Field Hockey: UBC's Sydney Le named Player of the Year

Oct. 19, 2024 - University of British Columbia forward Sydney Le has been named the conference's Field Hockey Player of the Year, a remarkable achievement coming in just her rookie season.

It isn't easy to be a game changer as a first year player, but Le's scoring prowess made an immediate impact for the T-Birds. Scoring just 34 minutes into her Canada West debut, Le continued to fill the net all season while displaying an offensive prowess rarely seen in a rookie. Her eight goals currently leads all conference scorers entering the final weekend of regular season play.

In addition to being named the conference's most outstanding player, she was also recognized with the conference's Rookie of the Year award.

Thunderbirds first year head coach Geoff Matthews was named the conference's Coach of the Year, while T-Birds goaltender Hannah Rumble claimed her third straight Goalkeeper of the Year award. ​

Calgary's Elliot Kellough received the Outstanding Contributor Award and will move forward as the conference's nominee for the U SPORTS Gail Wilson Award. Tyler Klenk was named Umpire of the Year for the second straight season.

The conference has also released its 2024 Field Hockey All-Stars, led by a list of five UBC Thunderbirds. The Victoria Vikes and Calgary Dinos each placed three players on the list.

The battle for the Canada West crown will come down to the final weekend of regular season play, with UBC hosting Victoria on Saturday and Sunday. Both teams sport 4-0-2 records entering the weekend, meaning the conference title will be on the line this weekend.

The Canada West regular season champion becomes the conference champion and will advance to the U SPORTS national championship, hosted by the OUA champion. Victoria is looking to push their championship streak to six straight seasons, while UBC is in pursuit of their first conference title since 2017.

2024 FIELD HOCKEY AWARD WINNERS

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR & PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sydney Le (UBC Thunderbirds)

First Year
​Forward
​Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C. ​
​Faculty: Kinesiology

Le burst onto the scene in her rookie year, leading the conference in goals (as of October 17th) as she immediately became a focal point of the UBC attack.

The teenage forward took no time to adapt to Canada West play, as she scored 34 minutes into her debut and later notched four goals in her first career home game. Twice named the Canada West Player of the Week, Le was a key force in powering the Thunderbirds to championship contention. A true poacher in front of goal, she consistently managed to get herself in the right place at the right time to find the back of the net.

Her coaches praised her elite finishing as well as her ability to set up her teammates for goal-scoring opportunities of their own, adding that she already plays like a senior player.

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR: Hannah Rumble (UBC Thunderbirds)

Fifth-year
​Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
​Faculty: Arts

For the third year in a row Rumble wins the award after serving as the cool and collected backstop to UBC’s strong defence. The fifth-year senior helped the Thunderbirds be in the fight for the Canada West title until the end of the season.

Highlights from her final year at UBC include helping her team record three consecutive shutouts to begin the season, and stopping three of five shootout attempts against the Vikes on Sept. 21. Her reliability and expert communication as the last line of defence was key for the Thunderbirds’ ability to play a possession-based style with an emphasis on playing their way out from the back.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTOR AWARD (GAIL WILSON AWARD NOMINEE): Elliot Kellough (Calgary Dinos)

Midfielder
​Second-year
​Hometown: Calgary, Alta.
​Faculty: Arts

Elliot Kellough has demonstrated exceptional leadership during her time as a Dino, showing a commitment to her school and team, as well as the development of youth field hockey in southern Alberta.

As the co-President of the University of Calgary’s Student Athlete Council, she has advocated for athlete concerns, driving positive change for student-athletes across the university. She is also heavily involved in coaching and growing the game. She helped to bring back a Western Canada High schools junior field hockey team this past season, and has had coaching roles with the U16 Field Hockey Alberta provincial team and Legacy Academy. She has also been an athlete coach and role model in the Dinos Academy athlete development program.

"As a captain on our team, Elliot has shown incredible leadership both on-and-off the field, inspiring and supporting her teammates, fully living into our team’s values, principles and culture of excellence and consistently contributing as an impactful player in our lineup." - Calgary Dinos Head Coach Jenn Beagan

COACH OF THE YEAR: Geoff Matthews (UBC Thunderbirds)

Matthews’ first season at the helm of the Thunderbirds was an unquestionable success, as he was able to quickly implement his coaching philosophies and guide the T-Birds to their best record in years.

The Cape Town native helped UBC earn their longest undefeated streak since 2019, and now receives his first Canada West Coach of the Year selection. He came to UBC as a fixture in the local field hockey scene, having served as the Technical Director of the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club and head coach for the Canadian U21 Men’s National Team.

UMPIRE OF THE YEAR: Tyler Klenk

Klenk is recognized as the conference's Umpire of the Year for the second straight season. The veteran official brings a wealth of experience as a member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH)'s Pro League Panel of Umpires, and is widely respected among both athletes and coaches alike.

2024 CW Field Hockey All-Stars