Track-and-field and cross-country runners Rachel Cliff and Kyle Boorsma were selected as U of G’s Athletes of the Year for 2009-2010. They were among the student athletes who were honoured April 8 at the Guelph Gryphons awards banquet held at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre.
Cliff, a fourth-year biomedical toxicology student, helped lead her cross-country team to Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship titles. Individually, she earned a bronze medal in cross-country and was named an OUA first-team all-star and second-team All-Canadian. During the track season, she was the OUA champion in the 1,500m and a silver medallist in the 3,000m. At the CIS championship, she won the title in the 3,000m and took a silver medal in the 1,500m. She was named a first-and second-team OUA all-star and first- and second-team CIS All-Canadian.
Boorsma, a fourth-year human kinetics student, was named Guelph Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight year. He was also named the male President’s Trophy winner for outstanding athletic and academic achievement, attaining an 83-per-cent average this season.
In cross-country, he finished with OUA and CIS silver medals and was named an OUA first-team all-star and CIS first-team All-Canadian. He also helped the men’s cross-country team win its sixth consecutive OUA title and a record-tying fourth consecutive CIS title. In track, Boorsma set a school record in the mile and 1,500m. He was an OUA champion in the 3,000m and silver medallist in the 1,500m. At the CIS championships, he was a two-time gold medallist in the 1,500m and 3,000m. He was named to both OUA first – and second-team all-star lists, is a two-time first team All-Canadian, and helped lead his team to a CIS championship title.
A full list of award winners is available online.