Tag: Acadia

How much longer do we have to wait for a Meningitis B Vaccine?
Meningitis B has been on the mind of many Nova Scotians recently. There have been several outbreaks in universities across the province, which have led to the unfortunate fatalities of three different students: 19-year-old Kai Matthews at Acadia, 18-year-old Maria Gaynor at Dalhousie, and a confirmed case at Saint Mary’s University which led to death, but there has been no confirmation of that student’s identity. Despite these tragedies, meningitis B is still not covered by Nova Scotia’s public vaccination program. Why is meningitis B not considered a problem by Nova Scotia Public Health? Vaccines are available, but their price is $300, which is too much for most students already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
The vaccinations that public school students receive in grade 7 cover multiple forms of meningitis, but not meningitis B. What makes university students especially at risk is the fact that a lot of students live very close to each other in dorms. In cities like Halifax, students have been priced out of the housing market, forcing them onto dorm spaces. These students’ needs should not be ignored, especially after the incredible sacrifices students have made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our health needs deserve attention, especially when members of our community are dying. This crisis needs to be addressed by the Nova Scotia government. Meningitis B acts quickly; Kai Matthew passed away only 30 hours after first contracting a fever. It is also preventable with a vaccine. Why does Public Health still refuse to allow students full access to that vaccination? This crisis is urgent and they should not deny or downplay its severity.
After the death of Maria Gaynor, Nova Scotia Public Health failed to notify students living, sleeping, and eating nearby of the dangerous illness. The school not only failed to promptly notify students of Maria’s death, but they also completely failed to notify students of a meningitis case being investigated on the third floor of their dorm. This put even more students at risk. If Maria and her friends had known about the case, Maria’s sudden illness would have been a major red flag. Maria could have possibly gotten help if Nova Scotia Public Health had notified the Dalhousie public that meningitis was inside the dorm and had taken appropriate steps to look after those affected.
To Nova Scotia Public Health, please stop offering condolences and include meningitis B on the list of publicly funded vaccines. For more information concerning meningitis B in Nova Scotia, visit https://bforkai.com/
January 30, 2023
Systemic Grade Inflation at Acadia
On October 7, 2020, the Acadia Senate officially adopted a new, more generous scale for converting academic percentages to letter grades. It will take effect on July 1. The previous official scale converted percentages of 87-93 to a grade of ‘A’ and percentages of 94-100 to ‘A+’. The newly adopted scale converts 85-89 to ‘A’ and 90-100 to ‘A+’. So as of July 1, it will suddenly become somewhat easier to earn an ‘A’ at Acadia and much easier to earn an ‘A+’. How fair is that to the thousands of Acadia students who earned all their grades under the harder scale?
A retired professor recently told me that he had never awarded a course grade of ‘A+’ in his multiple decades of teaching here. Much to my surprise, he said that no student had ever performed at a level that he would have judged to be 94 percent or better. So no ‘A+’ course grades ever came from him. But if ‘A+’ had started at 90 percent, then who knows how many of those grades he would have awarded?
In addition, the Senate recently changed the GPA scale used at Acadia. The previous scale converted a grade of ‘A+’ to a GPA of 4.00. The new one converts it to a GPA of 4.33. So just a couple of years ago, students who earned a percentage of 90 in all their courses would receive an ‘A’ in those courses and a GPA of 4.00. As of July 1, the same level of performance will give them all grades of ‘A+’ and a GPA of 4.33.
Likewise, students who earned a percentage of 85 in all their courses just two years ago would receive a grade of ‘A–’ in those courses and a GPA of 3.67. As of July 1, the same level of performance will give them an ‘A’ in every course and a GPA of 4.00. They will have done work no better than the work of previous students. It will only look as if they did.
I know I will have to keep all of this in mind when I compare students enrolled today with those who graduated just two years ago – the sort of comparison that professors are often asked to include in letters of recommendation, for instance. The gap between appearance and reality at Acadia seems to be widening, and we will need to take measures to compensate for it.
January 20, 2021
Acadia Exceeds Fundraising Goal
Launched in October of 2018, Acadia University’s Campaign for Acadia campaign has calculated an ambitious 75-million-dollar goal to “sustain the Acadia of today and build the Acadia of the future.” The budget includes 30 million dollars going towards creating extraordinary student experiences by fostering access and success so that all deserving students can experience a transformative education. Another 12.5 million dollars is dedicated to inspiring exceptional teaching and engagement by attracting and retaining outstanding faculty who are committed to exceptional teaching across all disciplines. The same amount would go toward innovative teaching and research to promote discovery and innovation through support for our student and faculty research. The final 20 million dollars will be invested in building and enhancing the physical and financial infrastructure to benefit Acadia’s students, faculty, and the community.
