Masters, Fitzgerald named top Trojans
CALGARY, ALTA., (April 15, 2023) – Hard to argue with the title of national champion.
SAIT Trojans cross-country runner Makenna Fitzgerald and men's basketball player Marcus Masters were named the 2023 SAIT Trojans Female and Male Athletes of the Year Saturday night, capping off a season in which they both hoisted a Canadian Collegiate National Championship banner.
In Fitzgerald's case, it was the second straight year in which she captured both the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and CCAA women's cross-country running individual title – and she did both without ever having to leave the province. Calgary's St. Mary's University hosted the CCAA National Championships in the fall of 2021, while Medicine Hat College had the honour this past November.
She was named the ACAC's Cross-Country Runner of the Year and All-Conference selection for the second consecutive season. Just last month, she earned an Indoor Track All-Conference nod after capturing gold in the women's 1,500-metre event.
Fitzgerald becomes the first cross-country/indoor track runner to win Female Athlete of the Year since Ricki Christopher did so back in 2018.
Masters capped off an amazing 2022-23 season with a handful of much deserved awards – ACAC All-Conference, ACAC South Division Player of the Year, ACAC Championship MVP, CCAA Championship All-Star.
Last month, he led the Trojans to their sixth consecutive ACAC title and then their first CCAA national title since 1986. And like Fitzgerald, he did not have to leave the city – capturing provincial gold at Ambrose University and national gold on 'home' court at the University of Calgary.
Masters becomes the first men's basketball player to win Male Athlete of the Year since teammate Charlie Conner did back in 2020.
Speaking of Conner, the CCAA Championship Tournament MVP ended his post-secondary athletic career with a second consecutive Zahavich Medal Award of Excellence win. Fitzgerald earned the other thanks to her impressive season.
The medal is presented to male and female Trojan athlete who has represented SAIT with class and dignity while also excelling on the playing surface, in the classroom and in the SAIT community.
Unfortunately, the medal's namesake, Alex Zahavich, could not attend the banquet but awarded the medals to Conner and Fitzgerald at a lunch earlier in the month.
Cross-country runner Moktar Said and golfer Kristine Dixon were named the 2023 SAIT Trojans Freshman of the Year after earning numerous medals.
Said helped his Trojans men's team to both an ACAC and CCAA banner, while racing to the men's individual silver medal at both events. Dixon fought off a wrist injury to win the women's individual silver medal at the ACAC Championships in September, which led to a women's and mixed team gold medals – the first banners for the golf program since coming back in 2018.
Also winning major awards were:
Karl Olsen Minor Official Awards
Zach Michaud
EFW and Vereburn Medical Supplies Athletic Therapy Student of the Year
Sam Jacobi
Courage, Determination and Spirit Awards
Taden Rattie – Men's Hockey
Meaghan Wiebe – Women's Soccer/Futsal/Indoor Track
Trojans Pillar Awards
Jenna Currie – Women's Golf
Kwasi Oteng – Men's Soccer/Indoor Track
Ken Tidsbury Leadership Awards
Aurora Bentrim – Women's Volleyball
Jolly Kopoanomo – Men's Soccer/Futsal
Al Buttle Red and White Awards
Jade Metz – Women's Soccer/Futsal
Wyatt Haux – Men's Basketball