The 2019-20 nominees for the Saskatchewan Huskies’ Major 7 Awards feature athletes who are from Prince Albert and those who played their trade in the Gateway to the North.
Carlton Comprehensive graduate Karson Lehner and former Prince Albert Minto Taran Kozun are two of the finalists for the E. Kent Phillips Trophy for male athlete of the year.
Lehner was named Canada West and U Sports male track and field athlete of the year after he broke the Canada West 300m dash record that was set by former Olympian Cyprian Enweani in 1985.
He also won three medals at the U Sports championships last month in Edmonton, as he earned silver medals in the 300m dash and the 4x200m relay, in addition to a bronze medal result in the 60m dash.
He also won a silver medal at the national championships last month in Edmonton as part of the Huskies’ 4x200m metre relay team.
Kozun earned the U Sports goaltender and player of the year awards after a dazzling campaign for the Huskies men’s hockey program.
The Nipawin product posted a 17-3-2 record with a 1.87 goals against average, a .931 save percentage and five shutouts, in addition to scoring a goal against the Calgary Dinos in January.
Wrestler Hunter Lee and football defensive back Nelson Lokombo are the other finalists for the award.
Meanwhile, Carlton graduate Daulton Sinoski is one of three finalists for the Rusty McDonald Trophy that goes to the top all-around male athlete.
Sinoski was named to the Canada West men’s volleyball second team all-star squad this year and was also a recipient of the Order of Gabriel Dumont Bronze Medal.
The other two nominees for the award are football defensive lineman Evan Machibroda and soccer midfielder Jacob Powell.
Prince Albert Northern Bears alumni Kate Ball is a finalist for the Patricia Lawson Award for female rookie of the year.
Ball, who is from Saskatoon, had five points in 28 games in her first for the Huskies’ women’s hockey team.
Cross country runner Kaitlyn Harrison and soccer midfielder Halle Krynowsky are the other finalists for the award.
In other Huskies news, Prince Albert product and former Bears netminder Jessica Vance received the Shannon Miller most valuable player award for the female hockey team on Thursday.
Vance put together a 12-4-3 record this season with a 1.44 goals against average, a .930 save percentage and five shutouts.
