WATERLOO, Ont. - Clara Chisholm and Ethan Jordan have been named the 2025-26 recipients of the President's Award, the top honour presented by Laurier Athletics and Recreation, at the department's annual athletic banquet held Monday evening at the Laurier Athletic Complex Gym.
A psychology major from Granton, Ont., Clara Chisholm built on her OUA Rookie of the Year campaign by earning First Team All-Star honours after leading Laurier with 24 points and 16 assists, ranking among the top 10 scorers in the conference.
A key offensive contributor and dominant power forward, her production and consistency were instrumental to the Golden Hawks' success in reaching the OUA semifinals for the first time in over a decade.
"It means so much to be honoured in front of my peers, my coaches and the president," Chisholm said. "A lot of hard work went into this, and I've learned so much from my coaches."
She also credited her teammates and the culture within the program for shaping her development.
"My teammates have been such a big part of my journey," she said. "They've helped me grow so much on and off the ice, and they're a big reason for this award."
Chisholm added that the relationships she's built throughout her career will stay with her moving forward.
"I'm just extremely grateful. There are so many people who have supported me along the way."
Ethan Jordan delivered a historic season, becoming just the third player - and first receiver - in Laurier football history to win the Hec Crighton Trophy.
A U SPORTS first team All-Canadian, he recorded his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, with 10 touchdowns leading all OUA receivers for the third straight year. He also set program records with 239 career receptions.
"It means so much to be honoured in front of my peers, my coaches and the president," Jordan said. "A lot of hard work went into this, and I've learned so much from my coaches."
Jordan also pointed to the role of his teammates in his development and success.
"The brotherhood's a huge part of my journey," he said. "Those guys helped me grow so much, on and off the field, and they're a big part of this award."
He added that several key figures throughout his career played an instrumental role in shaping his path.
"I'm just extremely grateful. There are so many people who have impacted my success and helped me get to this point."
The Glenn Carroll Team of the Year Award was awarded to the men's golf team, after winning the program's second OUA championship in program history and first since 2019.
The Rich Newbrough Rookie of the Year Award, handed out annually for the most outstanding athletic performance from a male and female rookie, was awarded to women's hockey defender Marra Klassen and Jack Gore from men's rugby.
Klassen made an immediate impact in her first season as a rookie defender with the Golden Hawks, recording two goals and seven assists in 26 games. Her points total ranked second among OUA rookie defenders and fifth overall within the group, highlighting a strong and consistent rookie campaign.
Gore made history as the first Golden Hawk to earn the national rookie of the year honour after being receiving the same award provincially. Starting at fly half, he tied for second in the OUA with six tries and led the conference with 29 conversions and 86 points, helping guide Laurier to its first undefeated regular season.
The Luke Fusco Academic Athletic Achievement Award, which honours the male and female athlete who best combines academic and athletic achievement, was awarded to Brittyn Graves from women's basketball and Callum Chisholm from men's hockey.
A kinesiology and physical education major with a 12.0 GPA, Graves has been a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian throughout her career and has excelled as an Athlete Academic Coach, supporting and guiding student-athletes with patience, intelligence, and a passion for helping others succeed. On the court, she remains tied for 1st all-time in single-game blocks.
A kinesiology & physical education major and U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian with a 12.0 GPA, Chisholm played in all 31 regular season and playoff games, finishing third among the team's defencemen in points and assists.
The Fred Nichols Community Service Leadership Award, recognizing the male and female student-athlete or student-leader who gives back to the community through volunteer commitments and/or fundraising efforts, was handed out to women's hockey forward Kamryn Szumlinski and Jacob Wahba from men's swimming.
Szumlinski is a dedicated coach and community leader growing the game and supporting young athletes. With the Waterloo Ravens and Grand River Mustangs, she helps athletes build confidence, boosting engagement and retention. Her leadership spans the Ontario Summer Games, MLSE House of Hockey and Laurier camps, where she fosters inclusive environments and supports youth development.
