Evan Daum, Canada West Communications

Highlights:

• UBC Thunderbirds forward Jasmin Dhanda has been named the 2017 Canada West Women's Soccer Player of the Year
• Other major award winners include: Alberta's Brooke Lang (Rookie of the Year), MacEwan's Kristen Skrundz (Student-Athlete Community Service), and Alberta's Liz Jepsen (Coach of the Year)
• The conference also unveiled its all-star and all-rookie teams ahead of this weekend's CW WSOC Final Four, which goes Friday and Saturday (Trinity Western / Langley, B.C.)

EDMONTON – Jasmin Dhanda's year just keeps getting better, as the UBC Thunderbird has been named the 2017 Canada West Women's Soccer Player of the Year.

The Surrey, B.C. product ran away with the CW goal scoring crown this season, netting 14 goals, while adding six assists to top the conference in points with 20. A conference first-team all-star each of the last two seasons, Dhanda caps off her five-year career with Canada West's top individual honour.

Dhanda, along with Alberta's Brooke Lang (Rookie of the Year), MacEwan's Kristen Skrundz (Student-Athlete Community Service), and Alberta's Liz Jepsen (Coach of the Year), were named as the conference's major award winners Thursday, ahead of this weekend's CW Final Four hosted by Trinity Western in Langley, B.C. 

Earning team accolades are the Victoria Vikes, who take home the Fair Play Award after earning just one yellow card all season.

In addition to the conference's major award winners, the Canada West all-star and all-rookie teams were unveiled, with the Calgary Dinos and Victoria Vikes both earning a conference-high six honourees each.

For a complete look at the CW Final Four, click here for the tournament preview.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Jasmin Dhanda

UBC Thunderbirds

Forward

5^th-year

Surrey, B.C.

Kinesiology

Jasmin Dhanda's career for the record books now has another milestone, as the veteran forward has been named the 2017 Canada West Women's Soccer Player of the Year. 

Dhanda netted 14 goals this season to go along with six assists, as she topped the conference in both goal scoring and points. Thanks to her dominant season, Dhanda finished her career atop the Canada West record book in career points (65), third in goals (43), and tied for fifth in assists (22). 

A three-time first-team Canada West all-star, Dhanda helped guide the Thunderbirds to another outstanding season, as the defending Canada West champions went 10-3-1 to top the Pacific Division standings. 

The Kinesiology student is looking to finish her five-year career with a third consecutive CW banner, and a second national title in the last three seasons. 

Dhanda now moves forward as the Canada West nominee for the Chantal Navert Memorial Award as the U SPORTS player of the year.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Brooke Lang

Alberta Pandas

Defence

1^st-year

St. Albert, Alta.

Physical Education & Recreation 

After representing Alberta at the 2017 Canada Games in Winnipeg this summer, St. Albert's Brooke Lang enjoyed a tremendous freshmen season with the Alberta Pandas to earn the title of CW Rookie of the Year. 

Lang, whose twin sister Cara also suited up for the Pandas this season, was airtight defensively for the Pandas, playing a central role for an Alberta team that yielded just six goals against this season – tops in Canada West.

In addition to her tough defence, Lang chipped in with a pair of goals for the Pandas, who finished first in the Prairie Division with a 10-2-2 record. 

She now moves forward as the CW nominee for the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year Award, where she is looking to become the first player from Alberts to claim the honour.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE – Kristen Skrundz

MacEwan Griffins

Defence

5^th-year

Edmonton, Alta.

Nursing 

After being told by in high school by one of her academy coaches that she would never play university soccer, Kristen Skrundz has not only achieved her goal, but excelled.

On the pitch, Skrundz was part of MacEwan's 2013 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association national title and has been a key part of the Griffins transition to the Canada West level, where they have emerged as a strong program in only a few short years. 

As a student, Skrundz is in one of the most demanding programs at MacEwan University – Nursing – but that hasn't prevented her from achieving honours status with her GPA.

In the community, Skrundz plays a lead role with the Free Footie organization, which is a totally free soccer league in Edmonton, Alta. for kids who wouldn't otherwise be able to play because of cost or other barriers in their life. 

Skrundz has also emerged as an important leader within the MacEwan student-athlete community, mentoring fellow Griffins in the nursing program.

