Bridget Brennan and Eric Locke named StFX student-athletes of the year
The StFX Athletic Department honored the athletic accomplishments of their varsity athletes Tuesday evening at their annual awards gala at the Charles V. Keating Centre.
ANTIGONISH, NS --- The StFX Athletic Department honored the athletic accomplishments of their varsity athletes Tuesday evening at their annual awards gala at the Charles V. Keating Centre. X-Women track & field athlete Bridget Brennan was named the StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year, while X-Men hockey forward Eric Locke was awarded StFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year honors. The StFX Male Community X-Cellence award was presented to Nathan Chiarlitti from the X-Men hockey team, while Leah Gouthro (X-Women cross country) and Kayla MacIntyre (X-Women basketball) were co-winners of the StFX Female Community X-Cellence award.
Bridget Brennan is a first year Education student (in her fifth year eligibility) from Beechwood, N.B. who was the MVP of the AUS track & field championship with the second place X-Women. The AUS gold medalist in the 300m sprint, she also won bronze medals in the pentathlon and with the X-Women 4x400m relay team. She placed fourth in the AUS long jump, just off the podium. An AUS first team all-star, Bridget competed at the CIS national championship in the pentathlon, placing sixth overall, and she was 11th nationally in the long jump. She becomes the first exclusive track & field athlete to be named the StFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year and the first since joint track & field/cross country runner Kim Hill won in 2005.
Eric Locke is a third year Human Kinetics student (in his second year eligibility) from Toronto, Ont. who helped lead the X-Men hockey team to their first AUS championship title since 2004. The AUS most valuable player and an AUS first team all-star, he led the team in scoring with 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists) and was third overall in the conference. He received recognition as a CIS first team All-Canadian and was a key member of the X-Men squad who went on to claim the CIS silver medal at the national championship. Eric becomes the ninth X-Men hockey athlete to receive StFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year honors and the first since Patrick Grandmaitre in 2005. His current head coach, Brad Peddle, was also an X-Men hockey StFX Athlete of the Year in 1999.
Leah Gouthro, a second year runner with the X-Women cross country team, is a Human Nutrition student from Hammonds Plains, N.S. The AUS female cross country community service award winner, she has been a volunteer coach with the Thunder Selects basketball program for the past five years, teaching basketball skills to junior high kids. Leah has volunteered at the Antigonish R.K. MacDonald nursing home assisting residents with their daily lives. She has lent her time to the Feed Nova Scotia program, volunteered at Bingo nights at the Bedford Legion, and volunteered at ‘Sunday Suppers’ for the homeless in her hometown. She helped organize the international student banquet at StFX and is a member of the StFX Leadership Academy.
Kayla MacIntyre, a fourth year forward with the X-Women basketball team, will graduate with her BSc Human Kinetics degree this spring. A native of Sydney, N.S., she lent her basketball talents to coaching boys and girls with the Antigonish Minor Basketball Association this past year. She volunteered with the St. James United Church hot meal program, and was involved with the Antigonish Multi-Sport Program, helping out local youth as they were introduced to new sports. In her hometown, Kayla provided assistance in the Occupational Therapy Clinic at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, she volunteered for fundraisers put on by the Transition House Foundation, and lent her time at the MacGillivray Guest Home spending time with residents. She helped out at the Cape Breton Fiddler’s Run and was involved in the StFX Best Buddies program as a buddy with a resident of the L’Arche Home in Antigonish.
Nathan Chiarlitti is a fourth year Human Kinetics student (in his third year eligibility) as a defenseman with the X-Men hockey team. A native of Maple, Ont., Nathan was the recipient of both the AUS Godfrey Award and CIS Dr. Randy Gregg Award, both honoring excellence in community service. A Leader of Distinction with the StFX Leadership Academy, he was a volunteer coach for the Antigonish Minor Hockey Mentorship Program, and founded the Hockey Program of X-Cellence, a peer tutoring program for the X-Men and X-Women teams. Nathan is president of the StFX Coady Society, helping integrate international students into university lifestyle. He volunteers with local religious confirmation classes, is a participant in StFX's Best Buddies program, and has lent his time to L’Arche Horizons, helping teach various classes to individuals with intellectual disabilities. Nathan has also done extensive volunteer work in medical research including thyroid oncology research at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, work with Caisis, the online cancer data management system, as well as data collection for CAPL (Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy).