Wahba is a team captain and Academic All-Canadian, balancing elite performance with tutoring in chemistry, anatomy and organic chemistry.
Committed to service, he volunteers at Grand River Hospital and conducts cancer research at the Regional Cancer Centre, where he now supervises student projects. He has also contributed to dementia prevention research at the University of Waterloo and led exercise programs for older adults.
Wahba organizes team outreach at Parkwood Long-Term Care and supports youth sport and accessibility initiatives through coaching and events.
Laurier Athletics and Recreation also recognized nine individuals for their contributions to the department and varsity teams over the past year.
The Marty Wamsley Student Trainer of the Year Award was awarded to Sariah Seon of the women's basketball program.
The Student-Performance Coach award was presented to Nicholas Dicks while the Ultimate Iron Hawk Award, presented annually to a male and female student-athlete who leads by example in the high-performance training area, was awarded to women's basketball guard Kayla O'Keefe and football receover Jaxon Stebbings.
The Earl C. Shelley Unsung Hero Award, awarded to someone within the Laurier community who unselfishly gives time and effort to supporting the success of the athletics program, was handed out to Amanda Gulka-Armstrong, who plays a vital role behind the scenes in supporting prospective student-athletes through the admissions process with clarity, care, and attention to detail.
The Tuffy Knight Award, which recognizes a person not affiliated with the university, for their untiring efforts over an extended period of time, was given to a cornerstone of the Outstanding Women of Laurier the past 13 years, Leanne Haggarty.
The Chuck Classen Volunteer Coach of the Year award was presented to women's football running backs coach, Nial Both.
The Dean Esther Brandon Award, awarded to the female contributing most to Athletics, went to Nanditha Kanadamaran, who played a central role in community engagement, game presentation, and youth programming, helping deliver seamless, high-quality experiences for fans, teams, and partners.
The Bill Haggstrom Trophy, awarded to the male contributing most to Athletics, was given to current Laurier student and photographer/videographer, Adrian Michalski.
Also honoured on Monday night were each team's Most Valuable Players and Rookie's of the Year.
Most Valuable Players
Baseball - Jack Symington
Men's Basketball - Aidan Whalen
Women's Basketball - Kate White
Cheerleading - Kayla Lutes
Men's Cross Country - Ian Young
Women's Cross Country - Nicole Schindler
Men's Curling - Wyatt Small
Women's Curling - Emma Artichuk
Football - Ethan Jordan
Men's Golf - Dayton Price
Women's Golf - Kristi Godkin
Men's Hockey - Lucas Chard
Women's Hockey - Clara Chisholm
Men's Indoor Track - Nathan Hehn
Women's Indoor Track - Alyssa Zinn
Women's Lacrosse - Tori Nascimento
Men's Rugby - Wyatt Brown
Women's Rugby - Natalie Madill (forwards) & Abby Byers (backs)
Men's Soccer - David Carano
Women's Soccer - Taya Johnson & Tamara Lisser
Men's Swimming - Owen Jibb & George Radic
Women's Swimming - Olivia Frost
Rookie's of the Year
Baseball - Lucas Bateman
Men's Basketball - Malik Langenegger
Women's Basketball - Alexa Burtenshaw
Cheerleading - Sammie Franco
Men's Cross Country - Tyler Klazek
Women's Cross Country - Casey Archer
Men's Curling - N/A
Women's Curling - N/A
Football - Javein Smith
Men's Golf - Dayton Price
Women's Golf - Alicia Cromack
Men's Hockey - Andrew Ness
Women's Hockey - Marra Klassen
Men's Indoor Track - Sise Aroloye
Women's Indoor Track - Ciahan Malone
Women's Lacrosse - Tieneke Gedge
Men's Rugby - Jack Gore
Women's Rugby - Cait Croft
Men's Soccer - Maksym Telishchuk
Women's Soccer - Sienna Di Blasio
Women's Swimming - Addison Card
Men's Swimming - George Radic
