Danielle Franada and Liam Hawel named StFX student-athletes of the year

Chloe Oleksiuk, Alyssa Spridgeon and Bailey Wasdal honoured as Community X-Cellence Award winners

ANTIGONISH, NS --- The StFX Athletic Department honored the athletic accomplishments of their varsity athletes this week at the Athletic Awards Gala held Friday evening at the Amelia Saputo Centre. X-Women Rugby fullback Danielle Franada was named the StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year, while X-Men Hockey forward Liam Hawel received StFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year honors. The StFX Female Community X-Cellence award was co-awarded to Chloe Oleksiuk (X-Women Hockey) and Alyssa Spridgeon (X-Women Soccer), while Bailey Wasdal from X-Men Football was the winner of the StFX Male Community X-Cellence award.

Danielle (Dani) Franada is a fifth year business student from Grande Prairie, Alta., playing fullback with the AUS champion X-Women Rugby team. Playing in all six regular season games for the X-Women, she scored four tries and booted 28 conversions for 76 points, leading the AUS this season in scoring. Franada was honoured for her efforts as the AUS most valuable player and was an AUS all-star for the second time in her career. She also received recognition at the national level as a U SPORTS first team all-Canadian. Dani currently sits fourth overall in the AUS record book for most career points scored with 273. With 28 conversions in the 2021 season, and 104 throughout her career, she is also tied for the most career conversions in AUS history.

Franada becomes the seventh X-Women Rugby athlete to be named the StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year and first since Joanna Alphonso in 2019. Previous winners include Emma Taylor (2015), Tyson Beukeboom (2013, 2012), Ghislaine Landry (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007), Michelle Tremere (2004) and Danielle Goulet (2003, 2002).

Liam Hawel is a first year business student from Arnprior, Ont., playing forward with the U SPORTS national bronze medalist X-Men Hockey team. In his AUS debut, Liam played in all 24 games this season and led the conference in points (37), goals (18) and assists (19) and had the third highest plus/minus rating at +16. He scored the second-most goals and the third-most points in the country. He racked up many accolades both regionally and nationally as he was honoured as an AUS first team all-star, AUS all-rookie, AUS rookie of the year and AUS most valuable player. At the U SPORTS level Liam took home the rookie of the year award, was named to the U SPORTS all-rookie team and was a first team all-Canadian.

Hawel becomes the 11^th X-Men Hockey athlete to win the StFX Student-Athlete of the Year award and first since Eric Locke in 2016. Previous winners include Stuart MacRae (2007), Patrick Grandmaitre (2005), Brad Peddle (1999), Shawn Silver (1998), Dale McTavish (1995), Al MacIsaac (1991), Dave Purcell (1988, 1987, 1986), Fred Cuvelier (1978) and Peter MacKenzie (1977).

Chloe Oleksiuk (X-Women Hockey) is presented with the Female Community X-Cellence Award from Vice President Andrew Beckett

Chloe Oleksiuk is a second year Science & Health student from Winnipeg, Man., and a forward with the X-Women Hockey team. She was the president of the WUSC Student Refugee program at StFX this past year where she played a key role in supporting current student refugee program students, and working to bring in more students to help create better lives for themselves. She helped lead a major event titled Call to Action: Afghanistan to spread awareness of the events that have been occurring in Afghanistan and bring an Afghan student to STFX.

Chloe served as the junior fundraiser chair of the StFX health society, and was the fundraising chair of the StFX Best Buddies executive. She is a volunteer skating instructor and volunteers for Camp Quality, a national charitable organization that provides camp experiences for children affected by cancer and blood disorders. Chloe served on the executive of the StFX Student-Athlete Advisory Council as one of the Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative co-chairs where she played a key role in organizing activities during Bell Let's Talk Week.

Alyssa Spridgeon (X-Women Soccer) is presented with the Female Community X-Cellence Award from Vice President Elizabeth Yeo

Alyssa Spridgeon is a fourth year Arts student from Whitby, Ont., and a goaltender with the X-Women Soccer team. She was the head coach for both the Antigonish Celtics U11 girl's competitive team and U11 recreational program where she received the Isherwood MacDonald Youth Coach Award for 2021. With the emergence of the pandemic, Alyssa founded the Xaverian Pen Pal Project, a volunteer-driven project to connect students and seniors through pen pal-style communication. It was expanded to include a holiday card event, and the program was adopted by the Richmond County Regional Health Board.

Alyssa also serves as a peer support program shift lead and has various roles with sexual violence prevention. She is the co-chair for the X-Out Sexual Violence Committee, is a Waves of Change bystander intervention training facilitator, organizer for the Take Back the Night Rally and serves on the Waves of Change Provincial Advisory committee, StFX Sexual Violence Response committee, and Antigonish International Women's Week planning committee. She is on the McKenna Centre organizing committee and is a volunteer tutor with the Antigonish County Adult Learning Association.