On Acadia University’s 182nd birthday, the campaign announced that their goal of $75 million had been exceeded, and all thanks go to enthusiastic alumni and friends whose generous contributions will support key programs and resources at the university. Dr. Ricketts, President and Vice-Chancellor of Campaign for Acadia, shared his gratitude to everybody who contributed, “Each gift is invaluable and will have a meaningful impact on our students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the ongoing development of our campus infrastructure,” he stated. He continued on to say that “Acadia’s milieu has been extremely strengthened by the generous gifts of campaign partners, friends and alumni who have all played a tremendous role in benefiting the students at the university”.
The donations have allowed Acadia to accomplish things beyond the usual. Some of these things are visible; such as the renovation of the science facilities and the transformations of Patterson Hall into the Manning School of Business. Others are not as visible but are equally as significant; millions invested into restricted endowments for student awards, teaching, research and other academic programs. All of these things collectively enhance the student experience at Acadia University.
Campaign for Acadia will continue to gratefully accept donations until the end of 2020. For further donation details, the campaign’s many success stories, instructions on how to give, you can visit campaign.acadiau.ca.
November 29, 2020
Ableism and Accessibility at Acadia
One definition of ableism is the discrimination of those with disabilities in favour of able-bodied people. However, Hailey Davis, a fourth-year music therapy major at Acadia says that this applies to all disabilities and is really something in need of discussing. A preferred definition of ableism, for Hailey, according to Access Living is:
“Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability.” (Olson, Emma. “Ableism 101 – What is Ableism? What Does it Look Like?” Access Living, 23 July 2020.)
Hailey considers herself to be a disabled woman, as she was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) at the age of eight. However, she shares that she does not agree with the name of her disability because it is not just that she has an attention deficit; it encompasses so much more than just attention. Hailey is an anti-ableism activist, sharing the importance of proper terminology and accessibility to students at Acadia, offering presentations and Q&A sessions in an effort to educate people on ableism.
When it comes to proper terminology, when speaking to and about the disabled community, Davis emphasizes the importance of respecting how people would like to be addressed, as it may vary. “Just ask people what they prefer. The best way to be anti-ableist is to just listen to disabled people.”, says Hailey. On the other hand, she says, sometimes it may not be possible to ask a person what they prefer, and in that case, Hailey believes that it is best to assume an “Identity-first” approach. Addressing a person using the “identity-first” method means to put their pronouns ahead of their disability. She explains that compared to the “person-first” approach, “identity-first” does not suggest that an individual’s disability is a burden, illness or something to “fix”. For example, Davis said that when speaking about someone with cancer, the majority of people would say, “a person with cancer” (person-first), and not, “cancer(ous) person”. She says that the former suggests a negative tone and that she does not believe it is appropriate to use it when referring to disabilities, as she is not ashamed of her disability, it is not something that needs to be fixed and it is, indeed, something that she feels is part of who she is. Therefore, she prefers the “identity-first” approach and says that most people will, as well, if they do not specify. Regardless of whether or not a person prefers “identity-first” or “person-first” language, Hailey says, “Ask. Do it imperfectly. It is better to do it and feel like you messed up than to not try to learn it at all. I appreciate it.”
When it comes to accessibility at Acadia University, there is much room for improvement. One of Acadia’s students who are in need of the university’s accessibility services is disappointed with the way that the school is approaching the matter. “As far as I know, it is run entirely by people who are not disabled, themselves, and do not have qualifications or degrees in education or disability educational services”, the student said. Understandably, it would be difficult to try to receive aid and understanding from somebody who may not fully be able to relate to what disabled students are facing. Furthermore, a student had shared that they had to “fight hard to have accommodations”, and in some cases, they were even denied their accommodations (such as being provided with a computer for writing essays) without being told by the university.
According to the World Health Organization, fifteen percent of the world’s population lives with a disability. However, although Acadia says that campus is accessible to all people, a student mentions that Acadia’s buildings may be “technically accessible” but do not have wheel-chair accessible washrooms. Some buildings do not have elevators or accessible elevators, and in some buildings, such as Denton, one with a physical disability would have to exit the building, go around the outside and re-enter through a separate door.
Additionally, a drama student left Acadia University because they were unable to access certain buildings for their classes. On top of that, a student said that there is zero to no training to professors on proper terminology, communicating and supporting disabled students, and sometimes it shows.
Lastly, referring to the university’s accessibility services, a student said, “everything we do is filtered through an ableist perspective, and I can imagine it is difficult to understand disabled people when you are not disabled.” It is imperative that students as well as faculty continue to practice anti-ableism and thoroughly work to improve accessibility on campus, ensuring that every student feels welcome at Acadia. Let us all remember to continue progressing as a community, and to “do it imperfectly”.

