And by the close of day Wednesday, the seven universities from B.C. competing under the CIS banner, as well as Simon Fraser, the NCAA’s lone non-U.S. member school, had all handed out the hardware at respective awards banquets, honouring their top student-athletes. Here’s a look at the major award winners.

UBC THUNDERBIRDS
The most decorated program in CIS history has the painful task each season of having to decide which national championship-winning athletes won’t win awards at its annual Big Block athletics banquet.
The big winners this season:
Gagan Dosanjh, the Canada West player of the year who led the men’s soccer team to the CIS national title and Kris Young (basketball), the talented forward regarded as one of the top players in the Canadian university game, were named the top male and female athletes.
Billy Greene, the quarterback and 2011 Hec Crighton award winner as the top football player in the country, and Shanice Marcelle, the CIS Player of the Year who led women’s volleyball to a record-tying sixth straight national title in March were named the school’s top male and female graduating athletes.
Field hockey’s Hannah Haughn and Neil Manning of the men’s hockey team were picked rookies of the year. The UBC women’s hockey team, which went from one win a season ago to a spot at the CIS national championships in March, was named the school’s team of the year.

SIMON FRASER CLAN
When the awards committee tallied up its votes for top female athlete, they discovered a three-way tie for first place.
Swimmer Mariya Chekanovych (100- and 200-yard breaststroke) and runner Helen Crofts (800 metres indoors) brought the school its first-ever NCAA national championship titles this season. Wrestler Danielle Lappage, the WCWA national champ in her weight class three years running, did not lose on the mat in collegiate competition since falling in the national final in her freshman season.
Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer Player of the Year Mike Winter, who led the Clan to the Final Four at the NCAA Div. 2 championships, was picked top male athlete.
The winners of the male and female Terry Fox most inspirational athlete award were football’s Bo Palmer, who helped the Clan break historic ground in the NCAA, and softball’s Trisha Bouchard, a campus leader in both fund-raising and student-athlete initiatives. Carla Wyman from women’s basketball won the Lorne Davies senior grad award for community involvement.

TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS
Soccer goalkeeper Kristen Funk was named top female. The Canada West’s all-time wins leader (43), finished her career with the Spartans by being named CIS first-team All-Canadian for a second straight season.
Sprinter Calum Innes was named top male. Innes set a school record in the 60-metre hurdles (7.98 seconds) to grab silver at the CIS national championships, and was also named the Canada West’s outstanding male performer with gold in the 60 hurdles and silver in the 60 sprint.
Krista Gommeringer from women’s soccer, and Joel De Schiffart of men’s cross-country were each named the Spartans’ rookies of the year. Both were also named Canada West Rookies of the Year in their sports, and Gommeringer was named a CIS first-team All-Canadian.

FRASER VALLEY CASCADES
Sam Freeman, who led the UFV basketball team in scoring (21.2 ppg) and led the conference in made three-pointers (63) was named top male athlete. Kayla Bruce was named top female for the second straight year. A member of the Cascades’ CCAA national championship volleyball team, Bruce was named PacWest and CCAA player of the year in her sport.
Alexa McCarthy from women’s basketball won the school’s outstanding community service award, hot on the heels of being named the Sylvia Sweeney national award winner for community service, presented at the CIS national championships.
Justin Sekhon of the men’s soccer team and women’s volleyball setter Kira Tome enjoyed stellar seasons and were honoured as the program’s two rookies of the year.

VICTORIA VIKES
Basketball’s Debbie Yeboah and rugby’s Sean Duke scooped up the prestigious President’s Cup awards presented to fourth- or fifth-year athletes combining scholastics with athletic achievement. Duke has been a leader both with the Vikes’ team and the Canadian sevens; Yeboah led a re-birth of the women’s program, helping the Vikes get back to the CIS nationals for the first time since 2008.
Golfer Megan Woodland, the reigning NAIA national champ, was named top female athlete for the second straight year. Rowing’s Will O’Connell, who medaled at every Canadian University Rowing Championship over his five-year career, was named top male.
Canada West women’s basketball Rookie of the Year Jenna Bugiardini, and Nathan Yanagiya who cracked the starting roster of the Vikes rugby team, were named the school’s top rookies.

THOMPSON RIVERS WOLFPACK

First-team all-Canadian Diana Schuetze, who dominated the boards over her five-year CIS career, as well as senior guard Kevin Pribilsky, gave the Pack’s basketball program a sweep of top female and male honours. Men’s soccer player Justin Smeaton and women’s cross-country runner Rolena De Bruyn were named TRU’s scholar-athlete winners.

