Five Lancers honoured with provincial awards in track and field

Ontario University Athletics named sprinter Nicole Sassine its outstanding female performer at the provincial track and field championship meet, one of five Lancers announced Tuesday as major award winners.

Sassine ran to four medals at the OUA tournament, including gold in the 300m and 4x200m relay, and silver in the 60m dash and 4x400m relay. The fourth-year human kinetics major earned 22.5 points for the Lancers, leading Windsor’s women to their third straight provincial title.

Matt Walters and Andrew Dandie are the most valuable male performers in track events and field events, respectively. Walters anchored the gold-medal winning 4x800m relay team and earned a pair of silver medals in the men’s 1500m and 3000m. Dandie took home gold in the long jump and silver in the high jump. Their combined 36.5 points helped the Lancer men secure their 21st OUA title in the past 22 years.

Sarah Swain was named female rookie of the year after earning a bronze medal in the 60m hurdles and finishing fifth in the women’s pole vault.

Head coach Dennis Fairall won his 18th Bob Vigars Award as men’s coach of the year.

The team now prepares for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship tournament, this weekend at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Other members of the Blue and Gold are also readying for a busy week on the road with national championship implications at stake.

The Lancer women’s basketball team, coming off a silver medal at the OUA Final Four, will travel back to Ottawa for the CIS regionals with a berth to the national championship tournament in Calgary on the line. Windsor will face off against Cape Breton on Friday night.

The men’s hockey team will travel to Quebec to face the UQTR Patriotes in a one-game playoff for a spot in the national championship tournament in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Puck drop is set for Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.

All these events will be webcast by SSN Canada.