The Western Mustangs announced their major awards at their Annual Athletic Banquet on Wednesday, April 6 at the London Convention Centre.
Mustang swimmer Hayley Nell won the 55th F.W.P. Jones trophy as Western’s top female-athlete.
The 68th Dr. Claude Brown memorial trophy was co-awarded to Mustang swimmer Bryn Jones and Mustang football player Craig Butler.
The Dr. Claude Brown memorial trophy is presented annually to the top male student-athlete for the Mustangs.
This year’s co-winners, Bryn Jones and Craig Butler, are both worthy recipients of the award.
Craig Butler terrorized opposing offences this year on the football field as the Mustangs captured the 103rd Yates Cup. Switching to defensive halfback this season he led the Mustangs in tackles, while playing on the kick cover team and leading the OUA in punt return yards. He was named to the OUA all-star team for all three positions and was named a first-team All-Canadian at defensive halfback. Butler recently was invited to the CFL Evaluation camp and is entered in this year’s CFL draft in May.
Also awarded at the Athletic Banquet was the prestigious Purple Blanket awards. The Purple Blanket is awarded to student-athletes who, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, achieved superior distinction at the provincial and national level of competition while representing Western athletics.
There was twelve winners this year that include swimmers Bryn Jones and Hayley Nell, football players John Surla and Craig Butler, men’s basketball’s Andy Wedemire, track and field standout Alicia Smith, women’s volleyballer Jenna Thomson, women’s hockey player Ellie Seedhouse, women’s rower Lindsay Sferrazza, wrestler Jennifer Nguyen, water polo player Gregory Hoegy and cross country and track star Kyle O’Neill.
Individual team most valuable player awards were also presented.
Football Jerimy Hipperson
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