VOLLEYBALL STARS SCHELLENBERG, DIRKS NAMED ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Thursday, March 20, 2008 - The University of Winnipeg is pleased to announce that fifth year volleyball stars Ben Schellenberg and Nicola Dirks have been selected as the 2007-08 University of Winnipeg Wesmen Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The announcement was made this evening at the annual Wesmen Athletics Award Banquet held at the Radisson Hotel.
Male Athlete of the Year
Ben Schellenberg , a 6’6” opposite/middle from Westgate Collegiate helped the Wesmen win a silver medal at the CIS Men’s Volleyball Championship in Laval, Quebec earlier in March. At the Nationals, Schellenberg was named to the CIS Men’s Volleyball Championship All-Star Team. After a highly successful regular season in which the Wesmen compiled a 14-4 record, the personal honors poured in for the fifth year team captain. Schellenberg was named the CIS Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year and a First Team All-Canadian. At the conference level Schellenberg was named the Canada West Men’s Volleyball Most Valuable Player and earned a spot on the Canada West First All-Star Team. Schellenberg was among the Canada West conference leaders in numerous categories this season, placing fourth in kills (238), third in points (290), seventh in hitting percentage (.347) and ninth in digs (119). Ben was named the Lea Marc Printing University of Winnipeg Male Athlete of the Month two times this past season (November 2007 and February 2008). Ben also captured the University of Winnipeg Male Athlete of the Year in 2005-06. Ben has been named an Academic All-Canadian the past four years.
Female Athlete of the Year
Nicola Dirks, a fifth year 5’11” left side from Westgate Collegiate was named a Canada West Second Team All-Star after leading the Canada West Conference in several categories including kills (291), points (316), and kills per game (3.99). Nicola, the team captain placed second in points per game (4.34) and had a great season on defense with 192 defensive digs, good for ninth place in the conference. Nicola recorded 20 plus kills four times during the 2007-08 season, including a Canada West Conference match high 28 kills against the Brandon Bobcats. Dirks, was named the Lea Marc Printing University of Winnipeg Female Athlete of the Month twice (October 2007 and January 2008) and was named U of W Female Athlete of the Week four times this past season. She has been named an Academic All-Canadian the past three seasons.
Complete List of Award Winners
University of Winnipeg Male and Female Athletes of the Year:
Ben Schellenberg (Men’s Volleyball) - Male Athlete of the Year
Nicola Dirks (Women’s Volleyball) - Female Athlete of the Year
Keith Cooper Memorial Award: (Excellence in Community Services):
Matt Opalko (Men’s Basketball)
Dave Anderson Award: (Outstanding Service in the Advancement of Athletics):
Janet McMahon (Director, Sport Manitoba)
Bill Wedlake Most Improved Players Award:
Paul Kjos (Men’s Volleyball)
Alex MacIver (Women’s Basketball)