Hailey shared some social media influencers who she thinks will help students understand disabilities of all kind, and inspire people to spread anti-ableism:
Instagram: @the.chronic.couple
Twitter: @NeuroRebel
Tik Tok: @crutches_and_spice
Facebook: @disabilityonthemighty

November 2, 2020
Acadia’s Culture of Getting Involved
How fascinating is it to go to a school where it is so cool to be involved in extracurriculars? People often talk about the small school experience that Acadia has to offer. Smaller class sizes mean more personal connections with professors, less students on campus means getting to know people quicker, and other benefits about the small size of Acadia are often used to market it as a great choice for a university. One of the best parts of Acadia that’s rarely discussed, though, is the culture of being involved that’s so prevalent.
Being involved at Acadia is not only normal, but it’s expected of students. Compared to a lot of other Canadian schools, especially larger schools outside of the Maritimes, Acadia encourages students to find their passion and to do something with it. Students sometimes find it surprising to come out of high school and to be so encouraged to be involved in the school and community. This is what Acadia should market: it’s ability to give students so many opportunities to discover their interests and to pursue them, despite its small size.
Being a part of something other than just classes allows students to destress by doing things they enjoy. Students tend to be happier when they feel like they have responsibilities outside of doing work, which is why it’s so great that Acadia is so welcoming towards those who are involved.
Here are just a few of the ways students can get involved with extracurriculars at Acadia:
1. Clubs
There are so many opportunities for students to be a part of a club. Just a few of those available include
-Medical Response Team
-Model UN
-Sisters of Color
-InterVarsity
-Program Societies
1. Sports
-Varsity & Club sports
-Intramurals
-The Athletic Complex
1. On-campus Activities
-Residence Assistants
-Campus tour guides
-Jobs at the SUB
1. Volunteer Opportunities
-S.M.I.L.E.
-Kinderskills
-Triple A
1. Jobs/volunteer opportunities within your program
-Teaching Assistants
-The Writing Centre
-M.A.S.H.
-SIAM
1. The Athenaeum!
This is by no means an exhaustive list. A more comprehensive list can be found on Acadia’s website, but it still does not include everything there is to do in Wolfville. Perhaps it’s because the school is so small that it is that much more important to find something that interests you. With so many opportunities, a lot of students end up finding multiple ways to get involved, which makes Acadia such a unique school.
November 2, 2020
Indefinite Closure of the Acadia Indoor Swimming Pool Affects Students
Acadia University announced on October 1^st, 2020 that the indoor swimming pool, located in the Acadia Athletics Complex, will be closed indefinitely. The closure of the pool was declared for two main reasons; the first is to ensure the safety of Acadia students as well as the safety and well-being of the community, and the second is to respond to financial needs. Not only has the current pandemic impacted the university, but the indoor swimming pool has been operating at an annual deficit for years, said Chris Callbeck, Vice President, Finance and Administration.
Acadia University’s swimming pool was built in 1967, and since then it has been home to many organizations that not only include the student body but the residents of Wolfville and the Annapolis Valley region, who make up more than 85% of the facility’s users. Among them are the Acadia varsity swim team and Acadia’s S.M.I.L.E. Program. VP Chris Callbeck stated that the pool’s access and the changeroom design, make cross-over between Acadia students and members of the community inevitable. Although, it seems like a simple solution would be to compose a schedule that allows community members and students to use the pool separately, with time for cleaning and sanitizing in between.
Not only has the closure of the swimming pool directly affected the students who are involved in the programs that use the pool frequently, but it has also affected students who do not regularly use the pool for many reasons.
For example, mental health and physical health go hand in hand, people need to move their body so limiting options to do so will deplete not only the students’ motivation to exercise but how people exercise and how often. Secondly, a person’s mental health is also greatly impacted by social habits, and Acadia’s swimming pool is the heart of the athletic center and the main source of community, so shutting down the pool has slowed the constant flow of people in the center to a near standstill. This can cause anxiety and depression in students, while also bringing down the overall morale of the athletic center. Lastly, whether or not students use the pool, it is common knowledge that a fraction of tuition is dedicated to the maintenance of facilities for student use, so the closure of the swimming pool unfortunately raises the uncomfortable question of where exactly that money is going now. This can cause more confusion and mixed emotions amongst a student body which is already faced with adapting to a global pandemic, a full course load that is almost completely online, and an excess of other everyday stressors.
The closure of the pool affects everyone in a negative way, while there are other options for exercise, the weight room can only allow a maximum of 20 people at 45-minute intervals, so the options for alternative activity are extremely limited.
While Callbeck says that the university is continuing a dialogue with government partners in hopes of developing a solution, the Acadia University swimming pool remains closed, another consequence of these unprecedented times and an example of some of the limitations that students are facing due to COVID-19. Acadia students trust that our leaders are working diligently to find a solution and reopen the pool for the benefit of the students’ physical and mental health.
October 12, 2020

Maaskant named Randy Gregg Award winner, Flodell named All-Canadian

HALIFAX (U SPORTS) – Saskatchewan netminder Taran Kozun was honored with the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as U SPORTS men’s hockey Player of the Year Wednesday night, as the national award winners were celebrated at the annual All-Canadian gala. Also included in the major awards was Axeman Liam Maaskant who was named the Dr Randy Gregg (Community Service) Award winner. Axemen goaltender Logan Flodell was named as a second-team all-Canadian goaltender as well.

Past Award Winners

Kozun also took home the Goaltender of the Year honour, while McGill blueliner Nikolas Brouillard was named Defencemen of the Year. In addition, Saint Mary’s forward Mitchell Balmas captured the Clare Drake Award as Rookie of the Year, Saskatchewan forward Levi Cable was named the winner of the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award as most sportsmanlike player and Acadia defenceman Liam Maaskant earned the Dr. Randy Gregg Award for Student-Athlete Community Service.

Finally, Toronto bench boss Ryan Medel is the winner of Father George Kehoe Memorial Award as Fox 40 Coach of the Year.

As the Exclusive Provider of championship rings and recognition jewelry of U SPORTS, Baron will provide customized rings to the First Team All-Canadians in football, basketball and hockey, as well as other major award winners.

The puck drops on 2020 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup – hosted jointly by the Acadia Axemen and Sports & Entertainment Atlantic (S|E|A) – on Thursday and concludes Sunday with the gold medal game at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. All games will be played at the Scotiabank Centre, home of the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Halifax Mooseheads.

