Soccer star Kyle Yearwood and goaltending dynamo Abby Clarke were honoured as the Male and Female Athletes of the Year during St. Thomas University’s annual athletics banquet Wednesday night.
Yearwood, a 3rd year center-midfield from Barbados was also named the men’s soccer MVP earlier in the evening, while Clarke took home women’s hockey MVP and the AUS James Bayer Scholarship Award. The Bayer Award is given to an AUS athlete who demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship.
Yearwood had a phenomenal season for men’s soccer, notching five goals while maintaining his role as a shut down defender. He was named a 1st Team ACAA All-Star and 2nd Team CCAA All-Canadian while leading the Tommies to their first trip to CCAA Nationals since 2000.
“What makes Kyle unique, and a great teammate, is despite all of the accolades he received this year he never seeks the spotlight and knows more than anyone that it is because of the success the team that the spotlight is being shone on him now,” said head coach JR Morrison about his player.
Clarke was an absolute force through the regular season and stepped her game up another notch during the AUS playoffs, leading to the Tommies first AUS Championship in women’s hockey history. The 5th year goalie from Springdale, NL was in the top two in every major goaltending statistic during the regular season, and was the driving force in the playoffs, as she was named AUS Playoff MVP.
“It’s a tremendous honour to receive the award,” said Clarke. “To be recognized by your school in such a way is always exciting. To receive it at the end of my five years here at STU was almost the cherry on top. But of course, it could not have been possible without the girls, past teammates, the coaching staff and Tommies Nation. It’s a testament to all the support that they have given me over the years and I’m very grateful for them all.”