Posted on February 13, 2017June 20, 2026 by Joe McParland

13
Feb

WESPY Awards Nominations 2017

On Monday morning, the annual WESPY AWARDS Nomination Breakfast took place at Ciao Pasta Bar and Restaurant at 839 Erie Street East. Domenic Papa, Founder and CEO of WETV and long time Windsor area sports personality welcomed the media, some of the nominees and award winners, and members of the WESPY AWARDS organization.

Papa told the assembled group that the WESPY AWARDS will take place on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 PM at the Caboto Club. “This year’s WESPY AWARDS will be history making in that Joel Quenneville, current head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks and former NHL player, will be the WESPY’s first Windsor area keynote speaker, and also the first still actively employed professional personality” said Papa. And Papa highlighted that this year’s WESPY nominations are history making with the first ever three-category nominee in the same year. That distinction goes to Krystin Lawrence of the Windsor Lancers, nominated for the Ed Jovanovski Hockey Award, The Soccer Award, and Female Athelete of the Year Award.

Past WESPY award recipient and head coach of the University of Windsor Men’s Basketball Team, Chris Oliver, was Monday’s guest speaker. Oliver pointed out that in the four communities where he has coached before arriving in Windsor 12 years ago, none of them had anything like the WESPY AWARDS. “As a coach, I have a passion to see people grow on and off the court. WESPY’s bring together a microcosm of people who help this happen” said Oliver. He also stressed another important asset of the WESPY’s: “they help me in recruitment. We can show potential athletes the WESPY AWARDS and how this region genuinely supports our own.”

The March 7^th WESPY AWARDS will be live streamed on WETV as well as broadcast live on AM800.

Tickets for the event can be purchased online.

Feature photo: Leo-Paul-Bracken-‘Punky’-Bracken – Winner of the Male Legacy Award

The following is a list of the 2017 WESPY AWARDS nominees.

Female Nominees for the 12^th Annual WESPY Awards

Dennis Fairall Track & Field Award

Stefanie Smith – Windsor Lancers

Taneidra Cain – W.F. Herman S.S. / Windsor Legion

Kelsey Balkwill – Border City Athletics

Ed Jovanovski Hockey Award

Krystin Lawrence – Windsor Lancers

Erin Noseworthy – Windsor Lancers

Savannah Bouzide – Southwest Wildcats/ General Amherst S.S.

Softball Award

Skyler Patteson – St. Clair College

Megan Lumley – St. Clair College

Alexa Georgiou – St. Clair College

Soccer Award

Abby Hunt – Windsor Lancers

Krystin Lawrence – Windsor Lancers

Hannah Drkulec – St. Anne Catholic High School

Tim Hommel Volleyball Award

Layne Van Buskirk – Holy Names Catholic H.S. / South County Bandits

Caylee Parker – Riverside S.S. / Genesis Volleyball Club

Shannon Dean – Windsor Lancers

Swimming Award

Madeleine McDonald – Windsor Aquatic Club

Kendra Polewski – Windsor Aquatic Club

Rachel Rode – Windsor Essex Swim Team

Figure Skating Award

Arista Lee – Skate LaSalle

Kristen Moerchen – South Windsor Skating Club

Adelina Bailey – Lopes – Essex / Leamington Skating Club

Parasport Athletes Award

Virginia McLachlan – Windsor Lancers

Jessica Matassa – Essex – Kent Ice Bullets

Ashley Goure – Essex – Kent Ice Bullets

Wrestling Award

Virginie Gascon – L’Essor Wrestling Club

Olivia Menard – L’Essor Wrestling Club

Sara Long – Windsor Wrestling Club

Golf Award

Hannah Meloche – Sutton Creek Golf & C.C.

Jasmine Ly – Kingsville Golf C.C.

Audrey Akins – GAO Public Player

Basketball Award

Mildred Okoko – Holy Names Catholic H.S.