Livestreaming in English is available for free worldwide on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem, the CBC Sports App for iOS and Android devices, with French digital coverage carried on USPORTS.LIVE.

SENATOR JOSEPH A. SULLIVAN TROPHY (Player of the Year) & Goaltender of the Year: Taran Kozun Saskatchewan

It was another dominant season for Saskatchewan Huskie Taran Kozun, who is a dual award winner, claiming the nation’s Player and Goalie of the Year awards.

Kozun is the first player in U SPORTS history to claim both awards in the same season, since the goaltending honour was introduced in 2009-10. This marks his second straight Goaltender of the Year award, and the fourth time in five seasons it has been won by a Saskatchewan netminder, after Jordon Cooke captured back-to-back honours in the crease in 2016 and 2017. He is also just the second Huskie to win Player of the Year, and the first since Jon Barkman in 2002.

The former Seattle Thunderbird led the conference in every major goaltending category, posting a 1.87 goals-against average, .931 save percentage, five shutouts, and 17 wins. Along with those sparkling numbers, the third-year arts and sciences major from Nipawin, Sask., also became just the second goalie in CW history to score when he found the net in January against the Calgary Dinos.

Thanks in large part to Kozun’s stellar season, the Huskies finished second in the conference standings, as the program’s all-time leader in shutouts (11) posted a third consecutive season with a save percentage north of .920.

“For as long as I’ve been here – including as an athlete – we’ve always had good goaltending and Taran provides the level of play that our program expects,” said Saskatchewan head coach Dave Adolph. “He’s earned the respect of the league over the last two years with the way he’s played. He’s consistently been a high achiever and obviously people respect him for his consistency at the top level.

Player of the Year & Goaltender of the Year Nominees

CW: Taran Kozun, Saskatchewan (Winner)

OUA: Logan Flodell, Acadia

AUS: David Thomson, Toronto (Player of the Year); Louis-Philip Guindon, McGill (Goaltender of the Year)

CLARE DRAKE AWARD (Rookie of the Year): Mitchell Balmas, Saint Mary’s

In just his first year with the Huskies program, Balmas scored the second most points in the conference and third most in the nation – amassing 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points on the season. A commerce student from Sydney, N.S., he was also named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and earned a place on the U SPORTS all-rookie team.

Before joining the Huskies, Balmas played most recently for the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Prior to that, his QMJHL career included seasons with the Acadie-Bathurst Titans, the Gatineau Olympiques, and the Charlottetown Islanders.

This season, he led the Huskies to a 17-12-1 regular season record and a third-place finish in the conference standings.Saint Mary’s went on to sweep the UPEI Panthers in their best-of-three quarterfinal series, with Balmas contributing a goal and an assist in Game 2.

He is the third consecutive AUS player to win the award and the first from the Saint Mary’s program.

Nominees

CW: Jared Dmytriw, Saskatchewan

OUA: Chris Paquette, RMC

AUS: Mitchell Balmas, Saint Mary’s (Winner

DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR: Nikolas Brouillard, McGill

A native St. Hilaire, Que., Brouillard earns a spot as First Team All-Canadian in his fourth year thanks to his potent play on the blue line. Brouillard posted 23 points to rank fifth among OUA rearguards and 10th nationally, while his seven goals put him in the top three among conference defencemen and tied for sixth at the U SPORTS level.

In addition to his defensive ability in his own end, Brouillard also forces the opposition to defend differently with the puck on his stick. As one of the most fearsome power play weapons across the league, wielding a shot as hard as any U SPORTS blueliner, Brouillard made himself at home at the point to claim this year’s honour.

He is the fourth McGill defenceman to win the award, after former blueliner Ryan McKiernan in 2014 and Marc-André Dorion (2010, 2012)

“Nik is an instrumental part of our hockey club, he plays in all situations for us and quarterbacks our power-play,” said McGill head coach Liam Heelis of the wiry 5-foot-11, 168-pound economics junior, who possesses a shot as hard as any blue-liner in the country and forces opposing teams to defend differently when he is on the ice. “He sees the ice extremely well and also has the ability to finish whenever he gets a scoring chance. I consider him a big game player and someone that can shift the momentum on any given night. He’s a dynamic skater and a dynamic shooter.”

Since joining the university ranks after stints in the ECHL and AHL, the two-time OUA all-star has tallied 22 goals and 49 points in 57 regular season games. He also has a 3-12-15 record in 17 career post-season contests.

Brouillard played for U SPORTS all-stars against Canadian junior prospects in each of the last two years and has registered five points in those five games. He also played for a university all-star squad from the Quebec-based teams in the OUA East against the Montreal Canadiens rookie team (Oct. 2019) and was previously invited to NHL training camps with Winnipeg (2013), San Jose (2014) and Toronto (2015, 2016).

Nominees

CW: Adam Henry, Manitoba

OUA: Nikolas Brouillard, McGill (Winner)

AUS: Nick Welsh, Saint Mary’s

R.W. PUGH FAIR PLAY AWARD (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Levi Cable, Saskatchewan

Cable posted the third 20-point season of his career in 2019-20, registering 10 goals and 14 assists. He also registered a second consecutive penalty free season, as he concluded his five-year U SPORTS career with just 18 penalty minutes.

