Queen's Men's Volleyball's Chris Zimmerman was named the OUA's EDI Award of Excellence recipient by the conference at the OUA Awards banquet Wednesday night.

The EDI Award of Excellence recognizes a student-athlete's commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion both on and off the court.

"Chris' impact on our community this season has once again been truly outstanding. As a captain with Queen's Men's Volleyball and co-president of the Varsity Leadership Council, he consistently leads with integrity, compassion, and purpose," said Linda Melnick, Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation.

"From helping organize the inaugural Volleyball Pride Games to championing initiatives focused on mental health, Truth and Reconciliation, inclusion, and student-athlete well-being, Chris has created meaningful opportunities for connection and growth across our campus. His commitment to fostering welcoming spaces has left a lasting impression within Athletics & Recreation. We are incredibly proud of the leadership and sense of community he continues to bring to Queen's."

"Chris' work both on and off the court has been nothing short of exceptional once again this season," said Queen's Men's Volleyball Head Coach Gabriel deGroot. "As a team captain, he has represented our program to the highest standards. Among his many community initiatives, this year was particularly special as Chris organized the inaugural Volleyball Pride Games. This event celebrated, raised awareness for, and supported our LGBTQ2+ community, which Chris has so proudly represented as a Queen's varsity student-athlete and member of the Men's Volleyball team."

This past year, Zimmerman (Arts) served as the lead organizer for the inaugural Queen's Volleyball Pride Games.

Zimmerman is also the current VLC Co-President, where he has led initiatives including the Movember campaign and organized Lunch and Learns focused on Truth and Reconciliation, mental health, and life after sport.

"Chris' dedication to creating safer spaces, not just within Athletics & Recreation, but at Queen's more broadly will be part of his lasting impact on our campus," Taryn McKenna, Student Inclusion & Engagement Coordinator at Queen's University. "EDI is not just a concept for Chris, but a way of living. His work within his own team, the Varsity Leadership Council, the Queen's Shift Project - and more - are a testament to this. Congratulations to an amazing student leader on such a well-deserved Award!"

Zimmerman is a member of the Culture Day committee and serves as the lead of the Queer and Gender Diverse Student-Athlete Association.

He is also involved with the Queen's SHIFT Project and the AMS Social Issues Commission.

"Thank you to the OUA for this incredible award," Zimmerman said in a pre-taped acceptance speech. "It's an extreme honour to receive this award and I am very grateful.

"Doing work in this space means a ton to me. I feel deeply passionate about the student-athlete experience at Queen's and in Ontario. Being able to work within the EDI space is really important. I know that making people feel included and respected in their environments is very important and it enhances the student-athlete experience a lot. As an openly gay student-athlete, I feel very passionate about this, and I hope that this work can be spread throughout the OUA even more."

Queen's Men's Volleyball's all-time leader in assists, Zimmerman has been recognized by the conference for his work two straight seasons at the Men's Volleyball level, having received the OUA's Men's Volleyball EDI Award the past two seasons.