OTTAWA (March 26, 2025) — The Carleton Ravens announced their 2024-25 Major Awards on Wednesday night, with Ifenna Onyeka, Jacqueline Urban and Helen McCulligh taking home athlete of the year honours.
Athlete of the Year was among eight major prizes handed out over the evening alongside team MVPs, Doug Banton Awards, Alumni Award, fourth and fifth-year student-athlete recognition, Academic All-Canadians and OUA Academic All-Stars.
Returning from CFL Training Camp to terrorize opposing quarterbacks, Ifenna (Ife) Onyeka is the first football player named Male Athlete of the Year since Jack Cassar in 2019-20. Becoming the fifteenth football player to earn the award, Onyeka leaves behind a powerful legacy both on and off the field.
Women's basketball and Nordic skiing will share the Ruth Coe Award for top female athlete for the second consecutive year. Third-year stars Jacqueline Urban and Helen McCulligh took home the top female honour following a year filled with individual and team medals in both conference and international competitions.
For her impact on the women's basketball team's success, the U SPORTS Fox 40 Coach of the Year is also the Ravens' Pat O'Brien Award winner as Carleton Coach of the Year. Leading her team to a perfect 22-0 regular season, Dani Sinclair's Ravens reached their third straight Critelli Cup and third straight national championship game, earning OUA and U SPORTS silver medals.
Dorcas Buisa, Dylan McCoy and Darion Dillabough were honoured for their career-long contributions to Carleton Athletics. The graduating students were honoured for their outstanding careers, which all spanned more than half a decade. Dillabaugh and McCoy became the first co-winners of the Jack Vogan Memorial Medal since Kene Onyeka and Tristan St. Pierre in 2019.
A pair of breakout seasons and conference Rookie of the Year awards helped Sierra Hasse and Giovanni Morneau add to their trophy cases. As the top recruits in RSEQ women's rugby and OUA men's hockey, Hasse and Morneau were runners-up for U SPORTS Rookie of the Year as they exploded onto the scene.
Ravens football's Liya Equbagzi was named the Varsity Council Volunteer of the Year winner. Liya's longstanding commitment to the program exemplifies the dedication and commitment that make up the backbone of the Carleton Athletics community. A two-year staff member, Liya originally joined the team through the women's apprenticeship program and has played a key role in supporting the team on the field as a defensive assistant and off the field with operations, logistics and recruiting.
