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Queen’s University’s Sophie de Goede has capped here incredible season with the Queen’s Gaels by being named a recipient of the 2022 Lois and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athletes of the Year Awards.

The awards recognize Canada's top athletes competing in university athletics in U SPORTS.

de Goede recently completed one of the most remarkable years in U SPORTS history, competing and excelling in two sports – rugby and basketball. Both teams medaled in the U SPORTS championships with a gold in rugby and a bronze in basketball. Both national finals were hosted by Queen’s.

Earlier this year, de Goede was named the U SPORTS Women's Rugby Player of the Year and tournament MVP at the U SPORTS Women’s Rugby Championship after helping lead Queen's to their first ever Women's Rugby championship. She was also named the OUA Player of the Year in Women's Rugby for the third straight season last week.

“Sophie de Goede is a generational player and a generational person,” says women's rugby head coach Dan Valley. “Despite the accolades that Sophie has earned over her time at Queen's, she remains the hardest working athlete on campus – always looking for ways to excel and improve, either on the pitch, on the court, or in the classroom.”

On the basketball court, de Goede was named a Second Team OUA East Division All-Star, earning an OUA All-Star nod in her second sport, after leading the OUA in rebounding, averaging 12.1 per game while adding 9.8 points per game.

de Goede also earned OUA Female Athlete of the Year honours and the PHE '55 Alumnae Award winner as Queen's Varsity Teams Female Athlete of the Year.

Waterloo Warriors quarterback Tre Ford was named the other winner of the Lois and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athletes of the Year Awards.

“This year's group of nominees is one of our strongest yet,” says Lois Mitchell. “The student-athletes who compete in U SPORTS develop integrity, resilience, teamwork and the communications skills they need to excel in sport, their studies and in their careers. Congratulations to Tre and Sophie and to all the nominees who inspire us every day.”