Nathan Lepore, a member of the Thunderhawks Men’s Golf team and a Thunder Bay local, receiving the Male Athlete of the Year award - (Supplied via Confederation College)
Confederation College has announced its student-athlete award winners for the 2024-2025 school year.
The athletes received their awards at the Thunderhawks Athletic Awards Banquet, which was held on Tuesday.
The annual event honours athletic performance, academic success, and leadership across the College’s varsity sports teams.
Business marketing student Sydney Cloutier, a dual-sport athlete from Ignace, was recognized as the Female Athlete of the Year,
Cloutier participated in indoor soccer and curling, also being named Rookie of the Year in soccer.
Nathan Lepore, a member of the Thunderhawks Men’s Golf team and a Thunder Bay local, received the Male Athlete of the Year award.
Lepore qualified for the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships following a first-place tie-breaker at the OCAA Provincial Golf Championships.
He was also named to the OCAA Men’s Golf All-Ontario Team and received the OCAA Rookie of the Year title.
Most Valuable Player awards were also presented to the following:
- Nathan Lepore – Men’s Golf
- Morgynn Lesnick-Kabernick – Women’s Indoor Soccer
- Michael Gentile – Men’s Indoor Soccer
- Jesse VanderHeide – Cross Country Running
- Daffni Chabot – Women’s Curling
- Griffen Wiersema – Men’s Curling
- Beth Werbicki – Women’s Volleyball
- William Bottle – Men’s Volleyball
Griffen Wiersema, graduating from the business administration, accounting program, received the D.A.R. Bradshaw Athletic Achievement Award.
The award recognizes a graduating student who has demonstrated exceptional growth, team spirit, and contribution to college athletics.
Wiersema served as skip of the men’s curling team and was a three-year member of the golf team, earning MVP and the OCAA Fair Play awards along the way.
OCAA All-Academic Awards were presented to student-athletes who achieved honour roll status during the fall semester:
- Griffen Wiersema – Men’s Golf
- Carson Stone – Men’s Golf
- Trevor Green – Men’s Golf
- Jesse VanderHeide – Cross Country Running
“Our student-athletes continue to impress us with their dedication on and off the field,” said Athletics Coordinator Susan Tucker. “This celebration is about more than just competition—it’s about commitment, character, and community, and we’re incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished this year.”
