EDMONTON – Golden Bears Basketball guard Tyus Jefferson, and Pandas sprinter/hurdler Catherina Kluyts were named the 2021/22 UAlberta Athletes of the Year, as Golden Bears & Pandas Athletics announced their major award winners on Saturday night at The Westin Edmonton.
 
Jefferson and Kluyts now move forward as Alberta's nominees for the Mitchell Family Athletic Awards, which honour the U SPORTS male and female athletes of the year.
 
Saturday night marked the first in-person UAlberta Athletics award night since April 1^st, 2019, a span of 1,118 days. The 2020 Awards show was held virtually.  
 
Pandas Hockey forward Natalie Kieser and Bears Volleyball outside Isaac Heslinga were named the 2022 Rookies of the Year, while Mackenzie Cook of Pandas Basketball, and Sophie Gelineau of Pandas Track and Field were honoured with Block A rings.
 
2021-22 Golden Bears & Pandas Major Award Winners

Bakewell Trophy
Female Athlete of the Year
Catherina Kluyts – Pandas Track & Field
For the first time in 26 years, the top Female Athlete at the University of Alberta came from the Pandas Track & Field program.
 
Pandas hurdler Catharina Kluyts is just the fourth Pandas Track athlete to win the Bakewell Trophy, and first since Esther Medema was a co-recipient in 1996.
 
Kluyts was dominant in every event she participated in, with her peak performances coming at the Canada West and U SPORTS Championships. The Knysna, South Africa native was named the Canada West Female Track Athlete of the Year after winning four medals in Winnipeg, including a gold medal in the women's 60m hurdles, which earned her the CW Performance of the Meet award.
 
She also earned CW silver medals in the 4x200m and 4x400m relays, and a bronze in the 60m dash.
 
Kluyts followed up with another gold medal in the 60m hurdles in Saint John, New Brunswick, while setting a new Pandas record with a time of 8.21 seconds.
 
Wilson Challenge Trophy
Male Athlete of the Year
Tyus Jefferson – Golden Bears Basketball
For the 15^th time, and first since Jordan Baker in 2014, the Wilson Challenge Trophy was awarded to a Golden Bears basketball player.
 
Fifth-year guard Tyus Jefferson completed one of the most dominant seasons in Bears hoops history, leading the Bears to a Canada West silver medal, and U SPORTS bronze medal at Saville Centre this spring. Jefferson became the first male in conference history to be named both the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, doing so in the same season.
 
The Riverton, Utah product was also named the U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year, and a first team All-Canadian, leading the Bears to their first undefeated regular season in program history.
 
Jefferson led the Bears in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game, adding 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 rebounds per game, 34 steals, shooting 52.5% from the field.
 
Male Rookie of the Year
Isaac Heslinga – Golden Bears Volleyball
Powering the Golden Bears to their 9^th U SPORTS National Championship, Isaac Heslinga becomes the 5^th Bears volleyball player to win the Male Rookie of the Year Award.
 
Heslinga, a member of the Canada West and U SPORTS All-Rookie teams, led the Bears with 200 kills this season, adding 13 aces, 87 digs, and 25 total blocks in regular season 62 sets.
 
His best performance came in Winnipeg at the national tournament, as Heslinga record 40 kills in three matches, including 13 in the national final win over Trinity Western.
 
The Orangeville, Ontario native is the first Bears volleyball player to win this award since Adam Kaminsk in 2004.
 
Female Rookie of the Year
Natalie Kieser – Pandas Hockey
Continuing the long tradition of phenomenal Pandas hockey rookies, Natalie Kieser becomes the 8^th hockey athlete since 1998 to be named the UAlberta Female Rookie of the Year.
 
Kieser led Canada West rookies with nine goals and 16 points in 20 games, adding 42 shots and a +10 rating in 20 conference games.
 
The Morinville, Alberta product also led the Pandas in scoring, while finishing second on the team with 16 points. She is the second-straight Pandas hockey forward to win this award, with Madison Willan also doing so in 2020.
 
Dr. R.G. Glassford Award for Coaching
Darren Bilawchuk – Pandas Hockey
Darren has spent the last seven years with the Pandas Hockey team, helping them capture three Canada West titles, and the 2017 U SPORTS Championship.
 
Along with his on-ice contributions, Darren has also led the team's fundraising initiatives, bringing in over $50,000 to the Pandas Hockey program during his time with the team.
 
Darren was also the Inaugural President of the Edmonton Female Athletic Club, which administers the top two U18 and the top U15 teams in Edmonton. 
 
Block A Rings
Mackenzie Cook – Pandas Basketball
Sophie Gelineau – Pandas Track & Field
Mackenzie Cook (Basketball) and Sophie Gelineau (Track) were each awarded the Block A Ring for their superior demonstration of exceptional contribution to university sport in the areas of athletics, academics, community support, and leadership.
 
Both veteran Pandas played key leadership roles on their respective teams, were outstanding contributors to the University Athletics Board, and multiple time Academic All-Canadians.

2021-22 Team Most Valuable Player Awards
     

Pandas Basketball	Emma Kary	Graduate Studies & Research
Golden Bears Basketball	Tyus Jefferson	Arts
Pandas Cross-Country	Olivia Cooper	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Golden Bears Cross-Country	Riley Stuermer	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Pandas Curling	Abby Marks	Agriculture, Life, & Environmental Sciences
Golden Bears Curling	Ryan Jacques	Science
Golden Bears Football	Josiah Schakel	Business
Pandas Golf	Kaila Gosset	Education
Golden Bears Golf	Ryan Wittrock	Medicine & Dentistry
Pandas Hockey	Payton Laumbach	Agriculture, Life, & Environmental Sciences
Golden Bears Hockey	Clayton Kirichenko	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Pandas Rugby	Shelby Pierce	Arts
Pandas Soccer	Brooke Lang	Education
Golden Bears Soccer	Liam Collens	Arts
Pandas Swimming	Olivia Brendzan	Science
Golden Bears Swimming	Diego Paz	Engineering
Pandas Tennis	Emma Rutherford	Engineering
Golden Bears Tennis	Jared Maclean	Arts
Pandas Track	Catharina Kluyts	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Golden Bears Track	Austin Cole	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Bears & Pandas Field Events	Meghan Lim	Graduate Studies & Research
Pandas Volleyball	Kory White	Agriculture, Life, & Environmental Sciences
Golden Bears Volleyball	Max Elgert	Engineering
Pandas Wrestling	Taylor McPherson	Kinesiology, Sport, & Rec.
Golden Bears Wrestling	Isaiah Springer	Education