Voyageurs hand out the hardware at year-end awards

Date and Time :     5 April, 2013 — 00:00 am

Game Recap:

SUDBURY, ON – The Laurentian University Athletic department handed out its annual awards on Thursday night.  Leading the way was rower Carling Zeeman, who won her second President’s Female Athlete of the Year.  On the men’s side it was the third year in a row that a member of the basketball team took home the President’s Male Athlete of the Year, as second year guard, Alex Ratté, had the honours.  Jamie Weldon of the men’s basketball team took home the lone Voyageur Award given out while Georges Serresse and Katie Maziarski earned the Investors Group Community Service Awards.

Zeeman, a Cambridge, Ontario native, in her fourth year at Laurentian, was a standout on the water in 2012-13.  She carried her success from last season into September and continued her dominance of the university rowing scene.  Zeeman continuously produced on the water, earning three Perkins Laurentian Athlete of the Week honours, being named an OUA All-Star, winning OUA Gold and Bronze, CURC Gold, winning the Senior Women’s National Championship and being named to the Canadian national team for the first World Cup event of 2013 in New Zealand.

Ratté, a native of Ottawa, had a great sophomore season as he led the men’s basketball team to their first winning record in over a decade and a second consecutive home playoff game.  He was an OUA East Second Team All-Star, finishing second in the OUA in scoring with 20.9 points per game, while ranking second in the nation in field goals made.  Ratté was a two time Perkins Laurentian Athlete of the Week and set a Voyageurs’ record in mid-February as he poured in 42 points against York.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native, Jamie Weldon, was honoured by receiving the Voyageur Award.  This is presented to graduating student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions to their sport and Voyageur Athletics throughout their career.   Jamie brought dedication to the Voyageur’s basketball program that hasn’t been seen in a while.  An Academic All-Canadian, Jamie had to play against bigger stronger players and he always found a way to bring energy and intensity to the floor.       Throughout his years at Laurentian, Weldon undertook numerous community activities from reading to an all-boys book group to running a basketball clinic in partnership with the Greater Sudbury Police.

New to the awards stable this year was the Investors Group Community Service Award.  A key partner of the Voyageurs, Investors Group takes great pride in their involvement in the community and this award will recognize those Voyageurs who wear the Blue and Gold with pride throughout the Greater Sudbury community and beyond.  Receiving this year’s inaugural awards were local athletes Georges Serresse (Blezzard Valley, ON) and Katie Maziarski (Lively, ON).

Throughout his years at Laurentian, Serresse has done numerous community activities from hosting clinics for local elementary schools to volunteering time at the “Blue Door” soup kitchen while Maziarski volunteers with Pet Save as a volunteer dog-walker and occasional foster home host, helps to run the Laurentian X-Country Challenge, has volunteered with the Terry Fox Run for the past 3 years, coached girls hockey at Lo-Ellen Secondary and has also helped coach their swimming and track