Campus Life

Millman leads the way as Horns hand out year-end athletic awards

Pronghorn Athletics hosted its 50th annual Blue and Gold Banquet Friday night to honour the outstanding athletes in athletic performance and academic achievement. Over 300 athletes, administrators and special guests were in attendance for the awards ceremony at the Lethbridge Lodge. Fifth-year track and field athlete Peter Millman was the big winner taking home four awards.

The Award winners are:

Male Athlete of the Year

Wrapping up his Pronghorn career, thrower Peter Millman took home his third consecutive Pronghorn male athlete of the year award.

Millman completed his career by adding his eighth and ninth Canada West titles, winning his fifth consecutive weight throw gold medal and fourth straight shot put gold medal. He went on to be named the Canada West Field athlete for the fourth straight year and earned the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

At the U SPORTS National Championships he completed a three-peat as national champion in the shot put and added his fourth national medal taking home a bronze medal in the weight throw, while being named both the U SPORTS Field Athlete of the Year for the second time and Student-Athlete Community Service awards.

Female Athlete of the Year

Building off her success a year ago, fourth-year thrower Lara Roth took another step forward this season and was one of the top throwers in Canada West.

Leading into the conference meet, she medaled in each tune up competition and at the Canada West Championship Roth became a double medalist winning a silver medal in the weight throw and a bronze medal in the shot put to go along with the bronze medal she earned a year ago.

Roth was the lone Pronghorn female to qualify for the national meet, where she set a new personal best mark with a throw of 14.99 metres in the weight throw and finished ninth.

Community Service and Citizenship award

New to Blue and Gold this year, Pronghorn Athletics has created four community service awards given to two female and two male Pronghorn Athletes that have demonstrated community involvement in volunteering and providing community service within the most recent academic year. Sponsored by Dunlop Ford and Fire Safety Services Ltd. each recipient will receive a scholarship of $1250.

Peter Millman

Moving across the country to pursue his athletic dreams, Peter Millman has entrenched himself in southern Alberta community this year. Millman was heavily involved in mental health initiatives on campus, helping raise over $1000 for the Student Mental Health Initiatives. He also spent time volunteering for Lethbridge Family services, Jr. Horns Run Jump program, Family Play Day and Chinook high school dinner initiative to name a few.

Lindsay Amatto

In addition to her responsibilities on the pitch and in the classroom, Academic All-Canadian Lindsay Amatto spends countless hours volunteering both on campus and in the southern Alberta Community, as an assistant researcher in neuroscience, part of the BioClub along with donating her time to the hospital, Heritage Lodge and the Lethbridge Humane society to only name a few.

Cormac Southam

A member of the Pronghorn student athlete council Cormac Southam does an extraordinary job balancing soccer, school and community involvement. An Academic All-Canadian, Cormac is involved in a wide range of volunteer activities, ranging from tutoring Organic and Inorganic chemistry to YWCA project child recovery and Big Brothers.

Madeline Szabo

In her first year with the program, local product Madeline Szabo is a glowing example of how individuals can make a difference in their community. In addition to her time training with the track team and school commitments, Szabo also spends countless hours in community volunteering with Alberta Health Services, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Canadian Rocky Mountain Cloggers, All Saints Parish, as well has her old high school Catholic Central and other small projects as they arise.

President’s Award

The President’s Award is given to the Pronghorns student-athlete with the highest academic standing at the University of Lethbridge. Ending a run of two consecutive women’s soccer players taking home the President’s Award, track and field athlete Sara Yamamoto took home the prestigious award, achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA in pursuit of a Bachelor of Health Science, while balancing her track team commitments.

Team Academic Award – Presented to the team with the highest academic standing

The Women’s soccer team laid claim to the Team Academic Award after the award was shared for the first time last year between the women’s basketball team and men’s track team. The women’s soccer team combined for a team GPA of 3.13.

Alumni Leadership Award

Over Peter Millman’s five years as a Pronghorn Athlete he grew into a leadership role both on the field of play and off for the Pronghorn track and field team. He became a shining example of what can be accomplished over a five year career and is a testament to what hard work, dedication, and focused determination can result in. Millman has added to the legacy of those before him who have exemplified all that it means to be a Pronghorn.

Arriving on campus as an athlete that was purely here to compete, this individual morphed into not only a successful university athlete, but an academic all-Canadian and a champion in the university and southern Alberta community.

In coach Larry Steinke’s words, “Peter provided leadership on a daily basis mentoring, enthusiasm, being responsible, punctual, affirmative and reassuring and as a role model. He helps to promote commitment and excellence both on and off the field and leads by example. He also finds every opportunity to be optimistic and supportive of every athlete and of every ability and helped develop team drive, self-reliance, independence and discipline.”

Gary Bowie Award

A Pronghorn for more than 30 years, Keith Pushor has been the Chair of the Friends of Pronghorns Booster Club’s annual golf tournament since its inception in 2009.  He has worked tirelessly to help it become an incredible event for the team and alumni of the program, while raising over $70,000 for the program.  In addition to his work on the golf committee, he supports Pronghorn Athletics through the Adopt-a-Horn program, buying advertising, attending events such as the Pronghorn Scholarship Breakfast and as an active volunteer.

Pushor also continues to show his support attending games and recruiting other alumni in getting involved with the program.

A former teammate of Coach Hansen’s, Pushor was named a Canada West All-Star during the 1990-91 season.

Team MVPs

Women’s Track – Lara Roth
Men’s Track – Peter Millman
Women’s Swim – Christyna Dashko
Men’s Swim – Joel Robinson
Women’s Soccer – Nikki Furukawa
Men’s Soccer – Chris Rushworth
Women’s Rugby – Freddy Tremblay
Women’s Hockey – Alicia Anderson
Men’s Hockey – Tim Campbell
Women’s Basketball – Zoe Dahl
Men’s Basketball – Dejon Burdeaux