Devin Cooney of the Brock Badgers men’s volleyball team has been provincially recognized for his outstanding performance during the regular season.
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced their list of award winners and provincial all-stars in an announcement made on Tuesday, March 4.
Cooney was awarded with an OUA First Team All-Star Selection, with the Kanata, ON product after being one of the most effective outside hitters this year.
“It is always a humbling experience to be recognized for excellence in our league. Devin is very deserving of his selection and it’s a testament to his details and the standards to which he holds himself.” said head coach Ian Eibbitt. “He leads by example in the team room, weight room and on the court daily in practice. To be recognized with the other recipients is an honour and I know Devin is grateful to be selected as an OUA First Team All-Star”.
This is Cooney’s third provincial honour, having earned a 2023-24 OUA Second Team All-Star Selection and making the All-Rookie Team during the 2022-23 season.
The Business Communication major ranked second in the entire OUA in kills this season and fourth in the nation, recording 293 in total with just Western’s Cade Smith finishing above him in the province. Cooney’s consistency over the course of the campaign meant that he also ranked second in the OUA and eighth in all of U SPORTS in kills per set with 3.81.
Cooney recorded a career high in kills this season, registering 34 against the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 16, 2024, which subsequently meant he recorded a career high in points with 37.5 and matched a program record in the modern era. For his performances that week, the third-year outside hitter was named both Brock University’s Athlete of the Week as well as the OUA Athlete of the Week.
The complete list of 2024-25 OUA men’s volleyball award winners and all-stars is as follows:
Player of the Year – Markus Law-Heese, Windsor Lancers
Rookie of the Year – Chris Hoffman, York Lions
EDI Award Winner – Chris Zimmerman, Queen’s Gaels
Dale Iwanoczko Award of Merit – Lachlan McBride, Queen’s Gaels
Coach of the Year – James Gravelle, Windsor Lancers
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Markus Law-Heese, Windsor Lancers
Maxime Gratton, McMaster Marauders
Dennis Cota, York Lions
Zig Licis, Queen’s Gaels
Jayden Talsma, Toronto Varsity Blues
Cade Smith, Western Mustangs
Devin Cooney, Brock Badgers
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Reed Venning, Queen’s Gaels
Jacob Walker, TMU Bold
Quintin Greenidge, Windsor Lancers
Hunter Arulpragasam, Toronto Varsity Blues
Jack Svendsen, Nipissing Lakers
Darian Koskie, Windsor Lancers
Joshua Glasbergen, Guelph Gryphons
THIRD TEAM ALL-STARS
Nic Badalato, Trent Excalibur
Lucas Redmann, Waterloo Warriors
Alex King, TMU Bold
Alex Dorling, York Lions
Gustavo Siqueira, Windsor Lancers
Matthew Rugosi, McMaster Marauders
Chris Zimmerman, Queen’s Gaels
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Chris Hoffman, York Lions
Iannis Toma, Toronto Varsity Blues
Tommy Roussel, RMC Paladins
Seth O’Brien, McMaster Marauders
Tian Harcevic, Guelph Gryphons
Luka Minic, Toronto Varsity Blues
Brock Drover, Trent Excalibur