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Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star
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The St. Clair Saints boast some of the top college athletic programs in the province and across the country.
On Thursday, players, coaches, and families gathered as the Saints celebrated another campaign that left the school with plenty to brag about.
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“We thought last year was going to be a year we couldn’t surpass and, by all accounts, this year was probably our best in history,” said St. Clair’s Ron Seguin, who is vice-president of international relations, campus development, and student services. “We were competitive across all 14 teams. They were all in contention, and we won four provincial and a national title.”
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The 55th St. Clair College Athletic Awards banquet at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts was a chance for the school to celebrate those achievements as well as bid farewell to some athletes.
“It’s the toughest part,” Seguin said. “Kids are here for three or four years. They’re recruited and arrive and, before you can blink, they’re done and it’s tough on them.”
Two of those departing athletes were honored with the Mason MacDonald Graduating Athlete of the Year Award, which is given to the graduating male and female athlete that display outstanding athletic abilities while maintaining an exemplary academic performance along with school involvement.
Basketball’s Jesiah Deerr took the award on the men’s side while volleyball’s Kiana Huggins claimed the award on the women’s side.
Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star
Deerr finishes his career as the program’s eighth-leading scorer all-time and the school record holder with 306 three-point shots made. He won gold and silver at the OCAA level with the Saints and a national silver medal. Along with conference recognition and sixth man of the year awards on the court, he is also a two-time conference all-academic selection and was named an academic all-Canadian this year.
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“He was our three-point guy and when he lit it up, there was no one better,” Seguin said. “As great a basketball player as he is, he’s a better person. He was a stabilizing force on that team.”
After three years with the Saints, Huggins is graduating and moving on to play at the University of New Brunswick. She was the OCAA rookie of the year in her first season while earning conference and national all-star recognition.
Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star
Deerr finishes his career as the program’s eighth-leading scorer all-time and the school record holder with 306 three-point shots made. He won gold and silver at the OCAA level with the Saints and a national silver medal. Along with conference recognition and sixth man of the year awards on the court, he is also a two-time conference all-academic selection and was named an academic all-Canadian this year.
The Mason MacDonald Graduating Athlete of the Year Award on the women’s side was awarded to Kiana Huggins of the St. Clair Saints. She was described as a natural leader by Seguin, who praised her for carrying her volleyball team to provincial and national success. Bryanna Kressler won the female Al Hoffman Athlete of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award for the second consecutive year, while Chad Vincent-Simon won the award on the men’s side. Kressler’s contributions to the Saints’ softball team were highlighted, including her impressive batting and pitching stats. Vincent-Simon was recognized as the OCAA player of the year in basketball. The Inter-Collegiate Coach of the Year Award was shared by Roberto Duncan of the baseball team and Shawn Reaume of the men’s volleyball team. Duncan and Reaume were commended for their coaching accomplishments during the year. Other awards included the John Strasser Coaches Award, the Jack Costello Exceptional Service Award, and the Bob Weepers Fair Play and Sportsmanship Award. Additionally, the Academic Achievement Award was won by the cross-country team, and the Dr. Patti France Award for leadership in athletics was given to Ezzat Elnagmi and Alexa Morgan. Rookie of the year awards were introduced, with Victoria Walsh and Andrew Loyuk being recognized as the winners. Please provide the content that needs to be rewritten with HTML tags included.
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