WSOC: UBC's Tolnai named Player of the Year

Katalin Tolnai has been named the 2023 Canada West Women's Soccer Player of the Year after a memorable campaign with the UBC Thunderbirds.

The third-year forward from Toronto, Ont. was the clear choice for the accolade after her offensive touch led the T-Birds to a conference best 13-1 record. Tolnai scored 14 goals and added eight assists, tying the conference record for points in a single season. She now shares that record with Trinity Western's Kristen Gommeringer, who initially set the record in 2012, and her former teammate Danielle Steer, who tied the mark last year.

The conference unveiled its major award winners on Wednesday morning, which included a rare double recognition for UBC defender Sarah Rollins. Her sensational debut season was recognized with both Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year honours.

UBC head coach Jesse Symons was named Coach of the Year after guiding his team to 13 wins, tying the all-time single season Canada West wins record. Trinity Western University goalkeeper Hannah Miller received the Student-Athlete Community Service award, recognizing her strong commitment to giving back to her community through coaching and coordinating sport camp opportunities for underprivileged children.

The major award announcements come as the conference's final four is set to get underway, starting with semifinal action on Thursday. The Thunderbirds will take on the Saskatchewan Huskies at 4 p.m. PDT, followed by Trinity Western battling Victoria at 7 p.m. The gold and bronze medal games will take place on Friday. All games are set to be hosted by UBC in Vancouver.

More information on the Canada West women's soccer championship can be found here. 

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS & ALL-STARS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Katalin Tolnai (UBC)

• Fourth-Year
• Forward
• Toronto, Ont.
• Faculty: Sauder School of Business

In a most memorable season, Katalin Tolnai tied her former teammate, Danielle Steer’s record of 22 points in a single season having scored 14 goals with eight assists. Those 22 points were seven more than any other Canada West player in 2023.

Scoring a hat trick and adding four assists against Winnipeg, Tolnai set a new program record and tied the all-time Canada West record with seven points in a single game. It was the first of three hat tricks the fourth-year forward would manage over the course of the year.

Twice this season, the Toronto native was named Canada West and U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Player of the Week.

Tolnai was a driving force behind the Thunderbirds’ outstanding 13-1 regular season and her goal in Saturday’s quarter-final game against the Regina Cougars helped propel UBC into the Canada West semifinal game for an eighth straight season. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR and ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Sarah Rollins (UBC)

• First-year
• Defender
• Toronto, Ont.
• Faculty: Kinesiology

Joining her teammate and fellow defender, Sophia Ferreira, as a Canada West Rookie of the Year, Sarah Rollins played and started in 13 of UBC’s 14 regular season games in 2023.

The Toronto native only once played less than a full 90 minutes, that being an 84 minute road match in Kelowna, a game in which she scored her first career goal for the Thunderbirds on what proved to be the game winner.

Rollins finished the year with a pair of goals – both of them game winners – and an assist. But her stellar work on her own half of the pitch drew accolades week in and week out, noted as one of the conference’s top defenders early in her rookie season. Along with her fellow defenders, Rollins helped UBC to a conference leading defence conceding just five goals in 14 regular season games. 

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE: Hannah Miller (Trinity Western)

• Fifth-year
• Goalkeeper
• Langley, BC
• Faculty: Education

Miller enjoyed remarkable success with the Spartans on the pitch this season, conceding just eight goals while contributing to eight clean sheets. But it was what Miller accomplished off the pitch that was even more impressive.

The fifth-year goalkeeper was recognized for being an outstanding servant leader who has modelled what it means to give back throughout her time as a student-athlete. She has exemplified what it means to give of herself for the sake of others, and has dedicated much of her student-athlete career to serving in so many ways, places and settings.

Whether it is helping coach the next generation of aspiring youth players or giving her time and resources to travel and serve in underprivileged communities in countries like Paraguay, Peru and Uganda, Miller has grown through the experience of serving others.

She is known for being a gifted communicator and a talented athlete who understands the value of using her platform. This can be seen in her role as coordinator of a TeamUp Camp for underserved and underprivileged kids each summer in Chilliwack, providing an opportunity for 200 kids to have a fun filled week-long sports camp experience.

Hannah also served as the Spartans women's soccer community service coordinator, ensuring the team remains regularly engaged in volunteer opportunities and community service initiatives. 

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jesse Symons

• Eighth season

Guiding the Thunderbirds to a 13-1 regular season record, Jesse Symons’ squad tied the all-time single season Canada West wins record, matching UBC’s 2022 campaign.

Currently in his eighth season with the T-Birds, Symons has amassed an impressive 68-13-15 regular season record and enters this week’s Canada West Final Four with a 17-5 conference playoff record.

Symons has guided the Thunderbirds to two Canada West Championships (2016 and 2022) and won the 2019 U SPORTS National Championship. 

Conference All-Stars

The conference also announced its women's soccer All-Star and All-Rookie teams last week. Click here to view the selections.