“Levi has been the best two-way forward in the league since about mid-way through December in his first year,” said Adolph. He brings it, is a reliable player at both ends of the rink, and scores game-winning goals week-after-week. He’s first on the puck, aggressive, and physical.”

Cable is the sixth Huskie to win the award, joining Brian Purdy (1996), Sheldon Moser (2000), John Barkman (2002), Dean Beuker (2006) and Kyle Ross (2012).

Nominees

CW: Levi Cable, Saskatchewan (Winner)

OUA: Austin Eastman, Ontario Tech

AUS: Vincent Deslauriers, Moncton

RANDY GREGG AWARD (Student-Athlete Community Service): Liam Maaskant, Acadia

A fifth-year engineering student from Clinton, Ont., Maaskant has served as team captain for two consecutive seasons.

He played in 28 games this season, anchoring the Acadia defence and scoring 15 points (four goals, 11 assists).

In the classroom, Maaskant is a three-time academic all-Canadian. Despite the heavy demands of being a student and a varsity athlete, he also contributes in the university and wider Wolfville communities, volunteering in a number of capacities.

He serves as the co-president of the Acadia Players’ Association and is actively involved with the S.M.I.L.E. program (Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience) as a leader and program buddy. Maaskant has volunteered his time to a number of fundraising and minor hockey events, including Acadia’s Hearts on Ice which raises money for the Valley Cardiac Rehab Society and the Hannah Miller Memorial Tournament, which gives back to the local hockey community.

Maaskant is the first member of the Axemen to win the award.

Nominees

CW: Adam Henry, Manitoba

OUA: Brendan Jacome, Ottawa

AUS: Liam Maaskant, Acadia (Winner)

FATHER GEORGE KEHOE MEMORIAL AWARD (Fox 40 Coach of the Year):

Ryan Medel, Toronto

With now three years under his belt behind the bench, Medel guided the Blues to a program-best tying 21 wins this season. The native of Ruthven, Ont., helped U of T rise the ranks, going from an eighth-place result a year to a first-place finish in 2019-20.

Under his guidance, the Blues churned out a top-ranked power play (30.8 per cent), scored the most goals in the OUA and fourth-most nationally (125), and allowed the third fewest in the conference (71).

Medel is the second Varsity Blues coach to win the award and the first since former NHL coach Tom Watt, who took home the inaugural award in 1971.

Nominees

CW: Todd Johnson, Regina

First Team All-Canadians
Pos.	First Name	Last Name	School	Elig.	Hometown	Program
F	Tyler	Boland	UNB	3	St. John’s, N.L.	Recreation & Sport Studies
F	David	Thomson	Toronto	2	Vaughan, Ont.	Psychology / Criminology
F	Grayson	Pawlenchuk	Alberta	2	Edmonton, Alta.	Business
D	Nikolas	Brouillard	McGill	4	St. Hilaire, Que.	Economics
D	Nick	Welsh	Saint Mary’s	2	Halifax, N.S.	Commerce
G	Taran	Kozun	Saskatchewan	3	Nipawin, Sask.	Arts & Sciences
Second Team All-Canadians
F	Mitchell	Balmas	Saint Mary’s	1	Sydney, N.S.	Commerce
F	Matt	Alfaro	Calgary	3	Calgary, Alta.	Science
F	Chris	Paquette	RMC	1	Kingston, Ont.	Military Arts & Science
D	Adam	Henry	Manitoba	5	Winnipeg, Man.	Management
D	Owen	Headrick	UPEI	4	Garden River, Ont.	Arts
G	Logan	Flodell	Acadia	2	Regina, Sask.	Business Admin.
All-Rookie Team
F	Mitchell	Balmas	Saint Mary’s	1	Sydney, N.S.	Commerce
F	Chris	Paquette	RMC	1	Kingston, Ont.	Military Arts & Science
F	Jared	Dmytriw	Saskatchewan	1	Craven, Sask.	Business
D	Dawson	Davidson	Alberta	1	Moosomin, Sask.	Arts
D	Jordan	Sambrook	Brock	1	Markham, Ont.	Social Sciences
G	Samuel	Harvey	UNB	1	Alma, Que.	Business Admin.

OUA: Ryan Medel, Toronto (Winner)

AUS: Darren Burns, Acadia

ALL-CANADIAN & ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

First Team All-Canadians
Pos.	First Name	Last Name	School	Elig.	Hometown	Program
F	Tyler	Boland	UNB	3	St. John’s, N.L.	Recreation & Sport Studies
F	David	Thomson	Toronto	2	Vaughan, Ont.	Psychology / Criminology
F	Grayson	Pawlenchuk	Alberta	2	Edmonton, Alta.	Business
D	Nikolas	Brouillard	McGill	4	St. Hilaire, Que.	Economics
D	Nick	Welsh	Saint Mary’s	2	Halifax, N.S.	Commerce
G	Taran	Kozun	Saskatchewan	3	Nipawin, Sask.	Arts & Sciences
Second Team All-Canadians
F	Mitchell	Balmas	Saint Mary’s	1	Sydney, N.S.	Commerce
F	Matt	Alfaro	Calgary	3	Calgary, Alta.	Science
F	Chris	Paquette	RMC	1	Kingston, Ont.	Military Arts & Science
D	Adam	Henry	Manitoba	5	Winnipeg, Man.	Management
D	Owen	Headrick	UPEI	4	Garden River, Ont.	Arts
G	Logan	Flodell	Acadia	2	Regina, Sask.	Business Admin.
All-Rookie Team
F	Mitchell	Balmas	Saint Mary’s	1	Sydney, N.S.	Commerce
F	Chris	Paquette	RMC	1	Kingston, Ont.	Military Arts & Science
F	Jared	Dmytriw	Saskatchewan	1	Craven, Sask.	Business
D	Dawson	Davidson	Alberta	1	Moosomin, Sask.	Arts
D	Jordan	Sambrook	Brock	1	Markham, Ont.	Social Sciences
G	Samuel	Harvey	UNB	1	Alma, Que.	Business Admin.

Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics.

March 28, 2020

Glen-Carter named to 1st Team, Zakutney to All-Rookie Team

CALGARY, AB – Acadia’s Lucy Glen-Carter was named as a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, while teammate Sydney Zakutney was named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team. Glen-Carter is the first Axewomen to be named as a first team All-Canadian

Dalhousie setter Courtney Baker was honoured with the Mary Lyons Award as U SPORTS women’s volleyball Player of the Year Thursday night, as the national award winners were celebrated at the annual All-Canadian gala.

Past Award Winners

UBC Okanagan outside hitter Amaya Perry captured the Mark Tennant Award as Rookie of the Year, while McGill outside hitter Rowan Fletcher earned the Marilyn Pomfret Award for Student-Athlete Community Service for her outstanding contribution both on and off the court. Finally, MacEwan bench boss Ken Briggs took home the Thérèse Quigley Award as Fox 40 Coach of the Year.

Hosted for the fifth time by the Calgary Dinos, first serve on the 2020 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship flies on Friday and the event concludes Sunday with the gold medal game at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. All games be played at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium

Livestreaming is available via subscription on USPORTS.LIVE.

MARY LYONS AWARD (Player of the Year): Courtney Baker, Dalhousie

A fifth-year kinesiology student from Bridgewater, N.S., Baker finished second in the conference in both assists (607) and assists per set (8.93).

The setter appeared in 21 matches for the Tigers this season, helping the team finish first in the AUS standings with a 19-1 record.

In addition to being selected as U SPORTS MVP, Baker earned a spot on the First Team All-Canadian squad for the third consecutive year.

She is the second player from the Dalhousie Tigers to be named the nation’s most valuable player, after Karin Maessen took home the honour in 1981-82.

Nominees

CW: Kory White, Alberta

OUA: Cailin Wark, Ryerson

RSEQ: Maud Chapleau, Laval

AUS: Courtney Baker, Dalhousie(Winner)

MARK TENNANT AWARD (Rookie of the Year): Amaya Perry, UBC Okanagan

Amaya Perry is the first UBC Okanagan Heat volleyball player to earn the nation’s top honour for a first-year player.

The Chin, Alta., native finished inside the top 25 in Canada West in several key statistical categories this season, including second in service aces with 59. Other top 25 stats included: kills per set (2.36), total attacks (679), and points per set (3.2).

Starting all 24 of UBCO’s games this season, Perry was the best of an excellent Heat rookie group that also included fellow CW All-Rookie team member Abigail Dueck.

“We counted on Amaya to play like a veteran all season, and she did not disappoint. Fearless from the service line, she used her devastating float serve as a weapon to keep teams off balance every single time she stepped back to the end line,” said UBC Okanagan head coach Steve Manuel. “A joy to coach and a fierce competitor, our coaching staff is excited to continue to work with her in the coming years and we couldn’t be happier for her win of this much deserved award.”

Nominees

CW: Amaya Perry, UBC Okanagan (Winner)

OUA: Jasmine Rivest, Ryerson

RSEQ: Marianne Boucher, Sherbrooke

AUS: Sydney Zakutney, Acadia

THÉRÈSE QUIGLEY AWARD (Student-Athlete Community Service): Rowan Fletcher, McGill

A 23-year-old political science senior from Montreal West and Martlets team captain, Fletcher is a six-foot right-side hitter and was the team’s only member to play in all 80 sets, for the second straight year. A key stalwart on defence, she registered a team-leading 2.81 digs per set – with a season-high of 26 digs in one game — and tallied 29.5 blocks. Offensively, she produced 72 kills, 13 aces and 34 assists.

Off the court, aside from serving as a team marketing rep and spearheading team fundraising projects, she served as VP of community outreach on the McGill Varsity Council. Elected as the athletics representative on the Students Society of McGill University, she also chaired the Student Athletics Council. She has been a volunteer in numerous projects, including an annual varsity Christmas gift-wrapping event in support of the Sun Youth organization for under-privileged families and the team’s annual “Pink Game” in support of breast cancer awareness. She has served with the Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Foundation for children, the McGill Community Engagement committee, the McGill Athletics & Recreation Advisory Board, the varsity athletics gala nomination committee and the McGill Sports Hall of Fame Committee.

