Ambrose Lions 2021-22 Season and Awards Gala Recap
Hey there Lions fans another year has come and gone so we wanter to provide you all with a quick recap of the 2021-22 seasons for each of our Ambrose Lions sports teams. We will also be going over the award winners from each sport. This includes the most improved, most inspirational and most valuable players. The most improved award goes to a player who has improved the most on the team whether on, or off the court and field of play. The most inspirational player goes to someone who exemplifies commitment, is an overcomer of adversity, has coachability, a positive and influential attitude, great work ethic, and a heart and embodiment of our vision. The most valuable player is a player who is high level athletically and is instrumental to the teams performance. They represent Ambrose and Christ with positive leadership. We will also end with the Ambrose Lions athletics major award winners.
Thank you all for coming out to games and supporting our athletes whenever AHS guidelines allowed for it, Home games in the Lion's Den weren't the same without you. Without further ado, here is the 2021-22 season recap!
Men's Basketball
The Ambrose Lions' Men's Basketball team had a 6-10 record in the 2021-22 season. They finished the season hot with 4 wins in their final 6 games before being eliminated from the playoffs by St. Mary's. Ambrose made their presence known through their excellent offensive game but struggled a little on the defensive side.
They scored more points than all but 5 teams in the ACAC and played unselfishly, leading the ACAC in assists per game with 19.5. They were also 5th in the ACAC in steals per game with 9.1.
Linden Jackson and Isaac Gray were both members of the 2nd team All-Conference in the ACAC's South Conference. Congratulations to them for their success this season and for helping to lead this team on and off the court.
Linden Jackson was 2nd in the ACAC in scoring with an incredible 379 points in 16 games. He was also 6th in assists leaguewide and 2nd in steals. Isaac Gray was 10th in the ACAC for 3-point percentage, making 38 three's on 97 attempts (39.2%). Gray was also 5th in the ACAC for Points-per-game with an average of 22.4 points.
The Lions look ahead to another season next Fall where they hope to build on this season's excellent offense and add even more to the defensive side of their game.
AWARD WINNERS:
Most Improved Player: Hudson Wiebe
Most Inspirational Player: Linden Jackson
Most Valuable Player: Isaac Gray
Women's Basketball
The Ambrose Lions' Women's Basketball team finished the 2021-22 season with a 4-12 record, just 2 wins shy of earning a playoff spot. Defense was one of the team's greatest strengths this year as they earned the 6th most steals-per-game (11.6 steals) and 7th most blocks-per-game (2.4 blocks) in the ACAC. Unselfish offense was another one of their strengths as they earned the 4th most assists-per-game in the ACAC with 14.9.
Nya Gach was chosen as a member of the 2nd team All-Conference for the ACAC's South Conference on account of the excellent rim-protection that she gives the Lions. Gach had 19 blocks this season, good enough for 4th in the ACAC, as well as 177 points which was the 23rd most in the ACAC.
The Lions now look forward to a new season in the Fall with the hopes of earning a playoff spot in the ACAC's South Conference.
AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved Player: Trinity Bouman
Most Inspirational Player: Brianna Thera
Most Valuable Player: Makenna Graham
Women's Volleyball 
The Ambrose Lions' Women's Volleyball team finished their 2021-22 season with an 8-8 record which put them at 3rd in the ACAC's South Conference. This record gave the women's team the earned advantage of hosting their round 1 playoff game in the den, against Olds College. The lady Lions soared over the Broncos in an easy 3-0 finish which earned them a trip to Briercrest the following Sunday for round 2. The lions fought hard in Caronport, Saskatchewan and some lion's fans even made the long trek out to Saskatchewan to support the family! However, their season ended sooner than they hoped as they lost to Briercrest College in four sets, during the ACAC playoffs.
They had a solid 5-3 record in Home games in the Lions' Den and they had the 3rd highest total of blocks in the ACAC with 119.
