HAMILTON, Ont. – Western’s Mike Penczak of Brantford, Ont., collected men’s rugby’s Most Valuable Player award on Friday as the OUA announced its major award recipients and all-stars for the 2011 campaign.
Penczak was one of three players from Western to earn a major award along with Seb Pearson of Lindsay, Ont., and Mike Turnbull of Oakville, Ont. Pearson was honoured as the OUA Rookie of the Year while Turnbull collected the Trillium Award as the league’s Most All-Around Player.
This is the second consecutive year that a player from Western has earned the Most Valuable Player award with Rory Tomlinson of Allison, Ont., taking the honour last season. Western has also had a student-athlete claim the Trillium Award five times in the last seven years.
Guelph’s Darrell Devine was named the OUA Coach of the Year. This is the second time he has won a coach of the year award with his first honour coming as the OUA West Coach of the Year in 2008. This year, Devine guided his squad to a semifinal finish posting a 3-4-1 record and knocking off Waterloo 27-10 in the quarter-final.
Western, who head into Sunday’s OUA championship holding a perfect record (9-0), led all schools with eight all-star selections. Penczak also earned a nod as an OUA All-Star and is now a two-time all-star having picked up his first honour last season. He is joined on the 2011 all-star squad by Mustang teammates Gareth Dyer of West Vancouver, B.C.,Dave Jacks of Tottenham, Ont., Andrew Crow of Victoria, B.C.,Spencer Barrett of Lindsay, Ont., and last year’s OUA MVP Rory Tomlinson of Allison, Ont.
For Jacks, this was his sixth consecutive all-star selection having been honoured as one of the leagues top players since 2006. The graduate studies student also has earned the Trillium Award twice in 2007 and 2008.
Tomlinson picks up his third OUA All-Star honour after finishing tied for the league lead in tries. Tomlinson played in just five games this season but tallied five tries for 35 points.
2009-10 OUA Rookie of the Year, Liam Underwood of Toronto garnered his second appearance on an all-star squad having represented Queen’s in his rookie season. The third-year Gael, who sat out last season due to injury, returned to dominate OUA play, scoring 66 points for Queen’s.
Gaels’ Dan Moor also earned his second nod to the OUA All-Star team finishing 17th in scoring with 24 points. He was joined by teammatesMyles Dingwall of Ottawa along with Toronto natives Matt Kelly and George Gleeson. The five all-stars from Queen’s will aim for their 19th OUA championship on Sunday against Western.
McMaster’s Andrew Ferguson of Mississauga, Ont., was the top Marauder named to the OUA All-Star squad. Last year’s OUA Rookie of the Year collected 54 points which was good for third in league scoring. Joining Ferguson was Cam Stones of Whitby, Ont., John Williams of Stoney Creek, Ont., Sam Roberts of Oshawa, Ont., and Matt MacLean of Uxbridge, Ont. Roberts is now a three time all-star while Williams collects his second.
Guelph is represented by Joe Newman of Waterdown, Ont., Jon West of Scarborough, Ont., Scott Beukeboom of Lindsay, Ont., and Nathan Lippert of Oakville, Ont. Newman, in his second season with the Gryphons, finished the season with 11 conversions and 38 points which ranked him sixth in OUA scoring.
Waterloo put four players on the OUA All-Star squad with Matteo Schartzentruber of Penbroke, Ont., leading the way. The veteran 8-man posted career highs with six tries for 30 points, good for ninth place among OUA points leaders. Warrior teammates Richard Lebel of Wateloo, Ont., Zach Bogdon of Cambridge, Ont., and Tyler Haladuickof Calgary joined Schartzentruber.
Brock’s Matthew Alexander of Oshawa, Ont., collected his first OUA All-Star award by registering seven tries in eight games tying Western’s Tomlinson for the league lead. Alexander was joined by Badgers Hugh McDonell of Brantford, Ont., and Reece Hummel of Alliston, Ont. McDonnell has now earned three all-star nods having previously collected the honour in 2008 and 2009.
Royal Military College was represented by Aaron Barry of Uxbridge, Ont.,Riley Saliken of Abbotsford, B.C., and Brandon Black of Newmarket, Ont. All three have earned all-star recognition prior to this season with Barry claiming his honour in 2010 while Saliken and Black were honoured in 2009.
Rounding out the OUA All-Star team were Toronto’s Nick Smith of Mississauga, Ont., and Nader Mohamed of Toronto along with Wilfrid Laurier’s Alex St. John of Kitchener, Ont., and Jason Hubbell of England.
2011 OUA MEN’S RUGBY MAJOR AWARD RECIPIENTS
Most Valuable Player – Mike Penczak (Western)
Rookie of the Year – Seb Pearson (Western)
Most All-Around Player – Mike Turnbull (Western)
Coach of the Year – Darrell Devine (Guelph)
2011 OUA MEN’S RUGBY ALL-STARS
Gareth Dyer - Western
Dave Jacks - Western
Andrew Crow - Western
Rory Tomlinson - Western
Spencer Barrett - Western
Mike Penczak – Western
Myles Dingwall - Queen's
Matt Kelly - Queen's
Liam Underwood - Queen's
George Gleeson - Queen's
Dan Moor - Queen's
Andrew Ferguson - McMaster
Cam Stones - McMaster
John Williams - McMaster
Sam Roberts - McMaster
Matt MacLean - McMaster
Nathan Lippert - Guelph
Scott Beukeboom - Guelph
Jon West - Guelph
Joe Newman - Guelph
Richard Lebel - Waterloo
Zach Bogdon - Waterloo
Tyler Haladuick - Waterloo
Matteo Schartzentruber - Waterloo
Hugh McDonell - Brock
Matthew Alexander - Brock
Reece Hummel - Brock
Aaron Barry - RMC
Riley Saliken - RMC
Brandon Black - RMC
Nick Smith - Toronto
Nader Mohamed - Toronto
Alex St. John - Laurier
Jason Hubbell - Laurier
