Inspirational athletes and committed coaches were honored at the 51st Annual Athletic Awards Banquet on Friday evening, March 27.
It was an exceptional season for the Dal Agricultural Campus Rams having earned an聽Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association (ACAA) Championship, an AIEL Championship (undefeated), 10 ACAA All-Conference athletes, an ECHO Challenger winner, two coaches selected as ACAA Coach of the Year and five聽Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadians.
鈥淚 want to speak for the entire department in saying how proud we are of our student-athletes, teams, coaches and the competitive spirit displayed by everyone throughout the year,鈥� said Athletics Director Judy Smith.
Highlights of the banquet include the presentation of the Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards and the Contribution Award.
The 2014-15 Contribution award was presented to Harris Bakker. Over the past four years Harris has always taken the time to lend a hand and help others. While participating in varsity sport, he assisted with facility prep and cleanup for both practices and competitions. He assisted teammates in learning sport skills and helped guide rookies both in the sport and with academic and campus questions.
This year he was instrumental in the success of recreation, intramurals and house challenges 鈥� including the Sport Marathon. He was聽keen to promote all athletic events, encouraging people to participate. In addition he attends events with a huge smile on his face asking 鈥渉ow can I help?鈥澛�
This year鈥檚 Female Athlete of the Year is Sam Fanning.聽 Sam has been a valuable part of her sport program for three years.聽 She has been selected as Team Rookie of the Year and twice Team MVP. She has been an ACAA All-Conference selection all three years and was also selected as a CCAA Athlete of the Month. Her stats this year place her in the top three in the ACAA in two categories. Her coach describes her as 鈥渁 great athlete and leader, very coachable and one of the nicest athletes I have had the pleasure of coaching; she totally exemplifies what a student-athlete should be.鈥� She is team captain and this year鈥檚 team MVP.
The 2015 Male Athlete of the Year has also shown exceptional skill in his sport over his four year career on campus. Craig MacEachern has been described as the foundation for the growth of the team during his time with the program. He has been Team Rookie, twice Team MVP, twice ACAA All-Conference, All Academic Athlete all four years, twice a CCAA Academic All-Canadian and this year the recipient of the ACAA Bob Coe Award. He is also team captain and is a leader on and off the field.
Complete list of major award winners
HUSTLE Award
Badminton Ryland Murphy
Rugby (w) Kaylee Little
Soccer (m) Nathan Hill听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽
Soccer (w) Rachel Hirtle
Volleyball (w) Thea McLachlin
Woodsmen (m) Tyler Van Oirschot
Woodsmen (w) Kamryn Findlay
MIP (Most Improved Player) Award
Badminton Danielle Albers
Rugby (w) Jill Bent
Soccer (m) Scott Marrison
Soccer (w) Alea Power
Volleyball (w) Jackie McClelland
Woodsmen (m) James MacDonald
Woodsmen (w) Mandy Smith
ROOKIE Award
Badminton Andrew Sytsma
Rugby (w) Katie McQueen听听听听听听听听聽聽
Soccer (m) Richard MacNevin
Soccer (w) Cora Sharp and Emily Merks
Volleyball (w) Alex Jackson
Woodsmen (m) Connor Morse
Woodsmen (w) Melanie Bos
Equestrian Becca MacSwain
Cross Country Hannah Arseneault
Golf Brette Holland听听听听听听听听
DAL AC All Academic Athletes听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽
Athletes who have demonstrated excellence in academics and athletics, achieving GPA of 3.7 or above for "Honors" and a position on a Team (1st semester).
Badminton
Ryland Murphy
Harris Bakker
Berdien Bakker
Danielle Albers
Zong Lin Ong (Jaymee)
Rugby
Jocelyn Manley
Katie McQueen (Rugby and Equestrian)
Emma Murray
Shannon Peck
Kathleen Sterritt
Cassie Stupart
Amy Unicomb
Soccer
Jonathan Bent
Josh Hamlin
Craig MacEachern
Josiah McNutt
Leah Cook
Brette Holland (Soccer and Golf)
Emily Merks
Sydney Sprenger
Volleyball
Alexandria Jackson
Jackie McClelland
Woodsmen
Angus Gibson
Justin Dean
Nathan Little
Connor Morse
Kayla Graham
Kamryn Findlay
Jaylene Woodworth
Eilish Conners
Alix Kusch
Mandy Smith
Melissa Baxter
Cross Country
Oscar Moyles
Hannah Arseneault
Anetta Arends
Morgan Morash
Lindsay Cameron (Cross Country and Golf)
Equestrian
Eric Pace
Chelsea Tuff-Hopkie
ACAA All-Conference 2014-15
Soccer
Emily Merks 鈥� 2nd team
Cora Sharp 鈥� 1st team
Craig MacEachern 鈥� 2nd team
Chris Morash 鈥� 1st team
Bob Coe Award
Craig MacEachern
Badminton
Coach of the Year:聽 Richard Bennicke
Rugby
Whitney Shaver 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
Katie McQueen 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
Jill Bent聽聽聽
Volleyball
Sam Fanning
Cross Country
Hannah Arseneault (Gold Medalist and Women鈥檚 Champion for 2014)
Oscar Moyles
Coach of the Year:聽聽 Joy Galloway-Jones
Golf
Brette Holland
ACAA Women鈥檚 Golf Champions: Brette Holland and Lindsay Cameron
CILA (Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Assoc.)
ECHO Challenge
Winner: Kayla Graham
CCAA Academic All Canadians
SIRC (Sport Information Resource Centre) and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) are proud to announce the 2014-15 SIRC-CCAA Academic All Canadian Award recipients.
The SIRC-CCAA Academic All Canadian Award is the CCAA鈥檚 most prestigious student-athlete award, epitomizing their mandate of recognizing excellence in academics and athletics. To achieve this honour, a student-athlete must be named to his/her respective Conference All-Star teams (first or second) in a CCAA Sport, and must achieve a GPA standing of 3.7 or higher (honours average, first semester).
Craig MacEachern (Soccer)
Emily Merks (Soccer)
Brette Holland (Golf)
Oscar Moyles (Cross Country)
Hannah Arseneault (Cross Country)
Fourth-Year Varsity Athletes
Harris Bakker (Badminton)
Leah Cook (Soccer)
Brittany Green (Soccer)
Craig MacEachern (Soccer)
Willem Schepp (Soccer)
Brad Elliott (Woodsmen)
Kayla Graham (Woodsmen)
Fifth-Year Varsity Athletes
Breagh Ross (Woodsmen)
Robert Matheson (Soccer)
MVP Awards (voted by team)
Badminton Luke MacKinnon
Rugby (w) Whitney Shaver
Soccer (m) Chris Morash
Soccer (w) Leah Cook
Volleyball (w) Sam Fanning
Woodsmen (m) Thomas Henderson听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽聽聽
Woodsmen (w) Kayla Graham
Equestrian Club Eric Pace听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽聽
Cross Country Oscar Moyles
Golf Lindsay Cameron
Contribution Award
Harris Bakker
Outstanding Athlete Awards
KS Marchant Award 鈥� presented to the student athletes with highest GPA In Degree and Technology carrying a minimum of 4 courses, 1st semester.
顿别驳谤别别:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Berdien Bakker (Badminton)
Katie McQueen (Rugby and Equestrian)
Josiah McNutt (Soccer)
Connor Morse (Woodsmen)
Hannah Arseneault (Cross Country
Technology:
Alix Kusch (Woodsmen)