This summer, Fletcher has signed up for an internship with Artistri Sud, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering women artisans in developing countries to fight poverty through an entrepreneurial program. Among their projects is collaboration with women in Montreal, Vietnam and Ecuador to prepare teaching programs for impoverished female artisans. Since 2013, she has helped organize an annual “Shave to Raise” event for the Andy Collins Kids Foundation, benefitting the Montreal Children’s Hospital. She sits on the city of Montreal West’s planning advisory committee and volunteers for their annual “Santa’s Breakfast”. She also served at the Royal Vale elementary school’s “Jump Rope for Heart” fitness program.

“Rowan is a true role model, both on and off the court,” said McGill head coach Rachèle Béliveau. “A hard and disciplined worker, she puts in a consistent effort every day. As team captain, she brings a positive attitude and leads by example. Fluently bilingual, she makes her teammates feel comfortable and has developed strong relationships with everyone. She has an impressive ability to multi-task and manage to excel in all areas, whether it be team-related or for the community.”

Fletcher is the second McGill player to earn the award after former Martlet Myriam Robitaille in 2017.

Nominees

CW: Kendra Finch, Thompson Rivers

OUA: Sophia Currier, Toronto

RSEQ: Rowan Fletcher, McGill (Winner)

AUS: Margaret Henley, Memorial

MARILYN POMFRET AWARD (Fox 40 Coach of the Year): Ken Briggs, MacEwan

Briggs guided the Griffins to their best Canada West finish ever – a fourth-place finish during the regular season with a record of 17-7 – earning MacEwan its first playoff appearance since joining U SPORTS volleyball for the 2014-15 season

The Griffins have been trending upwards under Briggs the last several seasons, going from four wins in 2017-18, to 12 a year ago when they narrowly missed out on the postseason.

“I think it’s a tremendous honour for the institution and a testament to all the hard work of the student-athletes and coaching staff. We’re really proud of their accomplishments and Ken’s ability to motivate those young women to higher levels,” said MacEwan Athletic Director Ken Schildroth. “He’s got a very experienced roster and he’s put in a lot of time in developing their skills, so it’s nice to see him get rewarded. They came together at the right time. I think that’s a tremendous credit to them as a group of women.”

Briggs is the first Griffins coach to win the award.

Nominees

CW: Ken Briggs, MacEwan (Winner)

OUA: Dustin Reid, Ryerson

RSEQ: Olivier Trudel, Montreal

AUS: Michelle Wood, Acadia

First Team All-Canadians
Pos.	First Name	Last Name	School	Elig.	Hometown	Program
S	Courtney	Baker	Dalhousie	5	Bridgewater, N.S.	Kinesiology
OH	Kory	White	Alberta	4	Edmonton, Alta.	Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
OH	Maud	Chapleau	Laval	4	Quebec City, Que.	Health and Security in the Workplace
RS	Cailin	Wark	Ryerson	4	Georgetown, Ont.	Geographic Analysis
OH	Hilary	Howe	Trinity Western	4	Calgary, Alta.	Business
RS	Alina	Dormann	Toronto	5	Ottawa, Ont.	Health & Disease
OH	Lucy	Glen-Carter	Acadia	3	Toronto, Ont.	Kinesiology
Second Team All-Canadians
OH	Sarah	Glynn	Waterloo	2	Fredericton, N.S.	Kinesiology
OH	Kendra	Finch	Thompson Rivers	5	North Vancouver, B.C.	General Studies
OH	Maude	Babin	Montreal	3	Montreal, Que.	Security and Police Studies
MB	Nyadholi	Thokbuom	Mount Royal	2	Calgary, Alta.	Arts
OH	Laura	Condotta	Brock	4	Etobicoke, Ont.	Sport Management
MB	Victoria	Haworth	Dalhousie	5	Waverley, N.S.	Medical Sciences / Engineering
OH	Emily	Koshinsky	Saskatchewan	4	Jansen, Sask.	Kinesiology
All-Rookie Team
OH	Amaya	Perry	UBC Okanagan	1	Chin, Alta.	Sciences
S	Sydney	Zakutney	Acadia	1	Ottawa, Ont.	Science
MB	Marianne	Boucher	Sherbrooke	1	Chambly, Que.	Physical Activity Sciences Applied to Sports Training
OH	Jasmine	Rivest	Ryerson	1	Montreal, Que.	Arts & Contemporary Studies
OH	Trinity	Solecki	Calgary	1	Cochrane, Alta.	Open Studies
S	Audrey	Trottier	McGill	1	Longueuil, Que.	Kinesiology
MB	Light	Uchechukwu	Manitoba	1	Winnipeg, Man.	Arts

Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics.

