Three 91ÑÇÉ« Lions student-athletes have been nominated for 91ÑÇÉ«'s Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy. The winner will be announced at the online varsity banquet on Thursday, April 8.
Also known as the Heart of a Lion Award, this trophy will be given to a student-athlete within the varsity sport program who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, enthusiasm for life and the consideration of others. Both male and female student-athletes are eligible for the award.
This year's nominees for the Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy are men's hockey player , women's track and field athlete  and women's hockey player .
Heart of a Lion award nominees: Kaleb Dahlgren, Simone Da Silva and Kelsey McHolm
 – Men's Hockey
- Type 1 diabetic since the age of four
- Humboldt bus crash survivor
- Spent three years with the Lions while recovering from a significant brain injury that he still lives with today; he has yet to receive medical clearance to play but is an active member of all other aspects of the team
- Overcame the physical, emotional and mental challenges that have come with being a survivor of the accident and will successfully complete his degree in commerce this year
- Three-time U SPORTS academic all-Canadian
- A JDRF ambassador for many years and has made many appearances as a motivational speaker
- Recently completed a memoir Crossroads that was released internationally in March
 – Women's Track & Field
- OUA silver medallist (4 x 400m), sixth at U SPORTS championships
- Two-time U SPORTS academic all-Canadian
- Had three back surgeries to eliminate a tumor that caused consistent pain, stiffness and limited movement
- Never lost faith in the training and rehabilitation throughout the process
- Gave her full effort regardless of her circumstances, even when limited by medical modifications
- Never missed a home meet even when she was recovering from surgery and couldn't compete herself
- Works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Clinic, where she helps children with brain injuries transition back into their "regular" life, and continued to do so throughout the pandemic
 – Women's Hockey
- Key player of the team's first OUA finals appearance in 20 years and first trip to nationals in program history
- Suffered a major knee injury in the 2018-19 season and chose extensive rehab instead of surgery so she could be ready for the 2019-20 season
- Dealt with constant rehab but still posted career-best numbers in 2019-20 season
- Suffered serious health issues this past summer that resulted in hearing loss but did not let any of it impact her leadership, dedication or enthusiasm
- Two-time U SPORTS academic all-Canadian
Stay tuned to over the coming days as more of the major award nominees are announced ahead of the April 8 banquet.