Onyeka, Raines capture top Laurier awards

WATERLOO — Linebacker Nakas Onyeka and swimmer Jasmine Raines were named Wilfrid Laurier’s athletes of the year on Monday night.

Onyeka, of Brampton, led the Ontario gridiron conference in solo tackles (51) and was named the conference’s standup defensive player of the year. The human fireball was also named a first-team all-Canadian as his Golden Hawks made a Yates Cup championship run.

Raines, a Kitchener native, posted 14 top-two finishes at swim invitations this season before winning gold in the 200 metres at the OUA championship in record-setting time. She followed that up with another gold in the 100 m breast stroke.

The Waterloo Collegiate grad then posted a sixth-place finish at the U Sports championships in the 200 m breast stroke.

Raines was also presented with the school’s female rookie of the year award.

Tevaun Kokko, of Markham, Ont., won the male rookie of the year award.

The freshman point guard set a singleseason rookie scoring record for the Hawks after he poured in 383 points, breaking Kale Harrison’s previous record by a bucket.

Kokko, named a second-team conference all-star, finished fourth in conference scoring (19.4 points per contest) and led the Hawks in three-point shooting percentage, assists and steals.

Other top award winners included: academic and athletic achievement, Kwaku Boateng (football) and Jacky Normandeau (women’s soccer and hockey); team of the year, men’s football; community service leadership, Melissa Pare (basketball) and Vinny Merante (men’s hockey); student trainer award, Kaitlyn Kelly (men’s baseball); unsung hero, Kha Vo (department photographer); contribution by a person not affiliated with the university, Dan Polischuk; volunteer coach of the year, George Moore (men’s baseball); and persons contributing most to athletics, Melissa Pare and Jack Moore.