Golden Bears Volleyball outside hitter Jordan Canham, and Pandas long distance runner Olivia Cooper were named the 2022/23 UAlberta Athletes of the Year, as Golden Bears & Pandas Athletics announced their major award winners on Thursday night at The Westin Edmonton.
 
Canham and Cooper 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.
 
Pandas Curling lead Zoe Cinnamon and Bears jumper Tegra Jan-King were named the Rookies of the Year, while Spencer Allen of Bears Track & Field, and Cam Kern of Golden Bears Volleyball were honoured with Block A rings.
 
Long-time high school basketball coach George Hoyt was also given the R.G. Glassford Coaching Award.

2023 Golden Bears & Pandas Major Award Winners

Bakewell Trophy
Female Athlete of the Year

Olivia Cooper – Pandas Cross-Country / Track & Field
 
For just the second time in school history, a long-distance Panda has won the Bakewell Trophy as the Female Athlete of the Year. After a record-setting season, Cross-Country and Track star Olivia Cooper became the first long-distance runner since 1984 to win the award.
 
Cooper, a third-year Kinesiology, Sport, & Recreation student, dominated all season long across multiple distances and terrains. The Edmonton product opened her season with a 7^th place finish at the Trinity Western Cross-Country Open, before earning a first-team Canada West All-Star spot with a 4^th place finish at the 2022 conference championship.
 
Cooper was then able to overcome miserable Halifax weather conditions, earning an All-Canadian finish at the 2022 U SPORTS Championship.
 
Cooper placed 10th, earning a second team U SPORTS All-Canadian finish. It was the highest career finish for Cooper at the national championship, and the highest a Panda has placed nationally since Lindsay Acheson also placed 10th in 2004.
 
The third-year Panda followed that up with a tremendous Track season which saw her earn three Canada West medals, one U SPORTS medal, and two new Pandas program records.
 
Cooper earned gold in the 1000m and 4x800m at the CW Championship in Saskatoon, before earning a bronze in the 4x400m relay.
 
She added a national silver in the 4x800m, placing fourth in the 4x400m relay, 1000m, and 1500m. Despite placing fourth in the 1000m and 1500m, Cooper set new programs in both events, which included Cooper breaking Mary Burzminski's record in the 1000m from 1985. Burzminski is the only other Pandas long-distance runner to win the Bakewell, which she earned in '84/85.

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Wilson Challenge Trophy
Male Athlete of the Year

Jordan Canham – Golden Bears Volleyball
 
Over the last two plus decades, Golden Bears Volleyball players have dominated the Wilson Challenge Trophy, and 2022/23 is no different. After one of the most dominant seasons in Bears program history, fourth-year outside hitter Jordan Canham was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
 
Canham is the 8^th Bears Volleyball athlete to win the award since 1997, the most of any sport during that span. In total, Canham is the 10^th Bears VB player to win the Wilson Challenge Award.
 
The fourth-year education student powered the Bears to a 22-2 conference record in 2022/23, and their 14^th Canada West Championship.
 
Canham was earned both the Canada West and U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Player of the Year awards after finishing with the third-best hitting percentage (.361) in Canada West this year, finishing the season with a team-high 282 kills.
 
The Avonmore, ON product led the country in service aces with 49 while posting 363 points on the year. His 49 aces this season, and his 99 career aces both set new Alberta program records. Canham is the first Bear to win this award since Max Elgert in 2020.

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Male Rookie of the Year

Tegra Jan-King – Golden Bears Track & Field

Excelling in events that have been foreign to Bears athletes in recent years, jumper Tegra Jan-King has been named the UofA Male Rookie of the Year.
 
Jan-King put together a remarkable season competing in all three jump events (high, long, triple), winning both the Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year awards.
 
The first-year Arts student captured gold in the men's high jump at the 2023 Canada West Championship in Saskatoon, placing atop the podium with a jump of 2.07m.
 
