Season review: Outstanding rookies

1. Sean Tschigerl, Golden Bears hockey, forward

A draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks. A Western Hockey League (WHL) grad of the month. Canada West first team and all-rookie team all star. Canada West goal leader. Golden Bears points leader. 20-19-39 over 26 games. And a stud on the power play.

Need I say more about Sean Tschigerl?

2. Tyler Palmer, Golden Bears hockey, goalie

It really can’t be understated just how busy Bears’ general manager (GM), Stan Marple, was this summer, but to get the number one rookie goaltender for his team was something else. Maybe that puts him number one on a different list.

For this list though, Tyler Palmer was a) riding the line between first to third in Canada West all season, b) a second team and all rookie team all-star, and c) the Bears’ starter for three games straight, two weekends in a row.

And, oh yah, he dressed as the backup goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers.

3. Kyle Varner, Golden Bears basketball, guard

No one wants to read a story on what-ifs, but Kyle Varner is the biggest what-if the Bears have had all season. He was the closest Bear in almost ten years to break the most points and points per game in a single season by a rookie, surpassing Isaac Simon’s 183 points in 2022-23 with 222 in the same amount of games (20).

Yes, the Bears’ large rookie class struggled this season, as will happen when a large group of 18 year olds move up a league. But a couple seasons from now, when Varner and his team have matured their game, they’ll be something to watch.

4. Marc Lajoie, Golden Bears hockey, defensemen

Marc Lajoie is easily the biggest offensive player on the Bears’ backend (6 feet, 6 inches), and there’s a reason why his GM is shocked he hasn’t been offered a pro contract — yet. And that’s a very big yet.

Give Lajoie a couple seasons to improve his skating and his 0.89 points per game (5-20-25), and he might get closer to the natural hat-trick level performance he recorded against MacEwan.

5. Brett Hyland, Golden Bears hockey, forward

Another draft pick. Another WHL grad of the month. Another Canada West all-rookie, and second team, all star. 13-20-33 over 21 games. A recorded hat-trick against the Canada West champions earlier this season. A rocket on the penalty kill — when he’s not the one taking them — and a power play star during playoffs too.

He was the league leader in points per game despite being injured for a month and a half, from which he needed only one adjustment game upon return.

Again, need I say more about Brett Hyland?

6. Nash Semeniuk, Golden Bears basketball, guard

Nash Semeniuk is nothing but potential for the Bears.

194 points over 445 minutes. 73 field goals, with 31 three point field goals. Two 27 and 23 point games.

The only blemish on an otherwise solid record seems to be an end to his 11-game point streak in the play-ins — which didn’t cause — but didn’t help his team’s loss to Thompson Rivers on February 21 either.

7. Owen Harris, Golden Bears volleyball, middle

“He’s a dog, which is fun to watch,” Bears’ head coach, Brock Davidiuk said.

Owen Harris is a dog. With a .502 hitting percentage post-semester break, Harris was the only rookie to consistently start in each match for the Bears, including all playoff games, more than earning his 89 points in 19 games and status as a Canada West all rookie team all-star.

8. Ty Nash, Golden Bears Hockey, forward

Ty Nash (8-7-15) started out like a house on fire, at least in pre-season.

He’s not the biggest player for the Bears, clocking in at a self-proclaimed 5 feet, 11 inches, but it didn’t seem to matter. He was just that good.

That is until Hyland returned from the Washington Capitals training camp and Nash got forced down the lineup — his ice time went with it. Not on purpose, this stuff just happens in hockey.

But months later and a playoff push in, you’re almost glad it did. Nash added some much needed depth to the Bears’ fourth line, albeit in more of a defensive game (only plus-two), and an extra guy on the man-advantage.

9. Jarvis Page, Golden Bears volleyball, setter

First years seldom get the chance to start on either volleyball team. Partly due to the limited number of spots available — six ain’t a lot — and partly due to the skill of senior players.

But every now and then, a certain setter — Jarvis Page — records some time in the Canada West championship game on March 8, demonstrating some confidence from his head coach, the same man who’s only ever described him as “laid back.”

It’s not an insult, the opposite in fact. You want your setter to let things go, to work hard and focus on what’s next, not what just happened.

10. Holly Magnus, Pandas hockey, forward

Holly Magnus had been rotated in and out of the lineup, no doubt. And part of that has to do with head coach Howie Draper’s respect for seniority on a team that’s likely the last for most of these players. I think we can all respect that.

So with the limited ice time Magnus has acquired, her value to the team, and potential development, cannot be overlooked. A couple years from now, she’ll be more than just a rotational player on the bottom six.

Note that all Pandas teams had a relatively small recruitment year compared to Bears hockey (11) and Bears basketball (7), making the quantity of players from teams who don’t typically start rookies significantly smaller.