CALGARY – Track star Jenna Westaway and football quarterback Andrew Buckley are the 2015-16 University of Calgary athletes of the year.

The Dr. Dennis Kadatz awards presented to Westaway and Buckley highlighted the 49th Annual Night of the Dino awards gala Tuesday night at the Red and White Club as the Dinos celebrated another successful season.

Taking home top freshman honours Tuesday were wrestlers Tianna Kennett and Callum McNeice as winners of the Bill Popplewell Rookie of the Year awards. The other major honours of the night, the Calgary Booster Club Scholar-Athlete Awards recognizing outstanding athletic and academic achievement, went to Brianna Ghali (basketball), Carmen Lee (soccer), Parker Maris (volleyball), and Michael McKinnon (soccer).

Chancellor Robert Thirsk presented the Senate Service Award via video message to Luc Wittig of the track and field team, while head coach of the men's basketball team Dan Vanhooren was crowned the Charlesglen Toyota Scion Coach of the Year.

The Margaret Southern Award for female contribution to the Dinos went to longtime women's hockey team manager Brenda Zubick, while the Dr. Lou Goodwin Award recognized David Moll, the Dinos' official photographer. Amanda Black and Jordan Filippelli were honoured with the Murray Fraser Awards as the outstanding student volunteers.

The Gauntlet Extra Effort Awards, selected and presented by the University of Calgary's student newspaper, went to Kristie Sheils and David Kapinga of the Dinos basketball teams, while the MedWest Athletic Therapy Scholarships went to Micah Reim (clinic) and Kali Park (field). The Competitive Club Student-Athlete Awards were presented to Emma Jerome-Smith of the fastball team and Brandon Mooney from the rowing team.

Dr. Dennis Kadatz Athletes of the Year
Jenna Westaway and Andrew Buckley

Named for the first athletic director and football coach at the University of Calgary, the Dr. Dennis Kadatz Athlete of the Year awards recognize excellence on the playing field during the varsity season. The winners become the Dinos' nominees for the BLG Awards, handed out to the CIS athletes of the year across all sports.

Jenna Westaway joins a star-studded list of female track and field athletes to win the Dr. Dennis Kadatz award, including Rachel Machin (2013), Jessica Zelinka (2007, 2003), and Lisa Harvey (1993).

The third-year middle distance runner went undefeated in the 600 metres this season, winning the CIS championship in a tape-to-tape race. She added a national silver medal in the 1000 metres after setting a new Canada West record in that event by more than a full second. To that performance at the conference meet, Westaway added a 600-metre gold as well as silver in the 4x400-metre relay with her team.

For her 1000 metre performance, Westaway earned the Canada West female track athlete of the year honour as well as the top performance at the conference championship meet. The geology major was a first team All-Canadian.

Westaway beat out 2015 recipient Iya Gavrilova (hockey) along with Emma Cook-Clarke (cross country), Holly Ellsworth-Clark (wrestling), and DaLeaka Menin (rugby).

On the men's side, football quarterback Andrew Buckley became the first back-to-back male athlete of the year in two decades after hall-of-famer Richard Bohne last pulled off the feat in 1995 and 1996.

The senior quarterback won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top football player in CIS for the second straight year after setting a CIS single-season passing record with 3,162 yards through the air. He led the Dinos to an 8-0 record in the regular season and the No. 1 national ranking for eight consecutive weeks.

Buckley threw just one interception against 19 touchdowns on the year as the Dinos set school records in points (471), touchdowns (53), passing yards (3,695), field goals (26), and total offence (5,606). He was the unanimous Canada West MVP and went on to become just the sixth repeat Hec Crighton winner in CIS history.

The Kinesiology student was also the Canada West Top 8 Academic All-Canadian for men, receiving the Governor General's commendation for his outstanding work in the classroom last November at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Buckley beat out an impressive field of nominees including Canada West men's basketball MVP Thomas Cooper, swimmer Tristan Cote, hockey forward Elgin Pearce, and soccer striker Dominic Russo.

Bill Popplewell Rookies of the Year
Tianna Kennett and Callum McNeice

The Rookie of the Year awards were created in 2000 and named after Bill Popplewell, a tireless supporter of the Dinos for over two decades as one of the athletic department's longest-standing corporate partners.

Tianna Kennett won the gold medal at 59 kg at her first-ever conference meet, helping the Dinos score enough points to capture their second straight Canada West title. The first-year nursing major earned the conference's rookie of the year honour thanks to her podium-topping finish. Two weeks later at her first-ever CIS championship, Kennett won a bronze medal in her weight class.

She beat out swimmer Leah Smal and field hockey's Sabrina Wong for the honour.

Callum McNeice wrapped up a wrestling sweep of the rookie-of-the-year honours for the Dinos in 2015-16. A first-year Haskayne School of Business student, he topped the field in the 65 kg weight class at the Canada West championships, winning the gold medal and earning the conference rookie-of-the-year title. He was one of two Dinos wrestlers to qualify for the CIS championship, where he finished fourth in his weight class.

