Providence celebrates historic athletics season

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This article was published 27/04/2023 (1157 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

By any measure, it was a successful sports for those pulling on Providence Pilots blue in 2022/2023.

Not only did the program win two Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) championships, they also came home with a National Christian Colleges Athletic Association (NCCAA) tier two national championship, and made their first appearance at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships.

All that success was on display during the program’s awards ceremony hosted April 12.

Paige Heide was the big winner on the night, not only earning the award for top female athlete, but also pulling in the award for Scholar Athlete of the Year. Heide, who grew up in Steinbach, made a big difference on the pitch for Providence’s women’s soccer team, helping them earn the national championship in Florida.

Women’s soccer head coach Tory Walker praised his player throughout the year for her versatility on the pitch, and hard work to maintain sparkling grades off of it.

“(Heide) is what we call here at Providence a true difference maker,” Walker said.

“I have no doubt that in her remaining time as a Pilot and in years to come, she will continue to shine God’s light to those around her. Thank you for all you’ve given and continue to give to this Providence community.”

Kevin Martinez was given the Male Pilot of the Year award. The second-year point guard from Guelph, Ont., captained the men’s basketball team to a MCAC championship.

Men’s basketball coach Pierre Dubreuil said Martinez is a true captain for the team, even helping keep fellow players engaged in the classroom and leading basketball clinics for kids in the community.

“With the basketball in his hands, (Martinez) brings control and pace to our team, leading us on both ends of the court with passion and energy,” Dubreuil said.

“A vocal leader, he always keeps his teammates engaged and ready.”

The rookie Pilot of the year awards went to Noah Boschman (volleyball) and Amver Navarro (basketball)

Navarro’s hard work throughout the entire season paid off. She was only averaging a couple points-per-game at the beginning of the season, but ended the season fourth on the team.

“If you came to one of our games, you could expect to see (Navarro) dive out of bounds to save a ball, fly into the bleachers or lose a shoe and not give up on the play, even up 40,” women’s basketball coach Joel Coursey said.

“She has the heart of a competitor and refuses to quit.”

Boschman was an easy choice for male rookie of the year, as he was named the MCAC men’s volleyball player of the year and a CCAA all-Canadian. Boschman lead the conference in six different statistics, and lead the entire country in aces per set.

“(Boschman) showed his maturity as he was a leader on the court and was counted on to come through for the teams in dire situations,” men’s volleyball head coach Cody Quiring said.

“He continues to always grow to be a better version of himself on and off the court. Noah consistently displayed an exceptional level of skill and athleticism from start to finish.”

In addition to the five major awards, Providence celebrated the 56 athletes who earned a 3.0 GPA or higher this school year, and recognized their graduating seniors.

It will be a season of change for Providence athletics next season, as the program not only has to deal with the departure of head volleyball coaches Quiring and Kyle Guenther, but also long-time athletic director Scott Masterson.