U of T’s athletic community gathered at the Colony Hotel last Friday to honour the athletes and coaches who made the 2002-2003 season a success. The athletic department handed out trophies to U of T’s top athletes at the Intercollegiate Awards Banquet.
Liz Warden (swimming) and Imran Malik (track and field) captured the athlete of the year honours, while Leia Ince-Mercer (track and field) and Matt Sturgeon (basketball) were recognized for their outstanding contributions to university athletics in leadership, sportsmanship, academics and performance. The Blues also recognized their 13 provincial championship teams and handed out 29 Silver Ts, awarded to graduating athletes for outstanding athletic performances.
Warden, a fifth-year English student, captured her second straight U of T athlete of the year award after winning CIS Female Swimmer of the Year honours for her three gold medals at the national championships. Warden cleaned up at the CIS championships and the OUA championships, where she won four gold medals and led U of T to a third straight conference victory. She also won OUA Swimmer of the Year and is currently a member of the Canadian national team.
Imran Malik, a fifth-year UTM student, earned U of T athlete of the year honours for his gold medal performance in high jump at the CIS championships. Malik cleared a personal best 2.14 metres and at the same time snatched the national gold from a hometown favourite in Windsor. His jump turned out to be the seventh best all-time in the CIS championship. His hard work, determination and consistency during the season also earned him an OUA gold medal and four other podium finishes in invitational tournaments.
The Benson Honour Award was presented to track & field standout Leia Ince-Mercer for her achievements in athleticism and scholarship. Mercer, a three-year team captain, anchored the Blues track and field squad. She captured three CIS medals (two gold, one silver) and was a lead runner for the OUA and CIS championship female relay teams in 2000-2001. She has also contributed to track and field fundraising and is a member of “Athletes in Action,” a group of athletes who work with kids.
Matt Sturgeon, a U of T men’s basketball forward, collected the George M. Biggs Trophy for his leadership, sportsmanship and performance. Sturgeon, a fifth-year physical education and health student, was co-captain of the men’s basketball squad and led his team in scoring and minutes played. This season he was a Raptor Cup all-star and earned player of the game honours six times. He is a three-time Millennium Scholarship recipient and has worked as a volunteer coach and a Camp U of T counsellor.
