CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Owen Headrick are the UPEI athletes of the year.
The announcement was made online Saturday night due to the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain).
Ellsworth, a Charlottetown native, led the Panthers to a bronze medal at nationals after winning the university’s first Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women’s basketball crown since 1998.
The fourth-year guard was named the AUS and U Sports women’s basketball player of the year after averaging 20.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 17 regular-season games as the Panthers went 17-3 to earn first place in the conference.
She is the first member of the Panthers women’s basketball team to earn UPEI female athlete of the year recognition since Katie Donahoe was co-winner of the award with rugby’s Alysha Corrigan in 2016.
🏆 FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 🏆
— UPEI Panthers (@UPEIPanthers) April 5, 2020
And the WINNER is...#GoPanthersGo | #AwardsGala pic.twitter.com/V7LLDomnLv
Ellsworth's mother, Tracy (MacEachern) Ellsworth, won the female athlete of the year award in 1986-87 and 1987-88 as a field hockey and basketball star. They are the first mother-daughter duo to win the award.
Headrick, a 22-year-old defenceman from Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., finished third in team scoring with 32 points, including 13 goals, in 30 games. The team went 10-15-5 to finish sixth in the seven-team conference.
It was Headrick’s second year at UPEI but was his fourth year of eligibility as he played two seasons at Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., before playing two seasons with the OHL’s Erie Otters.
It is the third straight male athlete of the year from men’s hockey program. Kameron Kielly won the award in 2019 and Ryan MacKinnon earn the honour in 2018.
🏆 MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 🏆
— UPEI Panthers (@UPEIPanthers) April 5, 2020
And the WINNER is...#GoPanthersGo | #AwardsGala pic.twitter.com/gJEoNp4EmD
Rachel Colle, who captained the women’s hockey team, received the passion for life award.
Soccer’s Nacho Sanchez earned the W.A. Ledwell Award, which is presented annually to a student who demonstrates outstanding athletic ability, academic excellence and the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship.
Rugby’s Tara Campbell and soccer’s Jenn Balderston received the Gordon and Muriel Bennett award, which is presented annually to a student-athlete(s), who best combines athletic achievement and academic excellence during their four years.
And the winners are…
Recipients of UPEI Panthers year-end team awards presented online Saturday night are:
Soccer
Men
MVP – Sam Smiley.
Top rookie – Nathan Chow.
Coaches’ award – Cohen Reddick.
Women
MVP – Jennifer Balderston.
Top rookie – Caitlyn McCloskey.
Coaches’ award – Carly Connell.
Women's rugby
MVP – Tara Campbell.
Top rookie – Mia Fradsham and Agustina Cohen.
Coaches’ award – Brinten Comeau.
Hockey
Men
MVP – Owen Headrick.
Top rookie – Kyle Maksimovich.
Coaches’ award – Tanner McCabe.
Women
MVP – Camille Scherger.
Top rookie – Lexie Murphy.
Coaches’ award – Kaylee Dufresne.
Basketball
Men
MVP – Elijah Miller.
Top rookie – Elijah Miller.
Coaches’ award – Adam Ryan.
Women
MVP – Jenna Mae Ellsworth.
Top rookie – Lauren Rainford.
Coaches’ award – Reese Baxendale.
Cross Country
Women
MVP – Tati Kelly.
Top rookie – Phoebe Mitchell.
Coaches’ award – Annika Weib.
Men
MVP – Dan Maguire.
Top rookie – Samuel Peterson.
Coaches’ award – Patrick Fletcher.
Track and field
Women
MVP – Bailey Smith.
Coaches’ award – Danielle Younker.
Men
MVP – Malcolm Gilman.
Top rookie – Zach Wilson.
***
Varsity Club Teams
Field hockey
MVP – Sarah Sear.
Top rookie – Arica Windsor.
Coaches’ award – Karleigh McEwen.
Women’s volleyball
MVP – Lauren Moerike.
Top rookie – Danielle Hayes.
Coaches’ award – Sabrina Savory.
Men’s rugby
MVP – Isaiah Hood and Isaac Kirkland.
Top rookie – David Sato.
Coaches’ award – Faris Zakem.
Lacrosse
MVP – David Burke.
Top rookie – Egan McCaughey.
Coaches’ award – Sean He.
Cheer
MVP – Callie Thomson.
Top rookie – Emily Duffy.
Coaches’ award – Gemma Shea.
Looking back
A look at some of the recent male and female athletes of the year at UPEI.
2019
Female – Bailey Smith, track.
Male – Kameron Kielly, hockey.
2018
Female – Bailey Smith, track, and Alysha Corrigan, rugby.
Male – Ryan MacKinnon, hockey.
2017
Female – Marie-Soleil Deschenes, hockey.
Male – Mark Ashlee, soccer.
2016
Female – Katie Donahoe, basketball, and Alysha Corrigan, rugby.
Male – Tyler Scott, basketball, and Cole MacMillan, soccer and hockey.
2015
Female – Amy Gough, basketball.
Male – Tyler Scott, basketball, and Cole MacMillan, soccer and hockey.
2014
Female – Sarah Stanley, soccer.
Male – Reggie Traccitto, hockey.
2013
Female – Marina MacAulay, field hockey.
Male – Jimmie Mayaleh, soccer.
2012
Female – Janet Gamble, swimming.
Male – Manock Lual, basketball.
2011
Female – Sara Stewart, soccer.
Male – Matt Carter, hockey.