COACH OF THE YEAR – Liz Jepsen

Alberta Pandas

13^th season

Longtime Pandas head coach Liz Jepsen is the Canada West Women's Soccer Coach of the Year for the third time in her career, after previously earning the award in 2006 and 2010.

Jepsen, who played four seasons for the Pandas in the early 1990s, guided Alberta to a 10-2-2 regular season mark in 2017 to top the conference's Prairie Division. 

During her time leading the Pandas, Jepsen's teams have earned one Canada West title (2013) and made three appearances at the national tournament (2005, 2011, 2013).

2017 CANADA WEST WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-STARS & ALL-ROOKIES

First Team

POSITION / NAME / SCHOOL / YEAR / HOMETOWN / PROGRAM

GK / Puck Louwes / Victoria / 3^rd / Utrecht, Netherlands / Humanities

D / Jamie Pasemko / Alberta / 5^th / Edmonton, Alta. / Phys. Ed. & Recreation

D / Elise Butler / Victoria / 5^th / Victoria, B.C. / Business

D / Talia White / Calgary / 2^nd/ Calgary, Alta. / Kinesiology

D / Emily Lieuwen / Victoria / 4^th / Delta, B.C. / Science

D / Jennifer Miller / Saskatchewan / 5^th/ Saskatoon, Sask. / Kinesiology

O / Jasmin Dhanda / UBC / 5^th / Surrey, B.C. / Kinesiology

O / Aman Shergill / UBC / 5^th / Surrey, B.C. / Kinesiology

O / Sydney Daines / Alberta / 4^th / Red Deer County, Alta. / Native Studies

O / Seina Kashima / Trinity Western / 4^th / Burnaby, B.C. / General Studies

O / Leesa Eggum / Saskatchewan / 5^th / Saskatoon, Sask. / Nursing

Second Team

POSITION / NAME / SCHOOL / YEAR / HOMETOWN / PROGRAM

GK / Lauren Houghton / Calgary / 1^st / Calgary, Alta. / Kinesiology

D / Brooklyn Tidder / Trinity Western / 3^rd / White Rock, B.C. / Science

D / Quinn Hardstaff / Mount Royal / 2^nd / Calgary, Alta. / Nursing

D / Amy Gartke / Trinity Western / 4^th / Edmonton, Alta. / Education

D / Karlee Pedersen / Fraser Valley / 5^th / Abbotsford, B.C. / Arts

D / Kayla Kreutzer / Calgary / 4^th / Edmonton, Alta. / Business

O / Kiara Kilbey / Victoria / 3^rd / Victoria, B.C. / Education

O / Nikki Furukawa / Lethbridge / 5^th / Lethbridge, Alta. / Science

O / Montana Leonard / Calgary / 2^nd / Richmond, B.C. / Arts

O / Stephanie Badilla Gutierrez / Victoria / 5^th / Victoria, B.C. / Science

O / Karissa McNutt / Alberta / 4^th / Edmonton, Alta. / Arts

All-rookie

POSITION / NAME / SCHOOL / HOMETOWN / PROGRAM

GK / Lauren Houghton / Calgary / Calgary, Alta. / Kinesiology

D / Brooke Lang / Alberta / St. Albert, Alta. / Phys. Ed. & Recreation

D / Maya Ida / Calgary / Nelson, B.C. / Kinesiology

D / Brea Christie / Victoria / Victoria, B.C. / Social Sciences

D / Jessica Williams / UBC / White Rock, B.C. / Arts

O / Brittany Costa / MacEwan / Delta, B.C. / Science

O / Harneet Dadrao / Fraser Valley / Surrey, B.C. / Science

O / Megan Duro / Alberta / Edmonton, Alta. / Education

O / Danielle Steer / UBC / Surrey, B.C. / Arts

O / Megan Ripplinger / Saskatchewan / Regina, Sask. / Arts & Science

O / Kathryn Harvey / Trinity Western / Coquitlam, B.C. / Human Kinetics

CW WSOC ALL-STARS & ALL-ROOKIES BY TEAM:

Calgary Dinos – 6

Victoria Vikes – 6

Alberta Pandas – 5

UBC Thunderbirds – 4

Trinity Western Spartans – 4

Saskatchewan Huskies – 3

Fraser Valley Cascades – 2

Lethbridge Pronghorns – 1

MacEwan Griffins – 1

Mount Royal Cougars – 1