StFX alumnus Karen Gardiner was honored as the recipient of the StFX Athletics ‘X-Ceptional Award,’ which recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to contribute in a positive manner to StFX Athletics. A 1989 graduate and practicing lawyer with McInnes Cooper in Halifax, she is a dedicated fan and supporter of StFX Athletics. Karen often makes the drive from Halifax to Antigonish to cheer on the blue and white, and is present at the majority of StFX sporting events in Halifax. In 2013 she received the Ten-Year Xavierian Patrons Award and she stays strongly connected with StFX Athletics. In 2014 and 2015, she co-chaired the StFX Kehoe Dinner & Auction in Halifax, and she is currently the co-chair of the StFX Women of X-cellence, an organization created to raise awareness for women’s athletics and to enhance the experience of StFX female student-athletes both on and off the playing field.
Brad Peddle was the winner of the StFX Coach of the Year award. In his 11th season behind the helm of the StFX men’s hockey team, Coach Peddle led the X-Men to second place in the AUS standings, a first round playoff bye and their first AUS championship title since 2004. They then went on to claim the silver medal at the CIS national championship. He was honored not only as the AUS Coach of the Year but also became the first ever X-Men hockey head coach to win the national CIS Coach of the Year award, the Father George Kehoe memorial trophy, named after former StFX coach and athletic director.
Three StFX varsity teams, one track and field relay team, and two individual track and field athletes received their traditional varsity ‘X’s in honor of their AUS championships from this past season. AUS championship teams included the X-Men cross country, X-Men football and X-Men hockey teams, along with the AUS champion X-Men 4x200m track and field relay team. Individual AUS champions honored were track and field athletes Bridget Brennan (300m) and Hannah Pollock (weight throw).
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, three AUS all-rookies, 16 AUS major awards winners, six CIS all-Canadians, two CIS tournament all-stars and two CIS major award winners this past varsity season. All student-athletes who consumed their first year of eligibility received their traditional StFX varsity pins.
Student therapists and student managers from all StFX varsity teams were presented with plaques of appreciation for their contributions to the 2015-16 varsity season, with X-Women rugby manager Ellen Murphy and X-Men hockey manager Alex Ryan 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.
2016 StFX Athletic Awards Gala – Individual Award Winners
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Rookie of the Year – Chelsea Provo
Coach’s Award (co-awarded) – Shannon Hatch & Kolbi Roper
Most Valuable Player – Lindsay Lessard
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Rookie of the Year – Hana Marmura
Coach’s Award – Jasmine DeZeeuw
Runner of the Year – Hana Marmura
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Rookie of the Year – Lydia Schurman
Coach’s Award – Schyler Campbell
Most Valuable Player – Jenna Pitts
WOMEN’S RUGBY
Duffley Rookie of the Year (co-awarded) – June Beals & Carolyn Williams
Birks Coaches Award – Lauren Agnew
Most Valuable Player – Joanna Alphonso
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Rookie of the Year – Kelsey Ellis
Coaches Award – Gabby Bergh
Most Valuable Player – Olivia Czipf
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Rookie of the Year – Hana Marmura
Coach’s Award – Hailey Pollock
Track Athlete of the Year – Bridget Brennan
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Rookie of the Year – Tristen Ross
Most Improved Player – Akil Charles
Most Valuable Player – Kevin Bercy
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Rookie of the Year – Angus Rawling
Coach’s Award (co-awarded) – Alex Cyr & Calvin DeWolfe
Runner of the Year – Scott Donald
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Rookie of the Year – Jimmie Cunningham
Best Offensive Player – Tivon Cook
Best Defensive Player – Daniel Tshiamala
Most Valuable Player – Ashton Dickson
MEN’S HOCKEY
Rookie of the Year – Holden Cook
Melanson Top Scorer Award – Eric Locke
Unsung Hero Award – Craig Duininck
Most Valuable Player – Eric Locke
MEN'S SOCCER
Rookie of the Year – Joe Ward
Coaches Award – Randy Ribeiro
Most Valuable Player – Serge Dossou
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Rookie of the Year – Adrian Kinney
Coach’s Award – Jordan Tyrrell
Track Athlete of the Year – Jake McKenna
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