It has been a great year for Carleton at the varsity level. From the Ravens’ Nest and the Ice House to the pool and Keith Harris Stadium, fans have been treated to a number of outstanding performances from their teams this season.
But who has been the best performer of all? To find out, the Charlatan’s sports writers voted on Carleton’s top 10 athletes of the 2011-2012 year.
10. Kendall MacLeod (Basketball)
When you’re described as the “heart and soul” of the team, you must be doing something right. That’s exactly how women’s basketball coach Taffe Charles labelled MacLeod at the end of this season.
The Brockville, Ont. native finished the season averaging an impressive 11.3 points per game, good enough for second on the team. She was also a force on the glass, pulling down a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game.
The 5’9” forward also logged more action than any of her teammates this season, playing 29.4 minutes per game. Much of that was spent battling in the paint against significantly larger opponents.
But the most telling sign of her importance to the squad came when she wasn’t on the court.
MacLeod missed the Ravens’ final two playoff games due to a second degree MCL tear she suffered in the opening round against the University of Toronto.
She had started all 38 games for the Ravens until that point.
Her presence was sorely missed, as the women lost both contests, falling to the University of Windsor Lancers and Brock Badgers, respectively. Those results ended the Ravens hope of reaching the national championship tournament.
MacLeod will be returning for her fifth and final season next fall, and will be looking to bounce back from injury and help the team get back to the big dance.
9. Kendra Murray (Nordic skiing)
On any team, in any sport, rookies are often expected to pay their dues and spend time in the shadow of the more seasoned veterans.
Somebody forgot to give that message to Murray.
In just her first year, Murray has been the standout performer on a very strong women’s ski team.
In late February, she captured three medals at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships in Sudbury, Ont., including a bronze in both the five-kilometre classic race and the 10-kilometre freestyle. For her efforts, the native of Whitehorse, Yukon, was named to the championship all-star team.
Instead of resting on her laurels, Murray continued her strong season last week at the Canadian Colleges and Universities Nordic Championships (CCUNC) in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que.
Along with third-year teammate Ingrid Hagberg, Murray hit the podium once again, capturing another bronze medal in the team sprint event.
In addition, she placed fifth in the overall aggregate standings — the highest finish of any Ravens woman this year. As a result, Murray claimed a spot on the CCUNC all-Canadian team.
Look for Murray to only get better in the coming years.
8. Cole Hobin (Basketball)
Much is said and written about the daunting defence of the men’s basketball team.
Under head coach Dave Smart, the Ravens have consistently been the best defensive team in the country, and this year was no different. Carleton led the CIS by allowing only 56.6 points per game, en route to a record-tying eighth national championship.
But that would not be the case without the presence of Hobin.
The Ashton, Ont. native was once again the anchor of the Ravens’ defence — an impressive feat considering he spends much of his time guarding opposing swingmen who tend to play the majority of the game away from the paint.
Hobin finished the regular season tied for the team lead in both steals (1.2 per game) and blocks (0.7 per game), while often being tasked with guarding the opposition’s most dangerous offensive players.
His contributions certainly didn’t go unnoticed.
The 6’6” guard was named the OUA East defensive player of the year for the third consecutive season, capping off a stellar five-year career as a Raven.
But Hobin’s most impressive performance came when it mattered most, during the team’s contest with the University of Fraser Valley Cascades in the CIS semifinal.
In a game that saw the underdog Cascades keep things interesting in the opening half, he stepped up with five steals before Carleton got into a rhythm offensively and eventually pulled away.
During his time in a Ravens uniform, Hobin definitely proved the old adage that defence wins championships.
7. Ognjen Gutovic (Water polo)
When you hear the words “Carleton” and “powerhouse” in the same sentence, you would be forgiven for immediately turning your attention to the men’s basketball team.
But the men’s water polo team is doing its best to join that conversation, and Gutovic is one of the main reasons why.
The native of Cacak, Serbia was a force throughout the season for head coach Zoltan Csepregi, but he brought his game to another level during the OUA championship tournament, which Carleton hosted.
Gutovic was the leading scorer for the Ravens at the tournament, with a dominating seven-goal performance in the opening round robin game.
But he wasn’t done there.
Gutovic followed that with three goals in the gold medal contest against the defending champions from the University of Toronto, leading his team to a 9-8 victory. As a result, he was named to the tournament all-star team.
All of that, and Gutovic is just a rookie. He will have at least three more years to torment opposing teams, meaning he could be a fixture of this list for the foreseeable future.
6. Joey Kewin (Soccer)
For many years, the men’s soccer team has been built on the back of a solid back-four, complemented by an all-star calibre goalkeeper. The likes of former captain Nicholas Persichino and veteran shot-stopper Karl Wasslen come to mind.
But led by Kewin, the emphasis was on the other end of the pitch for the Ravens this year. Carleton finished the year with 41 goals scored, tying them for second in the nation.
Kewin finished fourth on the team scoring chart with five goals, but his contributions to the squad cannot be measured by goals alone.
Aside from his goal-scoring exploits, the native of London, Ont. was also tasked with creating scoring chances for his teammates, using his skill and speed out wide to create holes in the opposition’s defence.
Much of Carleton’s attacking output came as a result of Kewin’s individual skill on the right wing. Whether he was cutting in onto his favoured left-foot for a strike at goal, or beating his marker to get a dangerous cross into the box, Kewin was the major concern for opposing coaches.
For his efforts, Kewin was recognized by both the OUA and CIS as one of the outstanding players in the nation. The tricky winger was named to the OUA first all-star team at the end of the regular season, before being honoured by the CIS with a spot on the second all-Canadian team shortly after.
Stay tuned for our top five athletes of the year, which will be revealed next week.
