The Manitoba Bisons varsity teams have completed another successful  season. In the 2011-12 season, one team (men’s volleyball) returned to  the CIS championship and earned a bronze medal while one team (men’s  hockey) was first in regular season conference standings for the first  time since 1970-71 plus two others teams qualified for post-season  action and one team (track and field) hosted a CIS championship along  with numerous individual accolades plus major conference award winners  and CIS recognition. The Manitoba Bisons distributed their end of the  year hardware at the annual Brown and Gold Year-End Banquet held at Canad Inns - Fort Garry on Saturday, March 31.

Asper School of Business student Dane Pischke was named as Bison Sports Male Athlete of the Year for the 2011-12 season. Pischke had an amazing year both at conference and CIS level in his  fourth year at Manitoba during the 2011-12 season.

• He was selected as team MVP this season.
• In the 2011-12 season, Pischke was CIS First Team All-Canadian and  Canada West First Team All-Star at the right side position plus a CIS  Championship All-Star.
• The fourth year student-athlete was first in CIS with 292 kills plus  first in CIS with 337.5 points in the regular season.
• He earned the best plus/minus among all players at the 2012 CIS  Men’s Volleyball Championship.
• In addition, he was tied for 12th with 164 digs and 13th in CIS  hitting percentage with .295. The Winnipeg native started and played  in all 20 regular season games and also accumulated 65 total blocks,  14 assists and six service aces.
• Pischke was selected Smitty’s Bison Sports Athlete of the Week in  four different occasions (most this year by a Bison).
• Helped the team to a 18-2 regular season record, a Canada West  silver medal and a bronze medal at the 2012 CIS Men’s Volleyball  Championship.

The Student-Athlete Leadership and Community Development Award were  handed out for the sixth time to one female and one male recipient. Fifth year women’s track and field student-athlete Lisa Wong and fifth year track and field student-athlete Travis Toet were this season’s award winners, which highlights their leadership skills, community involvement and also academics and athletics. Both Wong and Toet are Asper students.

Wong was involved in numerous aspects in the community.

• She will be completing her studies at the Asper School of Business  this year.
• Wong is a member of CANU, helping children with promising futures  find the opportunities they require to succeed.
• Amember of UMAC (U of Manitoba Athletes Council) who volunteers  with both the Siloam Mission and Bisons Against Bullying programs over  the years.
• Wong is the captain of her team for a third consecutive season.
• She canvasses for the Canadian Cancer Society.
• Through the Home School Leadership Program, Wong taught kids and  their parents proper running technique, and how to train.
• The Winnipeg native is also a Track and Field coach at her alum high  school at Fort Richmond Collegiate.

Toet finished his Manitoba career being an ambassador outside of university.   He is in his final year at the Asper School of Business.

• Toet is a coordinator of the CANU program for inner city elementary  school kids, helping children with promising futures find the  opportunities they require to succeed.
• He was a Bison Book Buddy.
• Toet has been volunteering with Bisons Against Bullying for the past  three years.
• He was a volunteer at the Canadian Junior Track & Field  Championships hosted at U of Manitoba this past summer.
• Toet volunteered with political campaigns, including those at the  federal level.
• The Winnipeg native is also helped coach Track & Field at his alum high school, Immanuel Christian School.

Along with the major awards, Bison Sports recognizes team MVPs from  each team, each year. This year, three Asper students were recognized:

• Men’s Hockey – Blair Macaulay
• Women’s Track & Field – Lisa Wong
• Men’s Volleyball – Dane Pischke