Lancer standouts Mandy Brunet and Thomas Kennedy were awarded the Banner and Olympic Shields as the University of Windsor Athletes of the Year at the Windsor Lancers annual Evening of Excellence Tuesday at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts.
 
It was an incredible senior year for Kennedy as he solidified his spot as one of the premier men's basketball players in the country.
 
On the hardwood this year, Kennedy was unquestionably the most dominant player in U SPORTS men's basketball. Not only was he named the OUA's most valuable player and a first-team all-star, but the Windsor, Ontario native became the first Lancer in school history to claim the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as the men's basketball national player of the year. 
 
He differentiated himself from other players in the country with his ability to impact games at both ends of the court. Offensively, he was a dominant scorer and rebounder in the low post, and he also controlled the defensive end of floor with his tremendous rebounding and shot blocking. The Windsor, Ontario native finished first in the country in both offensive and defensive rebounding.

In addition, he set the University of Windsor men's basketball all-time scoring record with 1,479 points in only 83 career games. He also broke the school record for career blocks with 117.
 
It was an unbelievable year for Brunet as she elevated her performance to another level to solidify her place as one of the top jumpers in the country.
 
The LaSalle, Ontario native went undefeated in the women's triple jump this season, claiming gold at both the OUA championships and the U SPORTS national championships.
 
Brunet never trailed in a triple jump competition all year and did not have a single jump under 12 metres for the season. She also captured the OUA silver medal in the women's long jump and finished in the top ten at nationals in the long jump.
 
This season, thanks to her hard work and discipline, she improved both her personal best in the triple jump and long jump by 38 centimeters each and moved up into the No. 5 spot on the Lancers' all-time top ten list in the women's long jump.
 
The DeMarco Awards, presented annually to the top female and male students that best combine academic achievement with athletic prowess, went to Cameron Cira from cross country/track & field, and to Kristen Swiatoschik from women's hockey the women's side.
 
The Eddi Chittaro Assistant Coach of the Year award went to Celine Freeman-Gibb from track & field and Mike Circelli from football, while the University of Windsor Gino Fracas Coach of the Year Award was presented to James Gravelle from the men's volleyball team.
 
It was an outstanding season for Coach Gravelle and his Lancer men's program as he helped guide the Lancers to their most successful season in school history.
 
Coach Gravelle got the best out of his Windsor squad this season, leading them to a 15-5 conference record and a second-place overall finish in the OUA.
 
After a thrilling OUA semi-final victory over the University Toronto in front of a capacity crowd in the Toldo Lancer Centre, Coach Gravelle's squad made their first ever OUA championship game appearance. The Lancers claimed the provincial silver medal, marking their highest achievement to date in the program's history while also qualifying for the national championship tournament in Hamilton.
 
Coach Gravelle saw four members of his team earn all-star status this season. It was the program's strong team culture, well-balanced attack, and willingness to pay the price that helped this team reach new heights this season.
 
The Lancers were ranked nationally throughout the year, wrapping up as the No. 5 team in the country. For his coaching efforts, James was named the U SPORTS men's volleyball national coach of the year and the OUA Coach of the Year.
 
The Captain's Trophy, awarded to a male and female captain who demonstrate outstanding leadership both on and off the field while also making a significant contribution to the overall success of their team, went to Anthony Atkinson from track & field, and Lauren Gellner from women's soccer.
 
The female rookie of the year award went to Aliah Admans from women's volleyball and Keana McKibbin from women's hockey, while Joey Zorn from football won the male rookie of the year. All three recipients had outstanding rookie campaigns.
 
The Super Sophomore awards were presented to Reine Ndome from women's basketball and U SPORTS goaltender of the year Nathan Torchia from men's hockey on the men's side.
 
The "A" Award, marking major contributions to Lancer Athletics, went to Linda Ruccolo and Tom Foster, who are each retiring this year after decades of supporting the blue and gold. This year's Richard Peddie Award was presented to Mary-Ann Rennie, while the Moriarty academic team of the year was presented to the women's cross-country team.