Mount Allison University Honours Top Student Athletes
Mount Allison University held its annual “Night of the Mounties” on Thursday, March 26 to honour its athletes and their special “Mountie Moments” over the past season. It was another stand out year for Mountie athletics and the resurgence of Mountie Pride.
Mount Allison director of athletics and recreation Pierre Arsenault says, “The 2014-15 season has been another memorable year for Mountie athletics. Our student-athletes have competed hard, won games, and captured championships. Furthermore, they have been excellent ambassadors for Mount Allison and have been the embodiment of Mountie Pride.”
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Badminton Mountie GILLIAN TETLOW was named the female athlete of the year.
Gillian Tetlow, from Port Williams, NS, has been a hard-working, extremely successful player this season. She was undefeated in every category of play and, for the third year in a row, she was selected as ACAA Player of the Year and CCAA All-Canadian. This year she finished the 2015 season with an outstanding gritty win at the CCAA National Badminton Championship, winning a bronze medal in mixed doubles. She is a great team player, a role model, a leader by example, and a joy to coach.
Football Mountie BRANDON LEYH was named the male athlete of the year.
It was a unanimous decision in choosing Brandon Leyh, from Westminster, BC, as the male athlete of the year. He is an AUS all-star who led the Football Mounties in a perfect 8-0 regular season. He finished second in passing in the AUS while helping guide the Mounties to their 14th straight AUS victory and back-to-back national semi-final games.
OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR ATHLETES
This award goes to a graduating senior student in a recognized undergraduate degree program who has been a varsity athlete at Mount Allison for a minimum of two years. He/she must have shown extraordinary accomplishments both academically and athletically.
Winning the Outstanding Scholar Athlete Awards this year were Hockey Mountie KATE O’BRIEN and Swimming Mountie ANDREW REEDER.
Kate O’Brien, from Kingston, NS, has seen success both in the classroom and the ice arena. She has played the goalie position in her years at Mount Allison and was a major factor in the team’s play-off run of 2014. Her hard work and determination as a goalie is mirrored by her solid work and efforts as a student.
Andrew Reeder, from Calgary, AB, is a fourth-year Commerce student and is team captain and leader for the Swimming Mounties. He has been an AUS championship medal winner for four years, an AUS champion in 2014, and is a Mount Allison record holder in a number of swimming distances. At the same time, he has proven to be a great student and has maintained above average grades while swimming with the Mounties.
OUTSTANDING SENIOR ATHLETES
Selected as the Outstanding Senior Male Athlete was Badminton Mountie GREG McGUIRE.
The Men’s Outstanding Senior award is the Gus MacFarlane Trophy, which is given to the senior athlete who best exemplifies what a Mount Allison athlete should be.
Greg McGuire, from Summerside, PE, excelled in two sports, and brought a wealth of experience to both teams. In the second term of 2015 and in his final season in badminton, his focus was a national medal. The effort that he put forth this season in both mental preparation and practice saw that goal become a reality with a fourth national appearance and a finish with a bronze medal at the CCAA national badminton championship in mixed doubles.
Selected as the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete was Swimming Mountie MARYA PETERS
The Joy Taylor Memorial was established in 1973 to remember Miss Joy Taylor, a former Director of Women’s Athletics at Mount Allison who was killed in a car accident. This award goes to a student in the senior class who has contributed to athletics in an outstanding manner throughout her athletic career at Mount A and is a candidate for a first degree. Also taken into consideration is her attitude toward competition and sportsmanship.
Over her four years at Mount Allison, Marya Peters, from Sackville, NB, has had an impressive career. In her first year, she was selected overall Rookie of the Year; she has been a team MVP for two years; a team captain for two years; and a national qualifier three of her four years. She has 12 AUS championship medals, holds seven Mount Allison swim team records, and was a three time New Brunswick Swimmer of the Year. She has also been an ACAA Cross country champion and 2015 CCAA All-Canadian.
OVERALL UNIVERSITY ROOKIES OF THE YEAR
Overall University Rookie of the Year honours went to Swimming Mountie OLIVIA FESCHUK and Football Mountie CHRIS REID.
Awarded to students who contribute the most to their teams in their first year of university competition. The nominees are the individual winners from each team as earlier presented.
Olivia Feschuk, from Halifax, NS, was an AUS All-Star earning three medals at the AUS Swim Championships. In her first season with the Mounties she was the lone swimmer to qualify for the CIS National Championship and comes from a strong background in swimming, having been a Canada Games participant.
Chris Reid, from Brampton, ON, had an outstanding first year, selected as AUS Rookie of the Year and 2nd Team CIS All-Canadian. He was 2nd in rushing in the CIS, a three time AUS Player of the Week, and had the AUS highest season rushing yards total since 2007.
GIGI HICKS & GILMOUR SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
The women’s sportsmanship award was presented to Soccer and Hockey Mountie AMANDA VOLCKO.
In 1983, this award was established as a memorial to Miss Virginia Anne (Gigi) Hicks, a graduate of the Class of ’81. Gigi displayed the qualities that this award represents. In the selection, the committee should consider the student’s dedication to the sport primarily, but also give serious consideration to the athlete’s attitude toward competition, degree of improvement, and her continuous contribution to the team.
Fourth-year Hockey Mountie Amanda Volcko, from Halifax, NS, is a third- year student who has been described as a crafty player that makes plays on a top line. She plays hard but clean and honest. She has been an AUS all-star and leads by example on the field with sportsmanship and a concern for her fellow players. Very supportive of younger players, she is a highly respected member of both the soccer and hockey teams.
The men’s sportsmanship award was presented to Soccer Mountie AARON GAGNON.
The Men’s Sportsmanship award was donated by the Paikin family in the name of G. Harvey Gilmour. It is awarded to an individual who puts his heart and soul into practices and games while positively contributing to his team in every way.
Aaron Gagnon, from Maryland, NB, has been a hard-working player with a team first attitude. Over his four years he has played multiple positions and has always given 100% effort. He is described as very coachable and a joy to have on the team.
TEAM MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
Most Valuable team members were: Brandon Leyh (football Overall MVP); Josh Blanchard (football MVP Offence); Kwame Adjei (football MVP Defense); Cale Saunders (soccer); Andrew Reeder (swimming); Kaleefah Henry (basketball); Greg McGuire (badminton); Sydney Umlah (volleyball); Allison Loewen (swimming); Gillian Tetlow (badminton); Emily van Diepen (soccer); Mackenzie Gray (basketball); and Mackenzie Lalonde (hockey).
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