Holden Cook honored as national U Sports male athlete of the week

TORONTO (U Sports) – Rugby player Sara Baxter from Acadia University and hockey player Holden Cook from St. Francis Xavier University are the female and male ArcelorMittal Dofasco U Sports athletes of the week for the period ending October 23, 2016. 

Baxter, a third-year business student from Moncton, N.B., scored the game-winning try Saturday against UPEI in the AUS semifinals. The score helped the Axewomen advance to the AUS final and qualify for national championship for the second straight year, beginning Nov. 3 in Victoria, B.C. 

Hockey goalie Stephanie Sluys of Waterloo, rugby player DaLeaka Menin of Calgary, and soccer player Julia Liguori of UQAM were also nominated for the women's award.

Cook, a second-year business major from Oshawa, racked up eight points as No.2 StFX went 1-1 over the weekend against No. 8 UPEI and top-ranked UNB. The X-Men forward recorded a three-point night in a 7-3 loss to the Panthers Friday, before breaking out with four goals – including the overtime winner – to go along with an assist in a 5-4 overtime upset of the No.1-ranked Varsity Reds. Cook leads U Sports men's hockey with nine goals and 15 points. 

Hockey players Matt Brown of Mount Royal and Derek Sheppard of York, and soccer player Hamza Methanamem of UQAM were the other male nominees.

Female nominees:
AUS: Sara Baxter, rugby, Acadia (recipient)
RSEQ: Julia Liguori, soccer, UQAM 
OUA: Stephanie Sluys, hockey, Waterloo
CWUAA: DaLeaka Menin, rugby, Calgary

Male nominees:
AUS: Holden Cook, hockey, St. Francis Xavier (recipient)
RSEQ: Hamza Methamem, soccer, UQAM
OUA: Derek Sheppard, hockey, York
CWUAA: Matt Brown, hockey, Mount Royal