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Oak Bay’s de Goede named U Sports’ player of the year

Head coach says she is ‘an incredibly worthy recipient of this honour’
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After a remarkable first season that saw Sophie de Goede from Oak Bay named U Sports’ rookie of the year, the student-athlete took things one step further in 2018.

Wednesday de Goede was named U Sports’ player of the year in women’s rugby as the national award winners were celebrated at an annual gala.

“I am very honoured to receive this award,” de Goede told Oak Bay News. “It’s humbling to know the caliber of players we have in the U Sports competition, and I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to develop alongside them.”

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Head Coach Dan Valley said de Goede is an “incredibly worthy recipient of this honour.”

“Her on-field performance and leadership have played an important part of our program’s success this season,” he told U Sports. “Sophie is a true student of the game with a tactical and technical understanding that are rare for a second-year student-athlete.”

“One of the things I admire most about Sophie is that her mentality is always team-first – she doesn’t compete with the intention of racking up accolades for herself,” he added.

The second-year commerce student and back row for the Gaels – which is how Queen’s University sports teams are called – had an incredible 2018 season serving as a team captain.

She finished the season with eight tries and three conversions for 46 points, and added another two tries and two conversions in the Ontario University Athletics playoffs, helping Queen’s University secure a provincial silver medal.

The two-sport athlete (basketball and rugby) captained the Canadian Rugby U20 team this past summer and will join the university’s women’s basketball team after the rugby season concludes.

The former Oak Bay High student is the daughter of former national Canadian rugby men’s Captain Hans de Goede and women’s Canadian Captain Stephanie White.

“I think she’s amazing,” White told Oak Bay News Friday. “I’m very, very proud of her.”


 
flavio.nienow@oakbaynews.com

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