The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association, with support from Manitoba’s Credit Unions, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023-2024 Manitoba’s Credit Unions High School Scholar Athlete Awards. These $2,000 scholarships are awarded to four graduating high school student athletes who maintained a minimum 85% average and competed in at least two interscholastic sports. Other criteria included school, community, volunteer, and citizenship activities.
The presentation took place at a ceremony hosted by Her Honour, the Honourable Anita R. Neville, P.C., O.M., Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba at Government House. Awards were presented by the Lieutenant Governor, MHSAA Executive Director Chad Falk, and Tim Klassen of Manitoba’s Credit Unions.
The four student athletes awarded $2,000 scholarships were:
Griffin Carnelley of Carman Collegiate – Griffin participated in cross country, soccer, volleyball, hockey, basketball, badminton and track and field while maintaining a 99% academic average. He was team captain of the volleyball team and named the Carman Collegiate Varsity Male Athlete of the Year. In badminton he was the 2022 Zone 4 champion and finalist for 2023 and 2024. He has podium finishes for several sports including the AA hockey provincials in 2024 and A-AAA cross country in 2023-24.
Griffin is also involved in school activities such as the robotics club, enviro club, concert band, regional honour band, drama club, youth in philanthropy and student council. He was also the grade 7/8 boys volleyball coach in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Danika Nell of Institut Collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate – holds academic average of 97.4% while participating in basketball, volleyball and fast pitch. She is a graduating all-star for volleyball, member of the volleyball all-Manitoba team and ranked as a Winnipeg Free Press Top Ten Player in grade 12. In fast pitch she was part of three provincial champion teams, declared provincial MVP three years in a row and the Boissevain Collegiate Institute Female athlete of the year 2022. Danika was selected to play for the Canadian U18 softball team in a World Cup qualifying tournament in Columbia where her team finished with a silver medal and will play with the National team again in Dallas later this summer in the WBSC World Cup Group Stage.
She also takes the time to give to the community of both sport and her city. She volunteers with the Osborne Village clean up, is a peer tutor at Massey and coaches/mentors younger athletes in both volleyball and softball. Danika plans to become a doctor, working towards a medical degree while playing Division I softball at Boston University.
Raylyn Koshowski of Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary – Raylyn participated in curling, mixed soccer, female soccer, badminton, mixed badminton, basketball, rugby and track and field. Outside of high school sports she plays hockey with the Grand Plains Ice Dogs AA U18 female hockey program. She’s been the recipient of the Most Improved Player Award for the school soccer team in 2022, the Spirit Award for Female Rugby in 2023, the Most Valuable Player on the JV Girls Badminton team in 2022 and was part of the Rugby Girls Champions team in 2023.
She maintained an academic average of 98% and was involved in student council, safe grad committee, mentorship committee, choir, concert band, jazz band, and the Mountain View School Division Student Voice. She is a volunteer at the Dauphin City Council Youth committee, Regional Connections, Under One Roof, Food Bank, Parade of Lights, Dauphin Minor Hockey, Grand Plains Minor Hockey, Dauphin Ochre Band Parents Organization, Dauphin Ag Society, St Viator’s Church, Knights of Columbus and Dauphin Friendship Centre. On top of all sports, activities and volunteering she works a part-time job in the community. Raylyn plans to attend university in the fall to work towards a Bachelor of Science program to pursue a career as a physiotherapist or physician.
Kaiden Dyck of Miami School – Kaiden participated in hockey, golf, cross country, volleyball, curling, badminton, and track and field. In 2022 he was named the Miami School JV Male Athlete of the Year and recognized for outstanding contribution in several sports such as golf, cross country, volleyball, badminton, track and field. He is the team captain for the volleyball team, competed in the track and field provincials in 2022/23 and was named the Most Improved Player on his hockey team.
Kaiden maintained an academic average of 98% while engaging in sports, school activities, community programs and assisting with duties at his family’s farm. At school, Kaiden is a member of student council, grad committee, and the drama club. He is very involved in the church where he assists with the tech committee, church events, worship and bible camp.
