One of the greatest seasons in Bears Volleyball history added another accolade on Wednesday, as graduating Golden Bear
Jordan Canham was named the 2023 Canada West Male Athlete of the Year.Â
Canham is the 9th Golden Bear or Panda to ever win the conference's top athlete award, and will now be the Canada West male nominee for the U SPORTS Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards, which will be announced on May 24th in Calgary.
All 17 Canada West member institutions vote to select the conference's athletes of the year, with nominees being the respective schools athletes of the year. Mount Royal Cougars women's hockey star Tatum Amy was named the Canada West Female Athlete of the Year.Â
The fourth-year education student powered the Bears to a 22-2 conference record in 2022/23, and their 14
th Canada West Championship.
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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.
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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.
He is aiming to become just the third UofA student-athlete to win the U SPORTS Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards, joining fellow Bears volleyball athlete Joel Schmuland (2009), and Pandas Volleyball athlete Jenny Cartmell (2000). Since 1993, the Athlete of the Year Awards (formerly known as the
BLG Awards and
Howard Mackie Awards) have been an annual celebration in the national sport community, recognizing Canada's top athletes competing in university athletics within U SPORTS,
All-Time UofA Canada West Athletes of the Year
* - Also won U SPORTS Athlete of the Year Award.Â
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