Photo by Valerie Wutti
Burlington, Ont. – Rookie midfielder Matteo de Brienne has been named 2021 OUA East Rookie of the Year. The Ottawa product registered seven goals in 2021, including three in a playoff-clinching game against Trent on October 29.
Perhaps his biggest goal of the year, however, came when he picked a sensational volley from his teammate clean out of the air to draw even with the aforementioned Lions in a critical late season matchup. The long volley has been the talk of the soccer world as it continues to make waves on social media.
Beyond the highlight reel goals, the skilled rookie from the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy has shown a veteran-like ability to punish defences. Fitting right in alongside perennial award nominees and all-stars on the Ravens’ roster, the Carleton rookie, who also played with Atletic Ottawa in 2020, slotted in for nine of his team’s fixtures in his debut campaign with the OUA squad.
de Brienne is joined in the OUA East honours by All-Stars Kyle Potter (Ottawa, Ont.), Raphael Garcia (Ottawa, Ont.) Tareq Hamad (Dhahran, KSA), Scott Mazzotta (Ottawa, Ont.) and Gabriel Bitar (Ottawa, Ont.)
A complete list of OUA East Award Winners is as follows:
Most Valuable Player – Dieu Merci Yuma, YorkCoach of the Year – Carmine Isacco, YorkRookie of the Year – Matteo de Brienne, CarletonCommunity Service Award – Nathaniel Sadler, Ontario Tech
East DivisionGoalkeeper – Kyle Potter, CarletonGoalkeeper – George Tzimas, YorkDefender – Raphael Garcia, CarletonDefender – Jadon Vilfort, YorkDefender – Tareq Hamad, CarletonDefender – Jacob Begley, Ontario TechMidfielder – Soji Olatoye, YorkMidfielder – Emmanuel Zambazis, YorkMidfielder – Scott Mazzotta, CarletonMidfielder – Milosh Stojanovic, Queen’sStriker – Dieu Merci Yuma, YorkStriker – Gabriel Bitar, Carleton
