MONTREAL — Rowan Birrell was named the team's most valuable player as the McGill University men's lacrosse team held its annual awards gala Tuesday at the Faculty Club.
 
Birrell, 6-foot-2 attackman and from North Vancouver, B.C., is a biology senior in the Faculty of Science. A graduate of Argyle Secondary School, he previously played for the Burnaby Lakers junior A program.
 
Goaltender Brennan Visokey of Glen Rock, N.J., received the rookie of the year award. The 18-year-old materials engineering freshman, became the first McGill goaltender to merit all-star status in his rookie campaign. The 5-foot-11, 172-pound netminder started six of the team's 10 regular-season games and posted a 4-1 record. He logged 295 minutes, allowing 32 goals for a 4.88 goals-against average.
 
The most improved player award went to Luke Nickel, 19, a 5-foot-10, 167-pound arts sophomore from Toronto, who earned CUFLA East all-star honours as a faceoff specialist, winning 65 per cent of his draws. He added one assist and only had two penalty minutes in 10 regular season contests.
 
Adrian Simons was named most sportsmanlike player. The 6-foot-2 midfielder from Cranbrook, B.C., is a senior majoring in anatomy and cell biology.
 
The most dedicated player award, for the third straight year, went to Maverick Hoziel of Laval, Que., who received the Evans Huber Memorial Award, named in honour of a former graduate who died tragically at the age of 24 when struck by lightning in 2007. Hoziel, a 6-foot midfielder, is an electrical engineering senior.
 
The Baggataway Award for most impactful graduating senior resulted in a tie between brothers Jack Buzby and Ben Buzby of New Jersey. Jack, a 6-foot midfielder from Boonton Township, is a fifth-year political science senior who merited CUFLA East all-star status. His younger brother Ben, a 6-foot-2 defender, is a finance senior in the Desautels Faculty of Management.
 
Christopher Koran received the Bell Ringer Award as the team's most physical player. Koran, from Longmeadow, Mass., is a 5-foot-11 junior midfielder studying computer science and biology..
 
The soiree was capped off with head coach Nicolas Soubrey presented game jerseys to the team's 10 seniors who are graduating and not expected back, a group that includes Christopher Koran, Joshua Jewell, Owen Howard, Kyle Glick, Mark Symon, John Miraglia, Adrian Simons, Ben Buzby, Jack Buzby and Henry Komosa.
 
The team posted a 9-3 overall record, including an 8-2 first-place finish atop the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association's East Division. The Redbirds rallied to win a first-round playoff game 11-10 in overtime against Ottawa to qualify for its fourth consecutive appearance at the league semifinal for the Baggataway Cup championship tournament in Brampton, Ont. But the dream season came to a sudden end with a 15-12 setback to Nipissing. Five members of the team were named as CUFLA East all-stars — Joshua Jewell, Brennan Visokey, Luke Nickel, Jack Buzby and Jake Brady.
 
 
McGill Redbirds Lacrosse 2025 Team Awards
Most Valuable Player (Tim Murdoch Award): Rowan Birrell
Rookie of the Year: Brennan Visokey
Most Improved Player: Luke Nickel
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Adrian Simons
Most Dedicated Player (Evans Huber Memorial Award): Maverick Hoziel (3rd straight year)
Most Impactful Graduating Senior (Baggataway Award): (tie) Jack Buzby & Ben Buzby 
Most Physical Player (Bell Ringer Award): Christopher Koran
 
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