OAKVILLE, Ont. - Algonquin College's Leah Pedis (Cobourg) is the 2018 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. She received the award in a ceremony held in Oakville, Ont., on Friday evening.

The second-year back tied for the Algonquin team lead in points with 55 points on seven tries and 10 converts in a dozen matches. Pedis was tied for fifth in overall OCAA scoring. She is also an OCAA All-Star.

Leah's sister Saige Pedis (Cobourg) is the OCAA Rookie of the Year. The forward/back was the co-leader with Leah in team points with 55 on 11 tries in a dozen matches. Saige is also the East Division Rookie of the Year.

Algonquin's Dan Gauthier is the OCAA Coach of the Year. Gauthier led the Thunder to their best-ever record in women's rugby sevens, running the table to a 12-0 record and East Division championship. The Thunder allowed a league-low 27 points in a dozen matches.

Humber's Cheyenne De Luca (Toronto) was honoured as the OCAA Scoring Champion. The fourth-year wing scored 111 points on 21 tries and three converts in 14 matches. De Luca is also an OCAA All-Star.

De Luca's teammate Sarah Bothen (Grimsby) is the OCAA West Division Rookie of the Year. The back played a key role in helping Humber to a 13-1 record and a West Division championship.

Lori Artinger of Conestoga is the OCAA West Division Coach of the Year.

Each team nominates two OCAA All-Stars. This year's OCAA All-Stars include Algonquin's Taylor Campbell (Summerside, P.E.I.) and Leah Pedis; Conestoga's Leah Meklensek (Kitchener) and Katelyn Vongunten (Holland Landing); Durham's Brianne Hogarth (Courtice) and Taylor Lantaigne (Ashburn); Fleming's Kasey Hislop (Campbellford) and Cassandra Stark (Madoc); Humber's Christina Branch (Oshawa) and De Luca; Loyalist's Rachelle Malette (Belleville) and Bailey Meraw (Belleville); St. Lawrence's Evelyn Le Blancq (Kingston) and Lizzie Thomson (Belleville), Seneca's Julia Fantin (Collingwood) and Jessica Watt (Keswick); and Sheridan's Kirsten Archer (Orillia) and Taylor Jordan (Waterloo).

2018 OCAA WOMEN'S RUGBY SEVENS AWARDS

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens Player of the Year

Leah Pedis, Algonquin



OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens Rookie of the Year

Saige Pedis, Algonquin

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens Coach of the Year

Dan Gauthier, Algonquin

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens League Scoring Champion
Cheyenne De Luca, Humber

OCAA East Division League Champion
Algonquin Thunder

OCAA West Division League Champion
Humber Hawks

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens East Division Coach of the Year
Dan Gauthier, Algonquin

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens West Division Coach of the Year
Lori Artinger, Conestoga

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens East Division Rookie of the Year
Saige Pedis, Algonquin

OCAA Women's Rugby Sevens West Division Rookie of the Year

Sarah Bothen, Humber

OCAA League All-Stars
Taylor Campbell, Algonquin
Leah Pedis, Algonquin
Leah Meklensek, Conestoga
Katelyn Vongunten, Conestoga
Brianne Hogarth, Durham
Taylor Lantaigne, Durham
Kasey Hislop, Fleming
Cassandra Stark, Fleming
Christina Branch, Humber
Cheyenne De Luca, Humber
Rachelle Malette, Loyalist
Bailey Meraw, Loyalist
Evelyn Le Blancq, St. Lawrence
Lizzie Thomson, St. Lawrence
Julia Fantin, Seneca
Jessica Watt, Seneca
Kirsten Archer, Sheridan
Taylor Jordan, Sheridan

- OCAA -

ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is the recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to student-athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 27 members sponsoring 12 varsity sports.

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Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
Fax: 416-426-7308
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com