UNBC TIMBERWOLVES
The first-year CIS school’s top awards both went to players from the basketball program. Sam Raphael of the men’s team and Mercedes Van Koughnett of the women’s team, both Prince George natives, were named top male and female athletes respectively.

UBC OKANGAN HEAT
Senior golfer Jen Woods, who helped lead her team to the CCAA national title, and Roz Huber, who leaves the women’s basketball program as its all-time leading scorer and rebounder, shared top female honours. Volleyball’s Brett Uniat, a CIS academic all-Canadian, was named top male athlete.

With schedules released for both the upcoming 2012 Canada West and Great Northwest Athletic Conference campaigns, it’s clear that local football fans will be denied a chance to see the 34th annual Shrum Bowl for a second straight season.

“This season no,” said Simon Fraser head coach Dave Johnson on Tuesday afternoon. “But we are really making a push to make it happen in 2013. Out athletic director is involved, their athletic director is involved and we’re trying to make it happen.”

SFU topped UBC 27-20 at Thunderbird Stadium when the last Shrum Bowl was held in October of 2010. That season was SFU’s first at the NCAA Div. 2 level, but since then, the two sides have not been able to find a mutually agreeable date.

Johnson says that looking ahead to 2013, there is an open date for both teams.

“They have an opening and we have an opening, but it is whether they choose to fill it with us,” Johnson said. “Short of pro football, this is the biggest amateur football game of the year.

“Frank Smith and Lorne Davies were committed to make it work,” Johnson continued of the driving forces behind the two programs. “I feel like I am throwing dust in the face of tradition if we don’t work hard to try and pull it off.”

After four straight UBC wins, the Clan has won the last three and leads the overall series 17-15-1. SFU will host the next Shrum with the game to be played under US rules for the first time since 2001.

CANADA WEST FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

Here’s our team-by-team look at the 2012 Canada West football season. All dates are now confirmed following the official release of the schedule on April 18:

ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS

Aug. 31 at Saskatchewan

Sept. 7 at Calgary

Sept. 14 vs. Regina

Sept. 22 at Manitoba

Sept. 29 vs. UBC

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 12 vs. Calgary

Oct. 20 vs. Saskatchewan

Oct. 26 at Regina

UBC THUNDERBIRDS

Aug. 25 vs. Menlo College*

Sept. 1 vs. Manitoba

Sept. 7 at Regina

Sept. 15 vs. Saskatchewan

Sept. 22 vs. Calgary

Sept. 29 at Alberta

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 13 vs. Regina

Oct. 20 at Manitoba

Oct. 27 at Saskatchewan

*(exhibition)

CALGARY DINOS

Sept. 1 vs. Regina

Sept. 7 vs. Alberta

Sept. 15 at Manitoba

Sept. 22 at UBC

Sept. 29 vs. Saskatchewan

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 12 at Alberta

Oct. 19 at Regina

Oct. 27 vs. Manitoba

MANITOBA BISONS

Sept. 1 at UBC

Sept. 8 vs. Saskatchewan

Sept. 15 vs. Calgary

Sept. 22 vs. Alberta

Sept. 28 at Regina

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 12 at Saskatchewan

Oct. 20 vs. UBC

Oct. 27 at Calgary

REGINA RAMS

Sept. 1 at Calgary

Sept. 7 vs. UBC

Sept. 14 at Alberta

Sept. 21 at Saskatchewan

Sept. 28 vs. Manitoba

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 13 at UBC

Oct. 19 vs. Calgary

Oct. 26 vs. Alberta

SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES

Aug. 31. 1 vs. Alberta

Sept. 8 at Manitoba

Sept. 15 at UBC

Sept. 21 vs. Regina

Sept. 29 at Calgary

Oct. 6 — bye

Oct 12 vs. Manitoba

Oct. 20 at Alberta

Oct. 26 vs. UBC

PLAYOFFS

Nov. 3 — Canada West semifinals (4@1, 3@2)

Nov. 10 — Canada West Final (Hardy Cup) winners at highest finisher

Nov.16-17 — CIS semifinals (Mitchell Bowl CW at OUA, AUS at RSEQ)

Nov. 23 — Vanier Cup

GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (note — GNAC Sports has preliminary versions of all of its schedules through 2021 online)

SIMON FRASER CLAN

Aug. 30 — Pacific*

Sept. 8 — Central Washington

Sept. 15 — at Humboldt State

Sept. 22 — at Western Oregon

Sept. 29 — Dixie State

Oct. 6 — Azusa Pacific

Oct. 13 — at Central Washington

Oct. 20 — Western Oregon

Oct. 27 — at Dixie State

Nov. 3 — Humboldt State

Nov. 10 — at Azusa Pacific

(*indicates non-conference game; all home games at SFU’s Terry Fox Field)