Golding is one of only two players in the OUA averaging a double-double this season with 15.4 points and 10.8 rebounds, making her the conference’s leading rebounder and ninth overall in scoring.
WATCH | Lauren Golding is our Female Athlete of the Month
Nominees
- CW: Taylor Clagget, Basketball, Fraser Valley
- OUA: Lauren Golding, Basketball, York (Winner)
- RSEQ: Daphné Danyluk, Swimming, McGill
- AUS: Tyra Meropoulis, Hockey, StFX
U SPORTS FUTURE STARS
Male Future Star : Andrew Kadhe, Vaughan Secondary School
Andrew Kadhe is a Grade 11 student at Vaughan and has played for the Tier 1 boys soccer team in the York Region Athletic Association (YRAA) for the previous three years. This season, Kadhe scored five goals and added two assists in four games for the Voyageurs, who went 2-3-3 on the season. In late December, he was offered a tryout with a professional team in Italy.
Last season, the Thornhill, Ont., native was named Tournament MVP en route to leading Vaughan to the York University High School Soccer Tournament title.
Female Future Star : Jessica Diep, Tommy Douglas Secondary School
Jessica Diep is a Grade 12 student at Tommy Douglas and competes for the Tier 1 girls’ volleyball team in the YRAA. The Woodbridge, Ont., native helped the Titans win three matches this season and also serves on her school’s Athletic Council.
2019-20 U SPORTS Future Stars Winners
Month |
First Name |
Last Name |
High School |
Conference |
Sport |
Hometown |
September |
Quinn |
Spicer |
Sacred Heart CHS |
YRAA |
Rugby |
Newmarket, Ont. |
Devyn |
Desjardins |
Sacred Heart CHS |
YRAA |
Golf |
Newmarket, Ont. |
|
October |
Nikola |
Pucnin |
Vaughan SS
|
YRAA
|
Basketball |
Thornhill, Ont.
|
Samantha |
Aube |
St. Augustine CHS |
YRAA
|
Field Hockey |
Markham, Ont.
|
|
November |
Ben |
Landers |
Medway HS |
WOSSAA |
Golf |
Arva, Ont. |
Clarissa |
Sladek |
Medway HS |
WOSSAA |
Cross Country |
Arva, Ont. |
|
December |
Steve |
Chen |
Unionville HS
|
YRAA |
Volleyball |
Markham, Ont.
|
Samantha |
Cowan |
Mother Teresa CHS |
WOSSAA |
Basketball |
London, Ont. |
|
January |
Andrew |
Kadhe |
Vaughan SS |
YRAA |
Soccer |
Thornhill, Ontario |
Jessica |
Diep |
Tommy Douglas SS |
YRAA |
Volleyball |
Woodbridge, Ontario |