University of Saskatchewan basketball player Gage Grassick and Wilfrid Laurier University quarterback Taylor Elgersma have been named the 2024-25 U Sports Athletes of the Year.
U Sports announced the winners of the Lois and Doug Mitchell Award at an awards program Monday.
Grassick, from Prince Albert, Sask., won the Lois Mitchell award after she led the Huskies to a national title.
She averaged 20.7 points per game and won MVP honours at the U Sports Final 8 tournament, scoring 35 points in Saskatchewan’s 85-66 win over defending champion Carleton in the final.
Elgersma, from Waterloo, Ont., led the Doug Mitchell Award after he led U Sports in passing yards (3,554), passing yards per game (323.1), and passing touchdowns (28) this season.
He led Laurier to the Vanier Cup final, winning MVP at the Yates Cup and offensive MVP of the Uteck Bowl conference championship along the way.
The other female sport finalists were Cape Breton soccer player Alliyah Rowe of Kitchener, Ont.; Laval runner Marie-Frédérique Poulin of La Pocatière, Que.; and Western runner Favour Okpali of Toronto.
The other male nominees were St. Francis Xavier basketball player DJ Jackson of Mississauga, Ont.; Laval runner Philippe Morneau-Cartier of Quebec City and Calgary basketball player Nate Petrone.
“We are so proud of the eight nominees this year. They are exceptional student-athletes and citizens,” Lois Mitchell, chair of the Canadian Athletic Foundation Board of Trustees, said in a statement.
“Gage and Taylor had outstanding seasons, demonstrating their adaptability to any condition they have faced on the field of competition and in the classroom. They are excellent recipients of the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards.”
Elgersma was drafted 18th overall in the CFL draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and signed with the Green Bay Packers of the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
He is attempting to crack the Green Bay Packers’ lineup, knowing the history of Canadian pivots trying to secure jobs in the U.S.
“The way I’m going to do it, I’m hoping, is to focus on developing, focus on learning from these coaches, and getting better every single day,” Elgersma said following Monday’s awards ceremony.
“I want to put myself in position to have a long career not only here (in Green Bay) or on the other side of the border, or wherever I end up landing. Right now I’m signed in Green Bay and my goal is to make this team and stick around here as long as I possibly can. I’m trying to be very process-oriented right now.”
Elgersma said his work ethic and determination have helped him succeed at all levels to be able to open the doors of even bigger opportunities.
“So it’s back to working hard and trying to become a better version of myself.”
He said he’d like to model his game after L.A. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“I love the way he plays with an edge and toughness, and he leads his guys tremendously. He also throws the ball at an extremely high level. Those are all qualities I’d love to have and work toward.”
Grassick is hoping to one day pursue a career in the WNBA “even if it’s just on a practice roster” and said playing for Canada at the Olympics would be a “real dream come true.”
She believes that women’s sport and women’s basketball are making great gains, and removing stigmas along the way.
“You can be a woman and a great athlete, and you can be from Canada and play pro basketball with the best of them. All it takes is heart and hard work. The women’s game, thanks to the WNBA and U Sports is getting better all the time, and much more popular. Canada West, in particular, is loaded with talent.”
Grassick — also awarded with USask’s Mary Ethel Cartwright Trophy as most outstanding female athlete — will spend one more year at the U of S honing her hoop skills and completing her pharmacy courses and then focus on becoming a valuable point guard for a top-calibre team.
