Grassick, Petrone named Canada West Athletes of the Year

May 15, 2025 - A pair of Canada West basketball stars have received the conference's top athletic honour, as Saskatchewan's Gage Grassick and Calgary's Nate Petrone have been crowned 2024-25 Canada West Athletes of the Year.

The recognition adds to a season already filled with many accolades for the two standout guards. Grassick and Petrone were instrumental in leading their respective teams to Canada West titles, with both student-athletes earning Canada West Player of the Year honours. Their excellence was also recognized on the national stage, with both players earning U SPORTS Player of the Year awards. Grassick capped her season by leading the Huskies to a national championship, while Petrone and the Dinos finished with a national silver medal.

Grassick and Petrone will move forward as the Canada West nominees for the prestigious Lois and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athletes of the Year Awards, which honour the nation's top male and female student-athletes. U SPORTS will announce the winners on June 2.

CW FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Gage Grassick

After a season for the ages, Grassick has cemented her legacy as an all-time Huskie legend. The fourth-year guard from Prince Albert, Sask. rewrote the program record books while leading Saskatchewan to both Canada West and U SPORTS championship titles.

Grassick became just the third Saskatchewan student-athlete to win the Nan Copp Trophy as the nation's top player. She also earned Canada West Player of the Year honours and was named a First Team All-Star and All-Canadian. Her regular season was exceptional, setting program records for single-season assists and triple-doubles, while also leading the nation in both 3-point field goals made and 3-point shooting percentage.

When the lights were brightest, Grassick elevated her game. She delivered a jaw-dropping 31-point performance in the Canada West final against UBC, adding seven assists and two steals to help the Huskies claim their 10th conference title.

At the U SPORTS Final 8, she averaged 20.7 points per game and secured Tournament MVP honours with a 35-point outburst in the national championship final—leading Saskatchewan to its third national title with a commanding 85–66 win over defending champion Carleton.

Capping her season, Grassick was also awarded USask's Mary Ethel Cartwright Trophy as the Most Outstanding Female Athlete.

CW MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Nate Petrone

There was no more dominant offensive force in U SPORTS men’s basketball this season than Calgary guard Nate Petrone, who delivered a year for the ages while leading the Dinos to their eighth Canada West championship—and first since 2019.

The hometown star led U SPORTS in total points and topped Canada West with 24.2 points per game, all while shooting a remarkable 56.8 percent from the field—an exceptional feat for a guard.

Petrone elevated his play even further in the postseason. In the Canada West semifinals, he posted 23 points and nine rebounds to help the Dinos take down three-time defending champion Victoria. He followed that with a historic 38-point outburst on 15-of-21 shooting in the conference final against UBC, propelling Calgary to the title.

His accolades reflect his standout season. Petrone was named Canada West Player of the Year and earned the U SPORTS Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as the nation’s top men’s basketball player. At the U SPORTS Final 8, he continued his stellar form, scoring 26 points in a quarterfinal win over Queen’s, followed by a near triple-double—30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists—in a semifinal victory over UPEI. The Dinos would eventually settle for silver after falling in a hard fought final against Victoria.

Petrone capped off his historic season by being named a recipient of Calgary’s Dr. Dennis Kadatz Athlete of the Year award.