Beukeboom & Marousek named StFX student-athletes of the year

April 11, 2012

ANTIGONISH, NS --- The StFX Athletic Department honored the athletic accomplishments of their varsity athletes Wednesday evening at their annual awards gala at the Charles V. Keating Centre. X-Men soccer forward Michael Marousek was named the StFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year, while X-Women rugby athlete Tyson Beukeboom was awarded StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year honors. The StFX Female Community X-Cellence award was presented to Jamee George of the X-Women rugby team, while X-Men soccer athlete Miroslav Novak and X-Men cross country and track runner Zachary MacDonald were co-winners of the StFX Male Community X-Cellence award.

Michael Marousek is a fifth year human kinetics student from Prague, Czech Republic. He becomes the two-time consecutive StFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year, having won the same honor last season. Michael is a three-time X-Men soccer MVP and earned his second consecutive nod this season as a CIS first team all-Canadian. The captain of the X-Men, he was second in the AUS conference scoring with 12 on the season and will graduate from StFX this spring as the all-time leading goal scorer in X-Men soccer history with 43 goals over five seasons. Michael also sits third overall on the all-time AUS career goal scoring list. He rounds out his StFX career as a five-time AUS all-star and was the 2011 AUS nominee for the prestigious BLG award which recognizes the top athletes in the country.

Michael remains the fourth X-Men soccer player in StFX history to be named Male Student-Athlete of the Year, following up on his award last year. Former X-Men soccer athletes to earn the same accolade include Trevor Reddick in 1994, Glen MacDougall in 1989 and StFX University President Dr. Sean Riley in 1974.

Tyson Beukeboom is a third year human kinetics student from Uxbridge, Ont. Playing in the number eight position on the rugby pitch, Tyson was honored as the AUS Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, helping to lead her team to their 14th consecutive AUS championship title. Tyson was named an AUS all-star for the second time in her career, and she also earned recognition as a two-time consecutive CIS all-Canadian. Her X-Women team has appeared in the CIS championship final all three years she has played at StFX, taking home two silver medals and gold in 2010. Tyson was named a CIS tournament all-star at this year’s national championship.

Tyson becomes the fourth X-Women rugby player to win the StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year award, joining four-time winner Ghislaine Landry (2007-2010), along with Michelle Tremere (2004) and Danielle Goulet (2002 and 2003).

Miroslav (Mira) Novak is a fifth year human kinetics student from Prague, Czech Republic and was the co-president of the Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT). A key organizer of the ‘X Athletes for Charity’ event, this X-Men soccer defender also volunteered his time with several other fundraising initiatives including the Tim Horton’s Cupful of Care event for the local hospital foundation, Relay for Life, Height of Hunger event for the local food bank, StFX Athletics’ prostate cancer awareness and fundraiser event and the SALT dodgeball and floor hockey tournaments. Mira lends his time as a volunteer soccer coach for the X-Men soccer junior academy and local U16 boys team and has coached at the annual StFX soccer camp. He has volunteered with StFX ‘Fit 4 Life’ and ‘Fit 4 Tots’ programs that promote physical activity for local kids and has volunteered with the local Naomi Society, raising awareness during Family Violence Prevention Week. Other events at StFX that he has contributed his time to include ‘Culture Shock’ event, presented the international community, and the StFX German Day.

Zachary (Zach) MacDonald is a third year science student from Ardness, N.S. Co-winner of the StFX Male Community X-Cellence award with Mira Novak, Zach was the 2011-12 recipient of both the cross country and track and field AUS student-athlete community service awards, honoring his contributions to extra-curricular activities. The co-president of the StFX physics society, Zach has volunteered his time providing free, weekly tutorials to fellow students. He volunteers weekly with L’Arche Cornerstone, assisting with physically and mentally disabled adults. A member of the StFX Student-Athlete Leadership Team, Zach lent his time to the Tim Horton’s Cupful a Care fundraiser and has been a ‘Run, Jump, Throw’ track and field volunteer instructor. Zach was also the StFX nominee for the AUS James Bayer award which recognized athletics, academics and community involvement.

Jamee George is a fourth year human kinetics student from Brandon, Man. and a member of the X-Women rugby team. She was the co-president of the StFX Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) and was a key organizer in several of the committee’s fundraising events this past season including the annual ‘X Athletes for Charity’ event and the dodgeball tournament with funds being generated for the Make a Wish Foundation. Jamee volunteered with the Tim Horton’s Cupful of Care fundraiser, the Keystone Christmas dinner, Halloween safe crossing program, and was a weekly volunteer with StFX’s X-Project organization. She was the 2010 winner of the CIS rugby student-athlete community service award.