One of the brightest spots this season for the Lions was the play of rookie setter Lexi Herrod who was selected as the Rookie of the Year in the South Conference. Herrod was 9th in the ACAC with 389 assists and had an excellent start to her Lions career.
Lions Senior Madeline Williscroft was another player who had a great season, earning 181 kills, the 6th most in the ACAC.
Regardless of the unfortunate finish, this was a great season for the Lions and with a young and talented team, they will hope to replicate and improve on it next year.
AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved Player: Christina Bett
Most Inspirational Player: Gracee Fehr
Most Valuable Player: Madeline Williscroft
Men's Volleyball
The Ambrose Lions' Men's Volleyball team ended their 2021-22 season with a 2-14 record which was enough to put them in a tie for 6th place in the South conference. Unfortunately, the team they were tied with, Medicine Hat College, held the tiebreaker meaning that Medicine Hat made the playoffs while the Lions were on the outside looking in.
The team earned 439 assists in total this season, the 7th most in the ACAC. They also had the 6th most Kills-per-set with 10.16 kills-per-set. The errors are what did them in as they had the 2nd most errors in the ACAC with 206.
The assist and kill numbers are really great signs of the talent level this team has and if they are able to better manage their errors next season, they could be a really competitive squad.
Setter Emmitt Juul-Hansen had an excellent season for the Lions earning 9.16 assists per set, good enough for 4th in the ACAC.
The Lions will look to move past their unfortunate tiebreaker loss this season and work toward an even better finish next season where they will hope to make the playoffs.
AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved Player: Geroge Zapach
Most Inspirational Player: Carter McLenahan
Most Valuable Player: Emmitt Juul-Hansen
Men's Soccer
The Ambrose Lions' Men's Soccer Team finished their season at 6th place in the ACAC's South Conference but were unfortunately eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Lethbridge Kodiaks.
The Men's Futsal Team began their ACAC playoff qualifications off strong with a 7-4 victory over Medicine Hat College, however they dropped their next 3 games and narrowly missed out on a playoff spot.
The Men's team will be looking for better results in both Soccer this Summer/Fall and in Futsal next Winter semester. We hope you'll join us in cheering them on when their season starts back up in August!
AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved Player: Andrew Kobe
Most Inspirational Player: Joel Navarrete
Most Valuable Player: Nathan Yeung
Women's Soccer
The Ambrose Lions' Women's Soccer Team finished 7th in the ACAC's South Conference in the 2021-22 season, narrowly missing the final playoff spot in their conference.
The Women's Futsal team had a tough time in the ACAC playoff qualifications losing each of their 4 qualifying matches, though they did manage to score 2 goals in each of the 4 games.
The Lions will hope that brighter days are ahead as they look to qualify for the playoffs in both Soccer and Futsal next season.
AWARD WINNERS
Most Improved Player: Shifra Hetherington
Most Inspirational Player: Makenna Mendes
Most Valuable Player: Olivia Awe
MAJOR AWARDS & ACADEMIC AWARDS
Minor Officials of the year: Maria Quapp, Kristina Quapp and Trinity MacElwain
Ambrose Athletics Academic Acheivement award. (Any athlete who has received a 3.5 GPA or higher and is in 9 credits or more) in their academice program at Ambrose
Carter McLenahan, McKenna Harkness, Elise Wagner, Brooklyn Armstrong, Brandi Hanna (4.0), Lexi Herrod, Bethany Johnson, Gracee Fehr, Nova VanSoest, Paige Richardson, Makenna Graham (4.0), Danielle Trisevic, Jackson Earle, Isaac Amsing, Hudson Wiebe, Noah Bears, Andrew Kobe, Nathan Yeung, Matthew Wideman, Joel Navarrete, Daniel Welsh, Joshua Cymbaluk, Janessa Parker, Olivia Awe, Makenna Mendes, Shifra Hetherington, Tristin Kondo (4.0), Carley Polinelli, Sarah Fawcett, Skye Schott, Alexandra Storoshenko.
The Ambrose academice team of the year is award to the team with the highest avergae GPA. Currently the Women's Soccer team is in the lead and we look forward to the summer to find out the over all winner!
