Liam Matthews wins 2022-23 Jim Veltman Award as 21U REL most valuable player

TRAC Athletics is proud to announce the 21U Rock Elite League award winners for the league’s 2022-23 regular season and playoffs.

Highlighting this year’s record-breaking season is Team Silver’s Liam Matthews (Penn State/Orangeville Northmen), who won the Jim Veltman Award (MVP), Dan Stroup Award (Postseason MVP), Colin Doyle Award (Scoring Champion) and Blaine Manning Award (Goals Leader), in addition to capturing the 21U REL Cup with Team Silver in recent weeks.

Matthews ties Will MacLeod (Robert Morris/Burlington Blaze) for most awards in a single season, MacLeod honoured with the Stroup, Doyle, Manning and Josh Sanderson (Assists Leader) Awards last year. Like Matthews did earlier this month, MacLeod also won the league title last year.

Other 2022-23 award winners have been revealed on social media (@TRACAthletics) in the days and weeks after this year’s Cup concluded.

The 21U REL Awards were established during the 2021-22 season and named in honour of Toronto Rock legends. The REL’s younger divisions also name an MVP annually.

Due to unprecedented demand, this year’s 21U REL expanded to six teams for the first time in league history. Registration for all REL 2023-24 seasons (U9-21U + U7 Pebbles) will be officially opened later this summer.

Below, see all of this year’s 21U REL award recipients, last year’s inaugural winners, plus all of the players nominated for the Jim Veltman Award over the past two seasons.

21U Rock Elite League Year-End Awards

Jim Veltman Award (MVP)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will Sheehan, Team Kri

Bob Watson Award (Goalie Team of the Year)

2022-23: Oliver Vanyo & Kieran Datars, Team Red
2021-22: Kaleb Martin & Evan Constantopoulos, Team Kri

Pat Coyle Award (Defensive Player of the Year)

2022-23: Ethan Fisher, Team Red & Hayden Hiltz, Team Blue (tied)
2021-22: Ben Wittich, Team Kri

Steve Toll Award: (Transition Player of the Year)

2022-23: Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
2021-22: Isaac Wills, Team Jay

Sandy Chapman Award (Heart & Hustle)

2022-23: Kyle Sterritt, Team Carolina
2021-22: Ty Jesso, Team Kri & Chris Rathwell, Team Rogers (tied)

Colin Doyle Award (Scoring Champion)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Josh Sanderson Award (Assists Leader)

2022-23: Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Blaine Manning Award (Goals Leader)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Terry Sanderson Award (Coaching Staff of the Year)

2022-23: Challen Rogers & DJ Clevely, Team Red
2021-22: Adam Jay & Riley Hutchcraft, Team Jay

Dan Stroup Award (Postseason MVP)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

The Bob Watson Award is be presented to the goalie tandem/team deemed to be the season’s best.

The Sandy Chapman Award is presented to the player(s) that best exemplified the same drive, determination, heart and hustle that Rock defensive legend Sandy Chapman played with during his entire NLL career.

Jim Veltman Award Finalists

2022-23

Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
Ryan Barker, Team Blue
Marcelo Carreiro, Team Silver
Noah Cupples, Team Black
Riley Ford, Team Carolina
Dylan Goddard, Team White
Jacob Janke, Team White
Ty Jesso, Team White
Cohen Jennings, Team Silver
Enrico Lombardo, Team Red
Nolan Marshall, Team Blue
Liam Matthews, Team Silver
Carter Moran, Team Black
Owen Orpana, Team White
Owen Rahn, Team Silver
Chris Rathwell, Team Red
Jameson Steele, Team Carolina
Oliver Vanyo, Team Red
Treyton Weinstein, Team Black
Walker Zabransky, Team Blue

2021-22

Sheldon Broughton, Team Manns
Elijah Edwards, Team Manns
Ty Jesso, Team Kri
Marcus, Keleher, Team Manns
Riley Knox, Team Rogers
Justin Lee, Team Jay
William MacLeod, Team Kri
Kaleb Martin, Team Kri
Connor Pearce, Team Jay
Chris Rathwell, Team Rogers
Ethan Stainton, Team Rogers
Will Sheehan, Team Manns
Jaden Simick, Team Jay
Kyle Sterritt, Team Jay
Aaron Toguri, Team Rogers
Oliver Vanyo, Team Rogers
Nicholas Volkov, Team Manns
Isaac Wills, Team Jay
Ben Wittich, Team Kri
Jake Wright, Team Kri

Silver into Gold: The 21U Rock Elite League 2022-23 Champions #BeElite pic.twitter.com/Dty9J5qrav

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) March 9, 2023