Bailey Wasdal is a fifth year business student from Calgary, Alta. who is a quarterback with the X-Men Football team. This past year he served as the society treasurer for the WUSC Student Refugee program at StFX and for the past two years was on the executive of the Student Athlete Advisory Council as a community involvement co-chair. A graduate of the STFX leadership academy, Bailey was the founder and coordinator of the Kevin's Corner breakfast program at the university, which he hopes his teammates will carry on a legacy piece that continues to serve StFX students as he moves on. He was also a host of the X-Connects podcast where he interviewed alumni, and participated in the 'Look Up More' outdoor art show on campus last fall, learning about art and its positive effects on mental health and awareness.

Director of Athletics & Recreation Leo MacPherson presents X-Men Football head coach Gary Waterman with the 2022 STFX Coach of the Year award.

Gary Waterman is the winner of the 2022 STFX Coach of the Year award. In his 13^th season behind the helm of the X-Men Football program, Coach Waterman was awarded the AUS football coach of the year award for the fourth time in his career. He led the X-Men to an undefeated 6-0 regular season record, first place in the conference standings and a 2-0 record in AUS postseason play, including winning the AUS championship banner and securing s berth in the U SPORTS national semifinal game.

In regular season competition, Coach Waterman's X-Men led the conference in scoring (193), points per game (32.2), yards per game (407.8), passing yards (1423), passing touchdowns (10), rushing touchdowns (6), field goals (15-22), sacks (16) and defensive interceptions (13). Ten of his X-Men players were named to the 2021 AUS all-star team and three were U SPORTS all-Canadians.

Vice President, Finance & Operations Andrew Beckett accepts the STFX X-Ceptional Award from Leo MacPherson

The StFX Athletics 'X-Ceptional Award' which recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to contribute in a positive manner to StFX Athletics, was awarded to STFX Vice President, Finance and Administration, Mr. Andrew Beckett. Mr. Beckett oversees Athletics in his extensive portfolio, having joined the university senior administration eight years ago. A tremendous asset, he has been a champion, protector and promoter of many the university's and athletic department's strategic objectives and priorities. He will be retiring this summer and Director of Athletics Leo MacPherson notes, "We very much appreciate Andrew's commitment to excellence, accountability, transparency and leadership. I am personally indebted to him for his guidance, direction and support of our work to not only build Leaders & Champions, but to also build community on and off campus.  He understands the value proposition of athletics and he has helped make us a stronger, more accountable and high performing department."

STFX Athletics honored its 2020-21 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians, those student-athletes who achieved an 80% average or above while consuming a year of eligibility competing for a varsity team. The total of 103 Academic All-Canadians, including 38 male and 65 female student-athletes, was the highest ever total, exceeding the previous record of 96 set in both 2019-20 and 2017-18. Eleven student-athletes earned the distinction of being a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians for four years. In addition, former X-Women Cross Country/Track runner Jane Hergett was honoured as one of eight elite national U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadians, receiving commendation from U SPORTS earlier this year.

The Athletic Director's awards for academic achievement, presented to the top StFX male and female academic student-athletes were Amy Graham from the X-Women hockey team who received the award for the third consecutive year, along with X-Men Cross Country/Track runner Aidan Doherty, a first-time winner.

All student-athletes who consumed their first year of eligibility were recognized and received their traditional StFX varsity pin from their respective head coaches. X-Men and X-Women student-athletes who received AUS and U SPORTS accolades were recognized for their achievements as StFX Athletics produced 43 AUS all-stars, five AUS all-rookies, 12 AUS major awards winners, 12 U SPORTS all-Canadians, four U SPORTS all-rookies, and three U SPORTS major award winners this past varsity season. Three StFX teams – X-Men Football, X-Women Rugby and X-Women Cross Country – were AUS conference champions this past season, and the X-Men Hockey team were U SPORTS bronze medalists. Four STFX runners were crowned as individual track AUS champions, along with the X-Women 4x800m relay team. Individual champions were Siona Chisholm (1500m, 3000m) and Aidan MacDonald (600m, 1000m), with Chisholm also earning the AUS cross country individual champion crown.  

Graduating student therapists and sports performance interns, along with student managers from all StFX varsity teams were recognized for their contributions to the 2021-22 varsity season. Iron X Awards were handed out to members of each team for their dedication to sports performance and improvements in the varsity weight room and included the following:

Individual awards for each varsity team were awarded to student-athletes and presented by each head coach. The winners are as follows.

Photo credits - Bryan Kennedy