Christian Zeppieri named U SPORTS men’s soccer player of the year

Christian Zeppieri, a second-midfield striker from York, was named the U SPORTS player of the year in men’s soccer, Wednesday night. Zeppiere, who is from nearby Maple, Ont., is the third Lion to capture the award, following Jonathan Lao in 2016 and Francesco Bruno in 2008. 

Other national award winners announced during the All-Canadian Banquet held in Oshawa, Ont., were York midfielder Luca Accettola, who won the Lou Bilek Award for rookie of the year; David Harrison of Sherbrooke, who won the Student-Athlete Community Service Award; and Alberta head coach Martin Fenger-Andersen, who won Fox40 coach of the year honours. 

The 2024 U SPORTS championship gets underway Thursday at Vaso’s Field on the campus of Ontario Tech University and culminates Sunday with the national championship game at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. All 11 games from the eight-team tournament will be webcast live on CBC Sports digital platforms in English and on Radio-Canada and ICITou.tv digital platforms in French. 

Official championship website

JOE JOHNSON MEMORIAL TROPHY (player of the year): Christrian Zeppieri, York

Christian Zeppieri proved that – at least in his case – there is no such thing as a sophomore jinx. The dynamic midfielder has been a difference-maker once again for the Lions, this year showing he is more than just a goal scorer. While he scored nine goals, third-most in the country, Zeppieri also finished second in U SPORTS in assists with eight, and tied for the most points in the nation with 17. Of the 12 games Zeppieri played, he scored goals in seven of them, had a pair of multi-goal efforts and posted points in eight of 12 regular season matches.  

Other nominees:

AUS: Colby Mercer, Saint Mary’s

RSEQ: Gabriel Wiethaeuper-Balbinotti, UQTR

CW: Mateo Brazinha, UFV

LOU BILEK AWARD (rookie of the year): Luca Accettola, York

All Luca Accettola did in his debut season was score. He potted the second goal in the Lions 2-0 season-opening win over McMaster. For the season, he finished with six goals and four assists (tied for third-most helpers in the OUA). Despite going through a bit of a rough patch in the middle of the year, Luca finished the season strong, scoring goals in four of the Lions’ final six games, including a two-goal effort in a convincing 5-0 win over Windsor.  

Accettola is the fourth York player to win the Lou Bilek Award, following Jonathan Lao (2013), Moreno Alberti (2007) and Jamaal Smith (2006).

Other nominees:

AUS: Mohammed Tolba, Dalhousie

RSEQ: Samir Dejha, Montréal

CW: Henri Kim Godbout, UBC

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: David Harrison, Sherbrooke

David Harrison, a fourth-year Physical and Health Education student at Université de Sherbrooke, is a leader in both academics and athletics. David has a cumulative 3.91 GPA, achieving U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status for three consecutive years. Off the field, David’s dedication to community service shines through his extensive volunteer work. He has dedicated hours to Moisson Estrie, supported various university events, and played an active role in the Vert & Or athletes' committee, strengthening communication and cohesion among athletes. Beyond campus, David has participated in local initiatives like the climate march and volunteered with organizations such as Operation Red Nose and Héma-Québec, where he encourages his teammates to give back through plasma donations. His leadership, empathy, and community spirit earned him the Chantal-Navert scholarship in 2023, honoring his contributions to team unity, social responsibility, and self-improvement.

Other nominees:

AUS: Harrison McGinn, UNB

OUA: Yusuf Osman, Carleton

CW: Thomas Denness, Lethbridge

FOX40 COACH OF THE YEAR: Martin Fenger-Andersen, Alberta

Martin Fenger-Andersen led the Alberta Golden Bears to a division-best 10-1-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the Prairie’s, Fenger-Andersen’s Bears firmly established themselves among the best teams in the nation in 2024. Guiding a roster that features a conference-high five all-stars, the Bears finished second in Canada West in goals (31) and third in goals against (11) this fall. 

The Bears improved their goal total by 16 from 2023, moving from 11th to second in team offence. The Bears 10-1-3 record is also the best mark during Fenger-Andersen’s six seasons. 

He is the third Alberta coach to win coach-of-the-year honours, following Len Vickery in 2006 and Peter Esdale in 1979. 

Other nominees

AUS: Jake Stanford, Memorial

RSEQ: Pat Raimondo, Montréal

OUA: Ilya Orlov, Toronto

The all-Canadian and all-rookie teams were also announced Wednesday. A complete list follows.