Alliyah Rowe named U SPORTS women’s soccer player of the year

Alliyah Rowe, a fifth-year forward from Cape Breton University, was named the U SPORTS player of the year in women’s soccer, Wednesday night. Rowe, who is from Kitchener, Ont., becomes the second Caper to take the Chantal Navert Memorial Award, following Sarah Drake in 2002.

Other national award winners announced during the All-Canadian Banquet held in Halifax were Montréal defender Blessing Mayi Kith, who was named rookie of the year; Anna Oliver of Saskatchewan, who won the Student-Athlete Community Service Award; and UBC head coach Jesse Symons, who was honoured by his peers as the Fox40 coach of the year.

The 2024 U SPORTS championship gets underway Thursday at Wickwire Field on the campus of Dalhousie University and culminates Sunday with the national championship game at 3 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. local time). All 11 games from the eight-team tournament will be webcast live on CBC digital platforms in English and Radio-Canada and ICITou.tv digital platforms in French. 

Official championship website 

CHANTAL NAVERT MEMORIAL AWARD (player of the year): Ally Rowe, Cape Breton

Ally Rowe, a fifth-year striker from Kitchener, Ontario, led the Capers to an undefeated campaign and the program’s 13th conference championship banner, which made CBU the all-time leader in AUS women’s soccer crowns. Rowe, who topped the AUS and U SPORTS in goals (21) and points (23), captured her third consecutive conference MVP award and fifth first-team all-star nod. She also garnered her fourth first-team All-Canadian nod this season.  

Rowe, a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies, Sport and Physical Activity Leadership student, who shattered the single game (6), single season (25) and all-time scoring marks for AUS women’s soccer last season, continued to leave her indelible mark on conference history in 2024.

Rowe, a 5 time Academic All-Canadian, has suited up in the highly competitive League 1 Ontario in her home province and has the desire to compete professionally in the future.

Other nominees:

RSEQ: Chloé Renaud (McGill)

OUA: Cassandra Provost (Ottawa)

CW: Ruby Nicholas (Victoria)

 
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Blessing Mayi Kith, Montréal

Blessing Mayi Kith, a defender with the Montréal Carabins began playing soccer at four years old. Before joining the Carabins, she was a member of the CÉGEP FX-Garneau Élans in her hometown of Quebec City. With the Élans, Mayi Kith was named a first-team college soccer all-star in 2019-2020 and 2022-23, as well as a provincial championship all-star both years. She also was named a First Team CCAA All-Star in 2022-2023.

Mayi Kith, who is studying Arts & Sciences, had one goal and seven shots in 13 games for the Carabins this season. She has represented Québec at the U-14 and U-16 levels and plays club soccer for Royal Beauport in the Quebec City region. 

Other nominees:

AUS: Evana Eyubeh, UNB

OUA: Hannah Neville, Nipissing

CW: Olivia Gomez, UBC

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Anna Oliver, Saskatchewan

Anna Oliver, a fourth-year arts & science student on the University of Saskatchewan Huskie women's soccer team became the first member of the program to be honoured with as a U SPORTS major award winner, taking home the national Student-Athlete Community Service award. A four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, Oliver is a model student-athlete both on and off the pitch. 

On the pitch Oliver is a Canada West All-Star, Huskie Defensive Player of the Year, and has appeared in 58 career games, starting 57.

Throughout her time at the University of Saskatchewan, Oliver has been a member of the Huskie Athletic Council, most recently serving as the vice president of community engagement in addition to serving as the community outreach coordintor for the Huskie Women's soccer. A product of Saskatoon, she is also involved with the Huskie homeroom, a program through which Huskie Athletes attend Saskatoon Community Schools to facilitate physical activity program.

She has also volunteered at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Radiothon, the USask Indigenous Student Experience Day, the Ronald McDonald House Charities Santa Claus Parade, the Blue Cross Light Walk at the Enchanted Forest, for the Crohn's and Colitis Canada, the Saskatoon Public School Foundation, the YWCA Toiletry Drive, and the Ronald McDonald House Easter Celebration.

She is also an active member in youth soccer, volunteering at the Special Olympics Soccer, the Motionball Marathon of Sport, and as a coach for the Lakewood Soccer Association.

 Other nominees:

AUS: Claire Langille, Memorial

RSEQ: Karina Fortier, Sherbrooke

OUA: Priyanka Chakravarti, Waterloo

FOX40 COACH OF THE YEAR: Jesse Symons, UBC

Under the guidance of Jesse Symons, the UBC Thunderbirds became the first women’s soccer team in Canada West history to finish the regular season a perfect 14-0. Earning three straight clean sheet playoff wins, Symons led the Thunderbirds to the team’s 17^thconference banner after a 3-0 victory over Victoria in Saturday’s Canada West Final.

Currently in his ninth season with the T-Birds, Symons’ has won two straight conference Coach of the Year awards. Symons has led UBC to a dominant run in recent years with the Thunderbirds losing just two combined games over the last three Canada West regular seasons. The Thunderbirds also set a new conference record in 2024 for goals against average, conceding just allowing just four goals in Canada West play. 

Symons and the Thunderbirds capped off 2023 with the program’s eighth U SPORTS National Championship title, the second under his tutelage having also won gold in 2019. Symons has amassed a 82-13-15 regular season record and enters the 2024 national tournament with an 20-5 conference playoff record.  In addition to his two U SPORTS banners, Symons has led UBC to three Canada West Championships in 2016, 2022 and 2024 and boasts an 11-4 record at the national championship tournament.

Other nominees:

AUS: Jonathan Crossland, UNB

RSEQ: Tony Perrier, Sherbrooke

OUA : Steve Johnson, Ottawa.

2024 U SPORTS WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS           

First Team All-Canadians

Second Team All-Canadians

All-Rookie Team

(Teams listed in alphabetical order by position. Teams are chosen without regard to position.)
(The All-Rookie team contains 12 players)