The University of Winnipeg Wesmen is pleased to announce that Basketball players Stephanie Kleysen and Steven Wesley have been chosen as the 2013-2014 University of Winnipeg Wesmen Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The announcement was made this evening at the annual Wesmen Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Radisson Hotel.


Female Athlete of the Year - Stephanie Kleysen
Kleysen, a fourth year guard from Vincent Massey Collegiate (Winnipeg) recently completed her best season in a Wesmen uniform. She was named a Canada West Women's Basketball Second Team All Star after finishing in the top 10 in several Canada West Women's Basketball statistical categories including 7th in scoring (16.9 ppg), 7th in rebounding (7.7 rpg), 5th in steals (61), 5th in block shots and 8th in three-point fg percentage. Kleysen started all 22 regular season games and averaged 34 minutes of court time per game. She scored a season high 32 points against Lethbridge (November 17, 2013) and grabbed a season high 18 rebounds against Regina (January 17, 2014). Kleysen recorded six double-doubles during the 2013-2014 season. She was selected as the Lea Marc Printing Wesmen Female Athlete of the Month three times and was named the Wesmen Garbonzo's Female Player of the Week five times.

Male Athlete of the Year - Steven Wesley 
Wesley, a 6-6 forward from Spokane, Washington recently completed his fifth year of eligibility. He was named a Canada West Men's Basketball First Team All-Star after a solid 2013-2014 campaign. He placed 7th in conference scoring averaging 17.3 points per game and placed 12th in rebounding grabbing 7.1 rebounds per game. A starter in all 22 regular sason and three playoff games, Wesley averaged 31 playing minutes per game this past season. He scored a season high 30 points against Calgary (November 9, 2013) and grabbed a season high 14 rebounds against Brandon (January 23, 2014). Wesley recorded four double-doubles during the 2013-2014 season. He was selected as the Lea Marc Printing Wesmen Male Athlete of the Month two times and was named the Wesmen Garbonzo's Male Player of the Week five times.

Complete List of Award Winners:

University of Winnipeg Male and Female Athletes of the Year:
  • Stephanie Kleysen (Women’s Basketball) – Female Athlete of the Year
  • Steven Wesley (Men’s Basketball) – Male Athlete of the Year

Team MVP’s

  • Stephanie Kleysen - Women’s Basketball
  • Steven Wesley - Men’s Basketball 
  • Ozana Nikolic - Women’s Volleyball 
  • Tom Douglas-Powell - Men’s Volleyball
  • Kenny Sacramento - Men’s Soccer 
  • Laura Carroll - Women’s Soccer 
  • Kyle Nguyen - Men’s Wrestling 
  • Rachel Alder - Women’s Wrestling
  • Nicholas Drews - Men's Baseball
  • Kennan Benarroch, Given Isaac - MCAC Men’s Basketball 
  • Chloe Pomer - MCAC Women’s Volleyball 
  • Nathaniel Therrien - MCAC Men’s Volleyball 

Keith Cooper Memorial Award (Excellence in Community Services):

  • Kyle Nguyen (Men's Wrestling)

Dave Anderson Award (Outstanding Service in the Advancement of Athletics):

  • David Unruh (Local Realtor, Sponsor, Booster and Former Wesmen MVB Head Coach)

Tom Kendall Award (Excellence in Academics and Athletics):

  • Carleen Kruschel – (Women’s Volleyball)
  • Bill Wedlake Most Improved Players Award:
  • Casey Schouten (Men’s Volleyball)
  • Taylor Thorkelsson (Women’s Basketball)

Radisson Rookies of the Year:

  • Danielle Comeau (Women’s Soccer)
  • Ryan Oirbans (Men’s Basketball)

Academic All-Canadians

26 student athletes were recognized as Academic All-Canadians for the 2012-2013 academic year. In order to gain this status a student athlete must finish the academic year with an overall grade point average of 3.5 or better.

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