At the 55th annual Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon recognized this year’s athlete of the year and Bill Hunter Team of the Year award winner. Saskatoon media, in conjunction with the Kinsmen Club, selected Texas Stars forward Derek Hulak as this year’s athlete of the year. Hulak posted 48 points (13 goals, 35 assists) in 28 games during his final campaign with the U of S Huskies in 2013-14 and led the Huskies to the 2014 University Cup Final before losing to the University of Alberta. Despite the loss, Hulak concluded the season as a CIS First-Team All-Star and University Cup Tournament MVP. Won Canada West MVP, finalist for BLG award, U of S male athlete of the year, Won Calder Cup with Texas has 8 points in 21 games this year. Runners up for the award were Saskatoon Hilltops running back Wayndel Lewis who was named the CJFL offensive player of the year after leading the PFC in rushing with 1,063 yards and 9 touchdowns. UNLV offensive lineman Brett Boyko was the other runner up he is the top ranked prospect for the CFL draft recently finished his senior season with the NCAA’s UNLV Rebels and was invited to the NFL combine where some experts have him picked as a mid round selection for the NFL draft.
This year’s Bill Hunter Team of the Year winner is the University of Saskatchewan men’s soccer team who won the first Canada West men’s soccer championship in the school’s history and compiled an 8-5-2 record before dropping the national quarterfinal to UPEI. Runners up were the U of S women’s hockey team who also won the first Canada West title for the program in school history and finished 3rd at nationals. Rounding out the finalists were the Canadian Bowl and PFC champion Saskatoon Hilltops. That was their 17th Canadian Bowl title.