Cross country's Stefan Daniel along with Torrez McKoy from basketball were also up for the award.

Calgary Booster Club Scholar-Athlete Awards
Brianna Ghali, Carmen Lee, Parker Maris, Michael McKinnon

The Scholar-Athlete awards recognize outstanding achievement in academics and athletics, and each year four student-athletes – two male and two female – are presented with $1,000 scholarships by the Calgary Booster Club.

All four recipients in 2016 hail from the Faculty of Kinesiology. Brianna Ghali of women's basketball along with Michael McKinnon of men's soccer both posted sparkling 3.96 GPAs while competing for their teams, while libero Parker Maris from men's volleyball along with women's soccer midfielder Carmen Lee achieved perfect 4.00 GPAs in the classroom.

Senate Service Award
Luc Wittig, Track & Field

Fifth-year distance runner Luc Wittig received the Senate Service Award, presented by Chancellor Robert Thirsk via video message. The Senate Service Award recognizes a student-athlete who shows strong community engagement by demonstrating direct community involvement, representing the University of Calgary Senate's vision of "Senate engaging community."

A fifth-year post-degree student, Luc is an avid advocate for youth services and children's mental health. He has held various positions at Wood's Homes, a non-profit children's mental health organization, including administration and assisting in intensive residential treatment facilities. He has also been involved with their Children's Benefit Dinner as well as the Wood's Homes Charity Golf Tournament.

Since 2010, Luc has organized the pickup, packaging, and delivery of bread from Cobs Bakery to various youth shelters and programs across the city in order to feed homeless youth and adolescents struggling with addiction. He has also volunteered with Alberta Health Services, most notably with the Southern Alberta HIV clinic, where he assists this often-marginalized population not only in getting the medical treatment and medications they need, but also to ensure a strong support structure is in place for them.

He also gives back to his sport. Luc has been a coach in the Dinos youth track program since 2011 and was recently named head coach. He also added the role of volunteer coordinator and has deep involvement in various fundraisers, including the Calgary high school track meets as well as the annual Dino Dash road race.

Charlesglen Toyota Scion Coach of the Year
Dan Vanhooren, Men's Basketball

Men's basketball bench boss Dan Vanhooren led his team on a remarkable run in 2015-16, earning the Charlesglen Toyota Scion Coach of the Year award.

In his 16th season at the helm, Vanhooren led the Dinos to a first-place finish in Canada West's Pioneer Division at 17-3. The Dinos hosted and won the conference championship tournament on their home floor, raising a trophy in the Jack Simpson Gym for the first time since 1993, and went to the CIS Final 8 for the fourth time in Vanhooren's tenure.

At the national tournament, the Dinos got by Quebec champion McGill before defeating No. 1-ranked Ryerson in the national semi-final, qualifying for the school's first appearance in the CIS championship game in exactly 50 years. Though a 19-game win streak came to an end in that game at the hands of Carleton, Vanhooren led his team to a national silver medal and tied the best-ever finish for the University of Calgary in men's basketball.

Club Student-Athlete Awards
Emma Jerome-Smith and Brandon Mooney

The Club Student-Athlete Awards honour two outstanding student-athletes from the Dinos' competitive club programs for their all-around athletic, academic, and community achievement over the course of the season.

Fastball shortstop Emma Jerome-Smith won the women's award after her third season with the program. She was voted as a team captain this year, posting a solid .310 batting average and moving from her traditional positions of catcher and outfielder to the key shortstop spot and demonstrating significant leadership through a rebuilding season for the team. Off the field, Emma is an Honours student in the Faculty of Science, working toward a zoology degree in the hopes of attending veterinary school. She is involved with the campus' World Wildlife Fund and volunteers at a veterinary clinic as well as the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society.

On the men's side, Brandon Mooney from the rowing team earned the honour. As a team captain for the second straight year, Mooney led the Dinos to a third-place finish – the program's best ever – in the men's 4+ event at the Western Canadian University Rowing Championships. He was also part of the team's third-place finish in the men's 2- at the WCURC, leading the Dinos to the overall team bronze medal at the event. His teammates voted him captain for his leadership, enthusiasm, teamwork, and work ethic.

Margaret Southern Award
Brenda Zubick

Named in honour of Margaret Southern of Spruce Meadows fame and the first female instructor in the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Calgary, this award recognizes a woman who has contributed exceptional service and support to the department of athletics.

Brenda Zubick, longtime manager of the Dinos women's hockey team, is the 2016 recipient of the Margaret Southern Award. Zubick joined the program as a parent and has continued her involvement for several seasons after the graduation of her daughter, assisting with myriad administrative tasks and travel, and coordinating team meals for the Dinos. For the past two seasons, Brenda has been heavily involved in the back-to-back CIS women's hockey championships hosted by the Dinos, serving on the organizing committee and taking the lead on team hospitality.

