BURLINGTON, Ont. – For the first time during the 2025-26 season, the University of Guelph has been recognized at the provincial level as part of the 'OUA Athlete of the Week' honours, with not one, but two, Gryphon student-athletes receiving the conference-wide honour.
Gianni Green of the Guelph Gryphons football team and
Olivia Rizakos from the U of G women's soccer team have earned 'OUA Athlete of the Week' honours for the period covering September 22 to 28, 2025. Green and Rizakos were among the four student-athletes from across the OUA to earn the recogniztion, with Grace Miller (Waterloo Warriors - field hockey) and Brady Lidster (Windsor Lancers - football) rounding out the weekly honour.
Gianni Green earned provincial recognition for his U SPORTS record-tying four interception game, while
Olivia Rizakos scored four times and had two assists in a pair of wins for the No. 8 nationally-ranked Gryphons women's soccer team.
OUA Athletes of the Week (Sept. 22 - 28, 2025)
| Gianni Green |
Football, Guelph Gryphons |
| Brady Lidster |
Football, Windsor Lancers |
| Grace Miller |
Field Hockey, Waterloo Warriors |
| Olivia Rizakos |
Women's Soccer, Guelph Gryphons |
Gianni Green (Football)
Gianni Green has been named 'OUA Athlete of the Week' following
his record-tying performance in the Gryphons 55-28 road win over the Carleton Ravens. The fourth-year defensive back was a ball hawk throughout the game, recording a career-high four interceptions in a game. Green's four interceptions ties an OUA and U SPORTS record for the most interceptions by a player in a single game, with just three other players having accomplished the feat (most recently, McMaster's Joey Cupido back in 2011). The Mississauga native got his team on the board first when he picked off Carleton quarterback Tristan Lefebvre and
returned it back 61-yards for a pick-six for the game's opening score. For Green, it was his second career pick-six after also taking one back against the Ravens last season when he returned one 74-yards for a touchdown. The arts major would
climb the ladder for his second INT,
followed by a nice diving interception for his third INT of the game, and was in perfect position to
grab his fourth pick of the game to cap off his unforgettable day helping lead his team to victory. Green's four interception performance moves him to the top of the OUA leaderboard in that category. Green and the Gryphons football team are back home this Saturday (Oct. 4) for their Homecoming game when they host the Queen's Gaels at 1pm.
Olivia Rizakos (Women's Soccer)
Olivia Rizakos' sensational play in 2025 continued this past week as she has been named 'OUA Athlete of the Week.' The Toronto native continued her torrid goal scoring pace in 2025, scoring four times in her team's two victories in their home-and-home with the Waterloo Warriors over the weekend. Rizakos scored a pair of goals in her team's 4-1 home win on Friday night (Sept. 26) and carried that momentum over to the rematch on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 28) at Warrior Field where she scored twice more and assisted on two other goals in the Gryphons 5-2 win. The psychology major has scored or assisted in 8 of her team's 9 matches as her side currently share the OUA West Division lead with a record of 7-1-1. Rizakos is currently tied for the U SPORTS lead for the most goals scored with 10 on the season. Rizakos also leads the country with has 8 assists and 18 points on the season. Rizakos and the rest of the Gryphons women's soccer team are back on the pitch this weekend in an OUA West Division top-of-the-table showdown as they battle the Western Mustangs. The first game gets underway on Friday night (Oct. 3) at the Gryphon Soccer Complex with the second matchup taking place in London on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 5).
Guelph Gryphons named OUA Athletes of the Week in 2025-26
