Amelia Russo accepts the Griffins Leadership Award from MacEwan University President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee on Saturday (Jefferson Hagen photo).

April 6, 2025

Russo, Croft, Odinga score major awards at annual Griffins Athletics Banquet

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – Women's soccer scored three of the six major awards handed out at the Griffins Athletics banquet on Saturday after a season which saw them net the most points they've ever had in a U SPORTS season.

Women's soccer midfielder/defender Amelia Russo won the prestigious Griffins Leadership Award, presented to the individual that best embodies the three pillars of a MacEwan student-athlete: athletics, academics and community service.

Defender Anneke Odinga was named MacEwan Female Athlete of the Year and the Griffins women's soccer team also won the Murray Orvis Team of the Year honour for the third time in the past four seasons.

Men's volleyball opposite Mitchell Croft won the Griffins' Male Athlete of the Year award, while men's basketball point guard Diego Presingular took home Male Rookie of the Year honours. Women's volleyball middle blocker Anika Buys was named the Griffins' Female Rookie of the Year.

The awards were presented during a Saturday night gala, held at the Sandman Downtown Edmonton Hotel, a ceremony which also inducted three new members into the Griffins' Wall of Distinction: curling's Jordan Steinke (2011-15), badminton's Áine Humble (1987-89) and basketball's Megan Wood (2012-16).

Russo became the second-straight women's soccer player to win the Griffins Leadership Award, following Hannah Supina, who claimed the inaugural trophy in 2023-24.

After leading the Griffins in minutes played (1,243) and finishing with three goals and five points in 14 games, Russo was named to the Canada West second all-star team. In the classroom, she had a 3.5 GPA in Science and is on track to be a U SPORTS Academic All Canadian for a third-straight season. In the community, Russo logged 100 hours of service, contributing to 20 per cent of the team's combined efforts.

"It's definitely a big honour, just especially to give back to my community," said Russo. "A lot of my volunteer hours are giving back to girls in sports, so I'm happy I can do that. I think it's just a big honour."

Male Athlete of the Year Mitchell Croft, left, and Female Athlete of the Year Anneke Odinga, right, flank MacEwan University Board Chair Carolyn Graham, who presented them with their awards on Saturday (Jefferson Hagen photo).

Odinga drove play all day from the fullback position for the Griffins, finishing with six points – the second-most of any defender in the conference – and became the first MacEwan student-athlete in any sport to make the Canada West first all-star team for a third time.

She is the fifth women's soccer player to win the Griffins Female Athlete of the Year award in the past six seasons.

"I think going into my fourth year, this was the best season that I've personally had," said Odinga. "It was also our team's best season in the past few seasons. It means everything because I've had my teammates win Female Athlete of the Year and it's nice to continue the legacy and be honoured at MacEwan."

Women's soccer also won the Team of the Year honour, well deserved for a team that finished with a 10-1-3 regular season record and netted a program-best 33 points.

"It's a testament to the all the work these amazing student-athletes do on the pitch, in the classroom and giving back to our community," said head coach Dean Cordeiro. "It was one hell of a year. We only lost one game, and it was the most points we've had in a season.

"This team is ready to take the next step. I'm super proud of everything the team accomplished this season."

Women's soccer was named team of the year after finishing with 33 points - the most they've had in a Canada West regular season (Jefferson Hagen photo).

One of the most contested votes amongst Athletics staff and coaches was for the Griffins Male Rookie of the Year award as both men's basketball's Diego Presingular and men's volleyball's Mitchell Croft broke multiple rookie records and were among the best in the country in their respective sports.

The night turned out special for both as Croft took home Male Athlete of the Year and Presingular Male Rookie of the Year.

Croft shattered all of the program's rookie attacking records, finishing top-10 amongst all U SPORTS players in kills/set (3.69) – third in the program's U SPORTS history – and made the Canada West all-rookie team.

"It's my first year in Canada West, so I was pretty undecided on what the expectation was, but I think I came in and did a pretty good job," said Croft, who is the second-straight rookie to win the Griffins Male Athlete of the Year award, following men's soccer's Phil Masri in 2024. "I managed to excite the team a little bit and get a bit of a celebration at the end there, for sure."

Diego Presingular and Anika Buys flank MacEwan General Counsel Jason Fung, who presented them with their Rookie of the Year awards (Jefferson Hagen photo).

Presingular also broke most of the program's rookie marks, finishing with the second-most points (235) and fourth-best points/game average (11.8) amongst all U SPORTS men's basketball rookies. He also made the Canada West all-rookie team.

"It means a lot to be recognized by everyone at MacEwan and get the support I got from my teammates and my coaches," said Pregingular. "All the work I put in just gave me the confidence to win this award and have an overall great season."

In a year of some fantastic rookie performances across all Griffins teams, women's volleyball middle Buys stood out, starting 18 games for MacEwan and breaking a program rookie record that had stood for a decade when she had 54 blocks (12th in Canada West). She also made the Canada West all-rookie team.

"It means a lot to me to recognized for the hard work I put in, and the hard work that the team put in, too. The support that I've had from the coaches and teammates has really pushed me to do what I did this season."

Individual team awards – Most Outstanding Player (MOP) and Rookie – were also presented during the awards gala. Here are the winner by team: