Niagara College honoured its top student-athletes on April 1 at the 55th annual Athletics Banquet, held at the Stone Mill Ballroom. The event celebrated the achievements of student-athletes both on the field, court, and in the classroom, while also recognizing team successes from the 2024-2025 season.
A total of 94 individual awards were presented, including honours for student-athletes, coaches, and NC staff.
“The achievements celebrated at our Athletics Banquet were a direct result of the commitment from both our student-athletes and coaching staff,” said Michele O’Keefe, Director, Athletics and Student Engagement. “From top performances on the court to excellence in the classroom, every individual made a significant impact on NC Athletics, and we were thrilled to celebrate their success.”
Major Award Winners
NC President Sean Kennedy (left) with Female Athletes of the Year Janee Harrison (centre) and Montanna Taylor (right).
Female Athletes of the Year:
- Montanna Taylor (St. Catharines, ON) – Women’s Volleyball
A fifth-year setter, Taylor has been a dedicated leader for the Knights’ women’s volleyball program throughout her time as an NC Knight. In her final season, she led the team to a third-place finish in the OCAA West Division and secured a bronze medal at the OCAA Provincial Championship. Taylor finished third in the OCAA in blocks and seventh in assists while setting a new Niagara College record for total assists (men’s and women’s) with over 1,500. Her outstanding season also earned her a CCAA Academic All-Canadian Award, OCAA All-Academic Award, OCAA West Division Second Team All-Star, OCAA Semi-Finals Player of the Game, OCAA Championship All-Star, and OCAA Bronze Medalist honours.
- Janee Harrison (St. Catharines, ON) – Women’s Basketball
A fourth-year forward, Harrison secured back-to-back Female Athlete of the Year honours after an incredible season on the court. She started all 16 games and finished seventh in the OCAA in points per game. Harrison’s talent and leadership were recognized with a CCAA All-Canadian Award, CCAA Academic All-Canadian Award, OCAA All-Academic Award, and OCAA West Division First Team All-Star honours.
Male Athlete of the Year:
- Khayden Stewart (Ajax, ON) – Men’s Basketball
A fourth-year guard, Stewart brought a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the Knights’ men’s basketball program. This season, he was recognized as an OCAA Second Team All-Star, playing a key role in the team’s defensive dominance. Stewart finished sixth in the OCAA in steals per game and second in assists per game. His defensive skills were a major factor in the Knights allowing just 75.3 points per game, second-best in the OCAA. Off the court, he excelled academically, earning both an OCAA All-Academic Award and a CCAA Academic All-Canadian Award.
Rookie of the Year Awards
- Rowan Redekop (Surrey, British Columbia), and Cienna Toromoreno (Vaughan, Ontario), were honoured as the NC Knights Male and Female Rookie Athletes of the Year across all sports. Redekop is a middle blocker on the Knights Men’s volleyball team, and Toromoreno is a midfielder on the Knights women’s soccer team.
Leadership Awards
- Jamira Rousseau (Welland, Ontario), a key player on the Knights’ women’s basketball team and Mitch Churipuy (Peterborough, Ontario), an outside hitter on the Knights men’s volleyball team were named Female and Male Leadership Award recipients across all sports.
Scholastic Award Winners
- Gerrit Oldejans (Dundas, Ontario), a forward on the Knights men’s soccer team was recognized for academic excellence as the top Male Scholastic Award recipient. Griffin Lack-Shane (Waterloo, Ontario) a guard on the Knights women’s basketball team, was the recipient of the top Female Scholastic Award. This award recognizes the top Academic GPA across all sports for a Niagara College student-athlete.
Coaching & Staff Awards
- Ralph Nero Memorial Award:
Steve Stone, head coach of the Knights’ women’s volleyball team, was recognized for his outstanding leadership, mentorship, and contributions to student recruitment and retention. Under his guidance, the team secured an OCAA bronze medal this season.
- Luciano Berardocco Memorial Award:
Tyler Lamb, a dedicated member of the Niagara College gameday crew, was honoured for his exceptional contributions to intercollegiate athletics during the 2024-2025 season.
- Ray Sarkis Award:
Peter “Dutch” VandenBerg, Coordinator of Niagara College’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television, and Film program, received this award in recognition of his passion, commitment and community-mindedness.
For a full list of award recipients, including CCAA Academic All-Canadian and OCAA All-Academic honourees, visit the Niagara College Knights website.
