BY Geordie Carragher
Felicia Rodney’s exceptional rookie season has resulted in some additional hardware.
The Calgary native was named the ACAC (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference) in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 25.
Rodney is the first women’s soccer Bronco to earn ACAC Rookie of the Year honours, and the first Olds College student-athlete in any sport to receive the recognition since Jenna Suokko won it for women’s hockey in the 2015-16 season.
Niels Slotboom, head coach for both the Broncos men’s and women’s soccer teams, was impressed with Rodney’s performance throughout the season.
“She plays the game like she has been doing it for years,” he said. “She leaves everything out on the field each and every game, and she will do anything for the team’s success.”
Rodney, who studies sports management at Olds College, enjoyed a dynamic first season in the Broncos' black and gold, finishing tied for second in the ACAC with 14 goals and earning a place on the ACAC South All-Conference team, the fifth consecutive season where at least one women’s soccer player has earned the award.
Rodney registered three hat tricks during the season, including a four-goal performance against the Lakeland College Rustlers on Sept. 16.
Gromenida named to ACAC South All-Conference Team
The Broncos took home some hardware on the men’s side as well, as
The fourth-year forward from Formosa, Argentina turned in a strong season for the Broncos, finishing tied for fourth in the ACAC with 11 goals, as he paced the Olds College attack for the majority of the season.
Gromenida becomes the first men’s soccer Bronco named to the ACAC South All-Conference team since keeper Julio Mereilles in 2015-16.
“Fabian brings experience, commitment, and a strong work ethic to the table,” Slotboom said. “He showed deadly accuracy and strong finishing ability throughout the season.”
In particular, Gromenida enjoyed a strong month of September, which included a selection as ACAC Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending Sept. 16, during which he scored three times in leading the Broncos to a four-point weekend.
He followed that performance with consecutive hat tricks against the Ambrose University Lions and SAIT Trojans, consistently showing himself to be a threat any time he touched the ball.
Geordie Carragher is an athletics information officer for Broncos Athletics.
