The Mustangs Awards gala returned to an in-person format at Alumni Hall in April for the 81st annual celebration of Western’s teams and athletes.
And the big winners? They included Deionte Knight (Football) and Kate Current (Cross Country and Track & Field), who were the recipients of the male and female athletes of the year, respectively.
Knight was a force for the Mustangs last fall, as he helped lead the defensive effort that concluded with a Vanier Cup Championship for Western. Knight was both the OUA and U SPORTS winner as Most Outstanding Lineman of the Year. He led the country with 7.5 sacks on the season and struck fear into the Mustangs opposition all season.
Current, the captain of both her teams, had an incredible season – especially on the Track & Field side of things. She ran right through the competition, winning gold and silver medals in the 3000m and 1500m races, respectively, at the OUA Championship, and then followed that up with a double gold performance in those same races at the U SPORTS Championships. During the cross country season last fall, Current battled through a lower-body injury but rehabbed enough to join the team that finished 2nd at the OUA Championship and U SPORTS Championships.
Two other major awards at the annual gala were the F.W.P. Jones Trophy and the Dr. Claude Brown Trophy. Joan-Shiao Chen (Swimming) was named the 66th winner of the former honour. She is all-time top 10 in five events in the pool, and she led the Mustangs in 2021-22 to a podium finish at the OUA Championships. Chen is also an integral part of the Mustangs Athletes Student Council, serving in all five of her years at Western – including as president this past year. She’s also involved with SAMHI (Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative) and was part of SAMP (Student Athlete Mentorship Program) from 2018-2020. And in the classroom? She was a U SPORTS Academic All Canadian from 2019 to 2022.
The 84th winner of the Dr. Claude Brown Trophy was Jackson Bere (Volleyball). Bere has been a leader since the moment he joined the Mustangs in 2018. That season, he was recognized as one of the top rookies in Canada. He’s since achieved OUA First Team All-Star status every year he has played. This season, Bere was 3rd in solo blocks in the OUA. He’s currently a member of Canada’s National B team, and he played in the Norceca Championships and earned a 2nd-place finish.
Besides Chen and Bere, 10 other Mustang athletes received Purple blanket – an honour given to athletes, usually in their graduating year, who have excelled both athletically and academically. This year’s recipients included Isaiah Frielink (Cross Country, Track & Field), Megan Parno (Softball), Daniel Valente Jr. (Football), Matthew Oliver (Tennis), Lauren O’Donnell (Soccer), Evelyn Zheng (Fencing), Jared Hendrick-Polack (Track & Field), Nicola Cheng (Fencing), Omar Shiddo (Basketball), and Brett Ellerman (Football).
Congratulations to all Mustangs Award winners!
Vanier champs receive rings
This year’s awards season also featured a ring ceremony for the men’s football team, winners of the Vanier Cup last fall. That triumph and those memories? They’ll never be forgotten, and the players’ championship rings are certainly symbolic of the achievement.
Head coach Greg Marshall called up each player individually and had alumni from past Vanier Cup Championship teams present this year’s winners with the ring boxes. Each player was asked not to open their boxes right away, though, as Marshall wanted everyone to open them together.
“I actually had to box 140 rings by myself because I didn’t want anyone to see them,” Marshall said. “The design and final product was a secretive project, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic with how they turned out. It’s a real tribute to these guys, and it’s really a reflection that will bond these guys forever.”
The ring has several important features, including all of Western’s Vanier Cup championship years around the top crown of the ring, along with eight purple stones representing those championships. On top, it features a football-shaped purple design emblazoned with the Mustangs logo. On one side of the ring is the player/coach/staff member’s name and their jersey number or position with notable buildings on Western campus in the background along with the university crest, on the opposite side are the trophies that the Mustangs won in 2021 (Yates Cup, Mitchell Bowl & Vanier Cup).
The ring presentation was the cherry on top for defensive lineman Deionte Knight, who was invited to a pair of NFL rookie camps earlier in the day.
“This was an amazing night for all of us on this roster from top to bottom,” Knight said. “We all battled so hard to get this, and to see this ring was vindication for all the hard work and dedication we put in as a unit. Now we have something that we can keep and that ties this group together for the rest of our lives, which is just so special.”
Four selected in CFL Draft
Four members of the Western Mustangs football team were chosen in this year’s CFL Draft, including Deionte Knight, Zack Fry, Daniel Valente Jr., and Zach Lindley.
Knight was the first to hear his name called, as he was selected in the 2nd round (10th overall) by the Toronto Argonauts. If he joins Toronto’s team, Knight would join Mustangs alumni Dylan Giffen on the CFL club.
Fry was the second Mustang selected (16th overall). The offensive lineman went to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. A London native, Fry has been an impact player on the Mustangs since coming into the OUA, and he’ll look to take his talents to the next level in front of one of the most passionate CFL markets in the country.
Valente Jr. went in the 4th round (31st overall). The London native was chosen by the Ottawa Redblacks. Coming off a season where he was named an OUA All-Star and U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian (and Defensive Player of the Game in the Vanier Cup), Valente will now bring his speed, agility, intensity and character to the nation’s capital.
“Super pumped to get to go to Ottawa and play in a beautiful city with two Western alums, Jordan Beaulieu and Shaq Johnson. I know I’ll feel right at home,” said Valente Jr. “It was a long day, for sure. Waiting around was getting anxious, but it was totally worth it. It was a great feeling to finally get the call.”
Lindley went in the 8th round (69th overall) when the Montreal Alouettes called his name. Lindley had 39.5 tackles this season for the Mustangs, adding two interceptions and a sack. He was named an OUA Second-Team All-Star.
“I really just tried to stay positive and optimistic throughout the whole process, and I’m unbelievably grateful that I get the opportunity with Montreal,” Lindley said. “I think the atmosphere at the Vanier was incredible, and I’m looking forward to playing in front of fans that are passionate about their football.”
Submitted by the Western Mustangs