This year we introduced a new award. The Ambrose Servant Hearted Lion of the Year award. This award, about service and community involvement, goes to the student athlete or team, who displayed the characteristics of service, generosity, care, and selflessness towards their teammates, Lions Athletics, Ambrose University, and the World. Their servant hearted leadership will show up in their attitude, actions, and allocation of their time. This year it was awarded to Nathan Yeung of Men's Soccer.
Athletes of the year
Our Athlete of the Year Award is given to a male and female who stands out above the rest amongst all our teams in the difference they make to their team and in how they bring value through their skill and leadership.
Female Athlete of the year Award Winner
This year's Female Athlete of the Year is someone passionate, committed, and full of love for the game and her teammates. She is a dominant force in the ACAC, perhaps one of the best players in the league in her position. She captained and led her team this year remarkably well and helped cultivate a culture of unity, demand, joy, and love for one another. She led her very young team to a 3rd place finish in the very competitive ACAC South division, and to a 3-0 sweep in the first round of playoffs. She is looked up to and adored by her teammates, and she is graduating this year with a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioural Science. The 2021-22 Ambrose Lions Female Athlete of the Year is Maddy Williscroft.
Male Athlete of the Year Award Winner
This year's Male Athlete of the Year is an all-round player. He leads his team on the defensive and offensive side of the ball. He is one of the hardest workers on his team, and he has earned the trust and respect of his coaches and teammates through his commitment and dedication, humility, and growth mindset. He has also earned the respect and admiration of the ACAC, as he has been awarded another ACAC All-Conference Award this year. He helped his team climb back into the playoffs this year after a tougher start, and I know will be looking to take care of unfinished business next year when he comes back for his 5th year and to work towards the finish of his Psychology Degree. This year's Male Athlete of the Year is Isaac Gray.
Mel Sylvester Christian Leadership Award Winner
Our Mel Sylvester Christian Leadership Award Winner is perhaps our most prestigious award alongside our Athlete of the Year Award. It goes to a male and female who stands out in the way that they lead amongst their team and shine in their character in their attitude, work ethic, and the fruit of their lives.
Female Mel Sylvester Christian Leadership Award Winner
This year's Female Mel Sylvester award goes to a player who has dived right in to being a Lions student athlete. She is involved, she is respected, she is innovative with new ideas, she cares about the things she commits to, she is willing to share of her time and talent, she is 'all in' with her team, she wants to make things better and be a part of the solution, she is joyful and trustworthy. The Ambrose Lions are blessed to have her as part of our family, and as a part of our Student Athlete Leadership Team as well. This young lady coaches and disciple's youth as well, and is consistently serving, encouraging, and being a positive presence to those around her. She is strong in her faith, spreads the light and love of Christ, and does so with humility and respect. She has found a way to do all of the above while also maintaining a very strong GPA and flourishing in the classroom this year as well in the very demanding Education program. Let's give a big round of applause to this year's Female Mel Sylvester Leadership award winner, Makenna Mendes!
Male Mel Sylvester Christian Leadership Award Winner
This year's winner has been a distinguished 'character leader' on his team over the last few years, and is a person that his team has heavily relied upon. This young man does not say much, but when he does speak up, people listen. He is wise beyond his years, and although soft spoken, has a competitive fire in his belly. He has improved immensely in his career as a Lion through his discipline and hard work to becoming one of the most skilled, fast, and valuable players on his team. He has also excelled in the classroom in the very demanding Bachelor of Science in Biology program. He leads by example, is a man of character and faith, and our Lions family will miss him next year as he graduates this spring. Please join me in congratulating our Male 2021-22 Mel Sylvester Christian Leadership Award winner, Joel Navarrete.
Thanks to all the Lions fans out there for cheering on all our teams through another great season! Make sure you check out this site as well as our social media pages throughout the summer to learn about new player signings, sports camps, upcoming games and more!
Have a great summer Lions fans!