HAMILTON, Ont. (November 2, 2009) - Renee MacLellan of Kingston, Ont., and Riley Filion of Alexandria, Ont., highlight the list of award winners and all-stars for the OUA East Division as announced today by the OUA.

MacLellan receives the most valuable player award for her outstanding effort this season. The two-time first-team all-star completed the regular season with 12 goals in 16 games, placing her second in OUA for goals scored. 

Fellow Gael Riley Filion comes away with T. Litzen Sports rookie of the year honours. The first-year midfielder had an impressive first season with the Gaels, playing 14 games and netting three goals.

Head Coach Dave McDowell was honoured as the East coach of the year. McDowell led the team to their 13-1-2 record this season, a huge step up from their 8-4-2 finish in 2008. Queen's allowed just five goals during the 2009 regular season, earning 13 shutouts. They were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation on Oct. 27.

The East community service award winner is Jennifer Siu (London, Ont.) of the Toronto Varsity Blues. The award goes to the player who made the greatest contribution to their community through various efforts. Siu is currently the fundraising coordinator for the U of T chapter of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). She is the youngest person currently serving on the charity's executive committee at the university. She is also a leading volunteer of fundraising and events with Tempus International, a Toronto-based charity that runs The Mighty Pen - a bi-annual youth literacy program for 20,000 children in rural Nepal. Siu also volunteers her time with other causes, including Free The Children organization and Habitat for Humanity.

In addition to winning the most valuable player and rookie of the year awards, McLellan and Filion are named East first-team all-stars. Joining them on the list is second-year teammate Brienna Shaw (Vancouver). The second-year defender was also the 2008 rookie of the year and a first-team all-star.

Three Ottawa Gee-Gees players receive all-star nods, including second-year defensive player Nikki Moreau (Almonte, Ont.), fifth-year midfielder Catherine Scott (Pointe-Claire, Que.), who scored four goals in 15 games and three-time all-star and fifth-year striker Courtney Luscombe, who finished the season with nine goals in 16 games, good for fourth in OUA.

Toronto has two first-team all-stars this year, including Erica Basso (King City, Ont.). The fifth-year midfielder makes her fourth appearance on the all-star list, with 2009 being her third time as a first-team member. Basso was also the East most valuable player for 2008. Joining Basso on the first-team is fourth-year defender Alicia Lashley (Ottawa).

Rounding out the first-team all-stars are Nipissing Lakers goalkeeper Samantha Behm (Winchester, Ont.), Andrea Raso (Toronto) of the Ryerson Rams, a three-time all-star, and Lisa Watson (Newmarket, Ont.) of the Laurentian Lady Vees.

The Varsity Blues have three second-team all-stars on the roster, including Jessica Fantozzi (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Jenessa Banwell (Scarborough, Ont.) and Arin King (Pickering, Ont.). Fantozzi, a rookie striker, led the team in scoring this season with seven goals in 15 games, while King tallied four of her own.

Royal Military College has two players representing the Paladins as second-team all-stars; third-year striker Laura Gray (Brookside, N.S.) and rookie goalkeeper Olivia Clarke (Caledon East, Ont.). Gray had two goals in the season, and Clarke recorded two shutouts.

The Nipissing Lakers also have two second-team all-stars, including third-year defender Kim Tait (Peterborough, Ont.) and Leesa Church (North Bay, Ont.). Church, a third-year striker, is a second time all-star and scored seven goals in the season.

Two Gee-Gees players are members of the East second-team, as Brittany Harrison (Burlington, Ont.) and Gillian Baggot (Ottawa), a third-year defender, are named all-stars for the first time. Harrison, a second-year midfielder, scored three goals in 13 games.

Ryerson and Queen's round out the second-team with one player each. Calaigh Copland (Peterborough, Ont.) of the Rams, a fourth-year forward, tallied six goals in 13 games this season, while Victoria Gonzalez-Milroy (Vancouver) of the Gaels makes her first appearance as an all-star in her rookie defender season.

West women's soccer major award winners and all-stars will be announced on Wednesday.

2009 OUA EAST WOMEN'S SOCCER MAJOR AWARD WINNERS AND ALL-STARS

Most Valuable Player - Renee McLellan (Queen's)
Rookie of the Year - Riley Filion (Queen's)
Community Service - Jennifer Siu (Toronto)
Coach of the Year - Dave McDowell (Queen's)

FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Erica Basso (Richmond Hill, Ont.) - Toronto
Samantha Behm - GK (Winchester, Ont.) - Nipissing
Riley Filion (Alexandria, Ont.) - Queen's
Alicia Lashley (Ottawa) - Toronto
Courtney Luscombe (Ottawa) - Ottawa
Renee McLellan (Kingston, Ont.) - Queen's
Nikki Moreau (Almonte, Ont.) - Ottawa
Andrea Raso (Toronto) - Ryerson
Catherine Scott (Pointe-Claire, Que.) - Ottawa
Brienna Shaw (Vancouver) - Queen's
Lisa Watson (Newmarket, Ont.) - Laurentian

SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Gillian Baggott (Ottawa) - Ottawa
Jenessa Banwell (Toronto) - Toronto
Leesa Church (North Bay, Ont.) - Nipissing
Olivia Clarke – GK (Caledon East, Ont.) - RMC
Calaigh Copland (Peterborough, Ont.) - Ryerson
Jessica Fantozzi (Richmond Hill, Ont.) - Toronto
Victoria Gonzalez-Milroy (Vancouver) - Queen's
Laura Gray (Brookside, N.S.) - RMC
Brittany Harrison (Burlington, Ont.) - Ottawa
Arin King (Pickering, Ont.) - Toronto
Kim Tait (Peterborough, Ont.) - Nipissing