Taran Kozun of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies is one of four male finalists for the 2020 Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards Presented by Makadiff SPORTS, honouring the Athletes of the Year for the 2019-20 season.
It was another dominant season for the Nipawin product, who was a dual award winner, claiming the nation’s Player and Goalie of the Year awards.
Kozun is the first player in U SPORTS history to claim both awards in the same season, since the goaltending honour was introduced in 2009-10. It also marks his second straight Goaltender of the Year award, and he is just the second Huskie to win Player of the Year, joining 2002 winner Jon Barkman.
In addition, Kozun is a two-time First Team All-Canadian and Canada West First Team All-Star.
The former Seattle Thunderbird, who was in is third year of the Arts & Science program at the University of Saskatchewan, led the conference in every major goaltending category, posting a 1.87 goals-against average, .931 save percentage, five shutouts, and 17 wins. Along with those sparkling numbers, the third-year arts and sciences major from Nipawin, Sask., also became just the second goalie in Canada West history to score when he found the net in January against the Calgary Dinos
“He was goalie of the year in the WHL before he came to us (in 2015) and all he has done is continue to get better,” said Huskies head coach Dave Adolph. “With the hard work he puts in it’s not surprising to me that he would be nominated for such a prestigious award.”
Thanks in large part to Kozun’s stellar season, the Huskies won their 11th Canada West title, as the program’s all-time leader in shutouts (11) posted a third consecutive season with a save percentage north of .920.
Prior to suiting up for the Huskies, Kozun stood between the pipes for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies in the 2015-16 season following the conclusion of his junior career during which he starred for both the Kamloops Blazers and Seattle Thunderbirds.
Kozun is the sixth Huskie to be named a finalist for the Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards and first men’s hockey player Derek Hulak in 2014. He will look become the program’s second winner following volleyball player Adam Ens (2004).
The other 2020 nominees for U SPORTS Male Athlete of the Year are; hockey player David Thomson of the Toronto Varsity Blues, Montreal Carabins soccer player Aboubacar Sissoko, and Dalhousie Tigers basketball player Keevan Veinot.
Celebrating their 28th year, the awards are championed once again by His Honour Doug Mitchell and Her Honour, the Honourable Lois Mitchell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
The winners will be determined by a combined vote of the Canadian Athletic Foundation – a not-for-profit board, chaired by His Honour Doug Mitchell – and the public on USPORTS.ca. Voting opens on June 9 and closes on June 20, with results announced on June 25.