Cheyanne Roger – Windsor Lancers

Shannon Kennedy – St. Clair College

Male Nominees for the 12^th Annual WESPY Awards

Dennis Fairall Track & Field Award

Khalil Parris – Border City Athletics Club

Corey Bellemore – Windsor Lancers

Nick Falk – University of Windsor Athletics Club

Ed Jovanovski Hockey Award

Michael DiPietro – Windsor Spitfires

Mikhail Sergachev – Windsor Spitfires

Tyler Wall – Leamington Flyers

Soccer Award

Celso Carapau – Windsor TFC

Stefan Milidrag – St. Clair College

Kyle Vizirakis – Windsor Lancers / Windsor TFC

Baseball Award

Gibson Krzeminski – U 18 -Windsor Selects

Joel Pierce – Tecumseh Thunder Srs.

Kyle Breitner – St. Clair College

Volleyball Award

Blase Wasser – Windsor Lancers

Brad Gyemi – Windsor Lancers

Michael Knight – St. Clair College

Swimming Award

Aaron Norg – Windsor Essex Swim Team

Leon Ouyang – Windsor Essex Swim Team

Ethan Fazekas – Windsor Aquatic Club

Gino Fracas Football Award

Adam Slikboer – Windsor Fratmen

Terrance Crawford – Windsor Lancers

Randy Beardy – Windsor Lancers

Parasport Athletes Award

Mike LaRochelle – Windsor Bulldogs

Tim Ekert – Windsor Bulldogs

Corbin Watson – Essex – Kent Ice Bullets

Wrestling Award

Hassan Al – Hayawi – Windsor Wrestling Club

Dylan McKenzie – Windsor Wrestling Club

Michael Sanchez – Essex County Wrestling Club

Golf Award

Luc Warnock – Pointe West Golf Club

James Hill – Beach Grove Golf & CC

Curtis Hughes – Beach Grove Golf & CC

Basketball

Isiah Osborne – Windsor Lancers

Alex Campbell – Windsor Lancers

Isaiah Familia – Holy Names Catholic H.S.

Horseman Award

Ron Adams

Don Leschied

Bob McIntosh

Major Award Nominees for the 12^th Annual WESPY Awards

Coach of the Year

Steve Vagnini – St. Clair College Women’s Soccer

Brett Lumley – Windsor Lancers Track & Field

Harry Lumley – Herman S.S. Football

Female Athlete of the Year

Hannah Drkulec – St. Anne Catholic H.S.

Layne Van Buskirk – Holy Names Catholic H.S.

Krystin Lawrence – Windsor Lancers

Male Athlete of the Year

Kelly Branton – Weightlifting

Logan Holmes – Windsor Clippers Lacrosse

Lionel Sanders – Tri – athlete / Ironman Competitor

Ken Dryden Executive of the YearAward

Dan DeMarco – Jamieson Golf Tour

Carole Kuli – South Windsor Warriors Basketball Club

Bernie Diesbourg – South County Bandits Volleyball Club

Mickey Renaud Captain’s Award

Logan Holmes – Windsor Clippers Lacrosse

Andrew Papadopoulos – Kennedy Collegiate / Riverside Rage

Shannon Kennedy – St. Clair College

Team of the Year

Herman Green Griffins Football

Windsor Lancers Track & Field Men

Tecumseh Thunder Srs. Baseball Team

Knobby Knudsen Female Volunteer of the Year

TBA

Knobby Knudsen Male Volunteer of the Year

TBA

McTague Law Firm Award for Courage and Determination

TBA

John DeNapoli Sports Community Service Award

Paul Carter

Liuna 625 Female Legacy Award

Joan Jakubo

Unifor Local 444 & 2458 Male Legacy Award

Leo Paul Bracken

Story, photos and video by Joe McParland – Biz X magazine

Joe McParland

After a 26 year career as a manager with the Canada Border Services Agency in Windsor, Joe retired in 2015. During his working years he was a volunteer with YourTV (TV COGECO) from 2003 to 2015 as an on air media personality covering the City of Windsor and Essex County Council meetings. Now, he still keeps busy as a registered Ontario Marriage Officiant and has married more than 1,600 couples, and is owner of Creative Marriage Celebrations. He is also in his 10th season playing the role of the Fighting Parson in Windsor's award winning and highly acclaimed Rum Runners Tour presented by Encore Productions. And Joe has been sharing his talents and numerous life experiences with Biz X for many years as our Cup of Joe columnist plus he always pitches in to help us with any other “Joe – Jobs” we can find for him!

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WESPY Awards Nominations 2017

Joe McParland

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