Dr. Lou Goodwin Award
David Moll

Named after the first Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education, the 'Dr. Lou' award recognizes outstanding contribution to men's athletics at the University of Calgary.

David Moll is approaching a decade as the Dinos' official photographer, documenting the accomplishments of our student-athletes. A tireless worker, he often works two or more events in a day and shoots 15 or more team photos, more than 500 headshots, and thousands of world-class images of student-athletes on the court, field, ice, mat, track, and pool. He shot the entire men's basketball playoff run, as well as 11 games in four days during the CIS women's hockey championship, despite having broken his hand a week earlier. His work impacts every student-athlete on campus.

Murray Fraser Awards
Amanda Black and Jordan Filippelli

The Murray Fraser Awards, named after the late president of the University of Calgary, honour one male and one female student for their exceptional service to Dinos Athletics.

The women's award went to Amanda Black. A PhD candidate in kinesiology's concussion research group, Amanda is a Certified Athletic Therapist who approached the Dinos AT department with a proposal to develop her clinical and teaching skills. Since August, she has volunteered six hours per week in the AT clinic, increasing available treatment for student-athletes by 300 appointments in 2015-16 and elevating the AT students' overall knowledge base while refining processes with the professional athletic therapists with her cutting-edge scientific knowledge.

The men's Murray Fraser Award went to offensive lineman Jordan Filippelli from the Dinos football team. Filippelli took on a leadership role with the football team this season, organizing a group of players to make weekly visits throughout the year – football season included – to the Alberta Children's Hospital. There, he injected a hope and joy into the lives of sick children who were staying at the hospital by starting a reading program. Filippelli also participated in the Football Leadership Development Program and is one of the leaders on the football team with a great work ethic and positive attitude.

Medwest Athletic Therapy Scholarships
Micah Reim (clinical) and Kali Park (field)

The Medwest scholarships reward two Athletic Therapy majors for their work each season – one for clinical and one for field. Each recipient receives a $1,250 scholarship. Micah Reim is the recipient of the clinical award, while Kali Park received the field award. Reim worked with men's soccer and men's basketball this season, while Park spent her time with the women's soccer team.

Gauntlet Extra Effort Awards
Kristie Sheils and David Kapinga, basketball

Each year the Gauntlet, the University of Calgary's student newspaper, recognizes two student-athletes who go above and beyond to contribute to their teams – and the 2015-16 recipients are both from the Dinos basketball teams – Kristie Sheils and David Kapinga.

Sheils played for four seasons with the Dinos and finished her CIS career with a Canada West second team All-Star nod. The international point guard led the team in scoring with 292 points as well as assists with 68 and has been an integral leader on the team for many seasons with the Dinos.

Kapinga played his first season with the Dinos men's basketball team this year and helped lead them to a CIS silver medal in one of their best seasons in recent history. For many who watched the Dinos' playoff run, they were impressed with Kapinga's tenacity, drive and passion in the postseason. Kapinga played in eight playoff games and hit double digits in points in six. The second-year point guard also started in almost every game for the Dinos this season despite a broken nose early on.

49th Annual Night of the Dino
AWARD WINNERS

Dr. Dennis Kadatz Athletes of the Year
Jenna Westaway, track and field
Andrew Buckley, football

Bill Popplewell Rookies of the Year
Tianna Kennett, wrestling
Callum McNeice, wrestling

Calgary Booster Club Scholar-Athlete Awards
Brianna Ghali, basketball
Carmen Lee, soccer
Parker Maris, volleyball
Michael McKinnon, soccer

Competitive Club Student-Athlete Awards
Emma Jerome-Smith, fastball
Brandon Mooney, rowing

Charlesglen Toyota Scion Coach of the Year
Dan Vanhooren, basketball

Awards of Merit
Andrew Buckley, football
Emma Cook-Clarke, cross country
Thomas Cooper, basketball
Tristan Cote, swimming
Holly Ellsworth-Clark, wrestling
Iya Gavrilova, hockey
DaLeaka Menin, rugby
Elgin Pearce, hockey
Dominic Russo, soccer
Jenna Westaway, track and field

Freshman Awards of Merit
Stefan Daniel, cross country
Tianna Kennett, wrestling
Torrez McKoy, basketball
Callum McNeice, wrestling
Leah Smal, swimming
Sabrina Wong, field hockey

Senate Service Award
Luc Wittig, track and field

Murray Fraser Awards
Amanda Black
Jordan Filippelli

Dr. Lou Goodwin Award
David Moll

Marg Southern Award
Brenda Zubick

Medwest Athletic Therapy Awards
Kali Park (field)
Micah Reim (clinic)

Gauntlet Extra Effort Awards
Kristie Sheils, basketball
David Kapinga, basketball

-UC-