Kennedy chosen for spot on OUA all-rookie team
Coach has high praise for 18-year-old who logged some big minutes as starter
The OUA named University of Windsor Lancers freshman Thomas Kennedy to its men’s basketball all-rookie team on Wednesday. The 18-year-old Kennedy is the first Lancer named to the rookie team since guard Isiah Osborne in 2015-16. Osborne was also the OUA’s rookie of the year that season.
“He worked for his success and I am pleased with his improvement throughout the season,” Lancers head coach Chris Oliver said in a release. “His challenge was playing a position as a true 18-yearold freshmen against much more physically developed older players. As a true 18-year-old, he was, hands down, the best freshman in the country.”
While the Lancers struggled on the court with a 7-17 record and missed the playoffs, the sixfoot-nine, 220-pound Kennedy showed himself a solid foundation for the program to build on in the future.
Kennedy, who is a former St. Joseph high school student, started all 24 games for the Lancers this season and averaged over 25 minutes a game. He averaged 11.5 points per game, which was second on the team, while leading the club with an average of 8.4 rebounds per game and 1.5 blocks per game.
CFL COMBINE
University of Windsor Lancers offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais has been invited to the Canadian Football League Draft Combine, which is set for March 22-24 in Toronto.
The combine brings together the top prospects for May’s CFL draft. Three other local players will also have a chance to make the national combine depending on how they perform at the Ontario combine, which is set for March 21 in Toronto.
Lancers running back Marcus Kentner and wide receiver Kaeden Walls will attend the Ontario combine along with Wilfrid Laurier University defensive back Malcolm Thompson.
MASSE HONOURED
For the second time in three weeks, LaSalle’s Kylie Masse has been named U Sports female athlete of the week.
The 23-year-old Masse, who is a senior for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, earned national swimmer of the year honours for the fourth-straight season as she competed at the national swimming championships for the final time.
The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and 2017 FINA world champion earned three grand slam awards for her four career victories in the 50-metre backstroke, 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre backstroke.
She also won a silver medal in the 50-metre butterfly and helped the Varsity Blues win three relay gold medals while setting two U Sports and Canadian club records.
STEEN GOLDEN
Tecumseh’s Jordie Steen finished up his university career with a gold medal.
Steen, who competes for Concordia University in Montreal, captured the men’s 100kg division at the U Sports wrestling championships in Calgary.
Steen took the gold-medal match by 10-0 score to end his university career with four gold medals and a bronze medal in five years of competition.
AWARD WINNERS
The Windsor Aces picked up three awards while the Kingsville Kings grabbed one as the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League announced its 2018-19 South Division award winners. Windsor’s Bryce Yetman, who set a new league record for goals and points, was named most valuable player while Zach Uppleger was named best goaltender and Joe Byrne the best coach. Kingsville’s Zack Dillen was named best defensive forward.