Jan-King also placed 5^th in the triple jump, and 14^th in the long jump at the conference championship.
The Edmonton product finished his season with a pair of strong results at the U SPORTS Championship, placing 4^th in the high jump, and 5^th in the triple jump. Jan-King was the first Bear to qualify for nationals in the triple jump since 2007.
 
He is the first Bears TF athlete to win this award since Austin Cole in 2017, and the 4^th since 1990.

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Female Rookie of the Year

Zoe Cinnamon – Pandas Curling
 
Helping the Pandas capture their record 5^th U SPORTS Championship, lead Zoe Cinnamon was named the UAlberta Female Rookie of the Year.
 
Cinnamon played an integral role on a Pandas team that had both a successful varsity and tour season in 2022/23.
 
Cinnamon and the Pandas captured a second-straight Canada West silver medal in Victoria in February, falling one game short to the host Vikes.
 
The Pandas bounced back in a big way in Sudbury two weeks later, winning their second-straight national title.
 
After finishing the round robin portion with a 4-3 record, the Pandas defeated Memorial 7-6 in the national semifinal, before earning a come-from-behind 5-4 win over Dalhousie in the national final.
 
Cinnamon finished with a 78.9% shooting percentage at the U SPORTS Championship, including 75% mark in their two playoff wins.
 
Competing with the Pandas Selects (Team Gray-Withers) all season, Cinnamon also helped the Pandas capture the inaugural Curling Canada U25 Next Gen Classic in September, and the Alberta Curling Series Event #2.

Cinnamon is the first Pandas curler to ever win the Female Rookie of the Year award.

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Dr. R.G. Glassford Award for Coaching

George Hoyt – Golden Bears Basketball
 
Given annually to an assistant coach on one of the Golden Bears or Pandas teams, or a coach in the community that benefits Golden Bears and Pandas, long-time Harry Ainlay head coach George Hoyt was given the R.G. Glassford Coaching Award.
 
Hoyt coached at the high school level from 2001-2020, following two seasons as an assistant coach with the Bears under Don Horwood. Hoyt spent four seasons with the EastGlen Blue Devils (2001-05), before spending 15 years with the Harry Ainlay Titans.
 
During his time at Harry Ainlay, Hoyt led the Titans to 8 Edmonton City Championships, 9 4A ASAA Semifinals, and 4 4A ASAA Championships.
 
A coach who prioritizes individual skill development, Hoyt helped produced numerous post-secondary student-athletes, including future Bears Matthew Cardoza, Jordan Baker, Lyndon Annetts, Tommy Watson, Andriy Halushko, Lars Ishimwe, Brandon Meiklejohn, Abdullah Shittu, Logan Powel, and Isaiah Torrington.
 
Hoyt has also spent the last four years as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Stingers, and the last two seasons with the NAIT Ooks.

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Block A Rings

Spencer Allen – Golden Bears Track & Field
Cam Kern – Golden Bears Volleyball
 
Spencer Allen and Cam Kern 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.
 
Allen finished his career as a five-time U SPORTS medalist in men's pole vault. The 2019 National Student-Athlete Community Service winner, Allen has done significant work in the Cross-Cancer Institute, giving back to the Behavioral Medicine lab that is conducting world leading research and work in the fight against cancer. A cancer survivor himself, Allen has also done volunteer work in the area of track and field by extending beyond his event area helping out at marathons, Indigenous Games and countless track and field events at all levels and in the community.
 
Kern was named both the Canada West and U SPORTS Men's Volleyball community service award winner in 2023. A three-time Academic All-Canadian, Kern served as the Vice President of Community Outreach for the University Athletics Board this season.
 
Kern led a partnership that will see varsity athletes connect with at-risk youth through volleyball. He also organized several big initiatives like a read-in week for elementary school children, a mental health check-in, clothing drives, and a movement and motion academy.
 
He was also a kids' church mentor, multi-team volleyball coach, camp counselor and guest speaker. He has also organized events for a faith-based sport ministry organization and a free skills clinic for youth.