Gail MacDougall was honored as the recipient of the StFX Athletics ‘X-Ceptional Award,’ which recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond their responsibilities and contributes in a positive manner to StFX Athletics. The local sports editor for The Casket newspaper, not only does she provide extensive sports coverage of all the StFX varsity teams in great detail from pre-season, in-season and through to the conclusion of playoffs, but she reports on the X teams, athletes and coaches in a manner that is professional, respectable and enjoyable for the local readership. Gail has been a constant fixture on the StFX sidelines for over three decades, will brave all types of weather to get her coverage, and is well liked and respected by the varsity athletes and coaching staff.

Two StFX varsity teams, one track and field relay team, four individual track and field athletes and one X-Men cross country athlete received their traditional varsity ‘X’s in honor of their AUS championships from this past season. AUS championship teams included the X-Women rugby and X-Men cross country teams, while the X-Women 4x800m track and field team was also honored. Individual AUS champions included track and field athletes Susie Lajoie (60m hurdles and triple jump), Kelly MacDonald (3000m), Max Maund (300m) and Connor McGuire (1500m and 3000m). McGuire was also honored as the individual 2011 AUS men’s cross country champion. The X-Women rugby team took home a CIS silver medal, while the X-Men basketball team were CIS bronze medalists.

X-Men and X-Women student-athletes who received AUS and CIS accolades were recognized for their achievements as StFX Athletics produced 37 AUS all-stars, four AUS all-rookies, 11 AUS major awards winners, nine CIS all-Canadians, two CIS all-rookies, four CIS tournament all-stars and one CIS major award winner this past varsity season. All eligible first year student-athletes received their StFX varsity pins.

Student therapists and student managers from all StFx varsity teams were presented with plaques of appreciation for their contributions to the 2011-12 varsity season, with X-Men soccer manager Grace Atkinson and X-Men basketball manager Zach Langlois receiving the male and female student-manager of the year awards. Individual awards for each varsity team were handed out by StFX coaches to the athletes in the categories as listed below.

2012 StFX Athletic Awards Gala – Individual Award Winners

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Rookie of the Year – Vanessa Pickard
Coach’s Award – Kiley Delong
Most Valuable Player (co-awarded) – Kirsten Jones and Donisha Young

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Rookie of the Year – Jessica White
Coach’s Award – Melissa Hardy
Runner of the Year – Natalie Kannenberg

WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Rookie of the Year – Sadie Whaley
Coach’s Award – Sarah Waycott
Most Valuable Player (co-awarded) – Alex Normore and Suzanne Fenerty

WOMEN’S RUGBY
Duffley Rookie of the Year – Sara Kaljuvee
Birks Coaches Award (co-awarded) – Jamee George and Amanda Thornborough
Most Valuable Player – Tyson Beukeboom

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Rookie of the Year – Maura Woodman
Coaches Award – Nicole MacNeil
Most Valuable Player (co-awarded) – Meaghan Ramsden and Maris Miller

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Rookie of the Year – Bridget Brennan
Coach’s Award – Liz O’Connell
Track Athlete of the Year (co-awarded) – Kelly MacDonald and Susie Lajoie

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Rookie of the Year – Kelsey Wolfenden
Most Improved Player – Braelin Rowe
Most Valuable Player – Katherine Ryan

MEN'S BASKETBALL
Rookie of the Year – Marquis Clayton
Most Improved Player – Shane Coupland
Most Valuable Player (co-awarded) – Terry Thomas and Jeremy Dunn

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Rookie of the Year – Riley Johnston
Coach’s Award – Aaron Doucette
Runner of the Year – Connor McGuire

MEN’S FOOTBALL
Rookie of the Year – Ron Omara
Best Defensive Player – Brett Hubbeard
Best Offensive Player – Jordan Catterall
Most Valuable Player – Andrew Hickey

MEN’S HOCKEY
Rookie of the Year – Michael Kirkpatrick
Melanson Top Scorer Award (co-awarded) – Jason Bast and Michael Kirkpatrick
Unsung Hero Award – Murdock MacLellan
Most Valuable Player – Jason Bast

MEN'S SOCCER
Rookie of the Year – Randy Ribeiro
Coaches Award – Ryan Casey
Most Valuable Player – Michael Marousek

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Rookie of the Year – Bryden Tate
Coach’s Award – Max Maund
Track Athlete of the Year – Connor McGuire