March 28, 2020

UNB wins the AUS Hockey Championship
FREDERICTON, NB – The UNB Reds are the 2020 Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey champions after defeating the Acadia Axemen 5-1 in game three of the best of three championship series.
Alexandre Goulet (Disraeli, QC) scored three goals to lead the Reds in a 5-1 win over the Acadia Axemen on Friday, in the third and deciding game of their AUS championship series.
The game was played before a sell-out crowd of 3,374 people at UNB’s Aitken Centre.
Goulet was named the Subway Player of the Game, while Reds goaltender Samuel Harvey (Alma, QC) was named the most valuable player of the AUS playoffs.
Friday’s game began with both teams playing a close, tight-checking game.
They played a scoreless first period, but the at capacity crowd didn’t have to wait long for a goal in the second period.
Oliver Cooper (Fredericton, NB) fired a quick shot from the slot that beat Axemen goalie Logan Flodell (Regina, SK) at the 2:51 mark.
UNB’s Mark Rassell (Calgary, AB) started the play, rushing the puck in on a partial breakaway, but firing the puck over the Acadia net. The Reds gained possession of the loose puck in the corner, before working it in front to Cooper.
With time winding down in the period, and the Reds buzzing inside the Acadia zone, Tristan Pomerleau (Riviere-du-Loup, QC) fed Goulet at the point. His low blast found its way through traffic and beat Flodell, giving UNB a 2-0 lead.
The Axemen came out swinging in the third, and at 1:08, Ross MacDougall (St. Stephen, NB) put the Axemen on the board. His point shot ended almost 146 minutes of shut-out hockey by Harvey in the UNB net.
Goulet’s second goal, at 14:27, restored UNB’s two-goal lead. It was a rocket of a shot off another nice feed from Pomerleau.
Mark Simpson (Rothesay, NB) scored into an empty Acadia net at 16:23, and Goulet completed his hat-trick 29 seconds later, beating Flodell after he’d returned to the Axemen net.
Harvey stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced for the win, allowing a total of three goals in the series.
“It’s a small margin of error for us, against them, and a couple of plays in the second that they got two goals on, a couple of them didn’t really have to happen, but that’s the way it is,” said Axemen head coach Darren Burns. “We were in the box a lot. That kind of takes the energy out and turns the momentum. That’s what hurt us in the second, those momentum switches.”
“That was great entertainment,” said Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall. “It was a hard-fought game, two teams that are pretty close. We had a great opponent.”
Both teams now prepare for the 2020 Cavendish Farms University Cup national championship tournament, in Halifax. That begins Thursday.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics
March 16, 2020
The Acadia Labour Movement
We, the Acadia Labour Movement, numbering more than 100 concerned students, alumni, faculty and community members of Acadia University are looking to have a minimum labour standard implemented at this University.

We are not standing idly by as working members of Acadia are under-represented, underpaid, insecure in their employment, and disrespected in their workplaces and our community. Instead we are standing with the workers in the meal hall who feed us each and every day with positive energy beyond what they are compensated for. We are standing with the physical plant workers who maintain our classrooms, but have no say in the operations of the university. We are standing with the teaching assistants, tutors, and residence assistants who make our university experience what it is. We are standing for democracy for all members of the Acadia community, respect for all members of the Acadia community. We are standing for living wages, for job security, and for commitments to health. Our goal is the improvement of Acadia for all those who contribute in its operations. Our goal is a unity of students, of workers, of faculty, and administrators working together for one another.
Our demands include and are not limited to:
1. Democracy. Members of the Acadia community, including students and supporting staff should have the ability to express their opinions on how the community operates without fear of reprisal and to have those opinions matter when it comes to the operations of the university.
- Management on Campus cannot be allowed to threaten workers over expressing concerns about their place in the Acadia community.
- Workers and students must have a seat at the table whenever Acadia assesses contracts with third parties.
- A system for students and workers to revise the basic labour standards for all workers on campus.
- All stakeholders, (students, support employees, faculty) deserve representation on the University’s board of directors.
1. Low Wages. The members of the Acadia community do good work, over long hours, with a smile. The service they provide to students is key to the operation of this university and they deserve to be paid accordingly.
- Workers on campus deserve to be paid a living wage of $15 or more (tied to inflation)
1. Job Security. Students have confidence that they will wake up each day and be able to eat in the meal hall. The members of the Acadia community who make that happen deserve the same level of confidence in their continued employment.
- An equitable pension plan for all long term campus workers.
1. Sick days. Sick days prevent the spread of illness, promote the general health of our community, and allow time to recover and bring your best work to our community. All campus workers must be allotted sufficient sick days to achieve these goals and there should be zero penalties for those who use sick days for rest and recovery.
- Sick days cannot be used in evaluations against those who use them.
1. Respect. Members of the Acadia community are in fact members of our community. Workers at meal hall support this community and receive no thanks from it. Attempts from students to understand the struggles of our community members at meal hall have been met with hostility from management and this is entirely unacceptable.
- Day of appreciation for meal hall workers.
- Develop a system for campus workers to share their complaints with the Acadia community in a way that protects them from reprisal.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeN3Sk2mirMlufyHcfPpkwD9_TWvZIcp2VSVeisZbOJTIZGrQ/viewform
March 10, 2020
Axewomen fall short in three-peating as AUS champions
HALIFAX, N.S. – The UPEI Panthers are AUS champions after defeating the Acadia Axewomen by a score of 78-59 in Sunday’s Subway AUS Women’s Basketball Championship final. This mark’s the Panthers’ first conference banner since the 1997-98 season.
AUS first team all-star Reese Baxendale led the way for the Panthers with 25 points on 9-of-20 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from three. She also contributed seven assists, five rebounds and three steals in the effort, winning her Championship MVP, Subway Player of the Game honours and a place on the tournament all-star team.
Acadia was led in scoring by AUS first team all-star Haley McDonald who chipped in 18 points (7-of-23 from the floor, 1-of-8 from three), four assists, three rebounds and three steals in the loss.
Acadia opened the game’s scoring with a driving layup by Rachel Clouatre-Trudeau, however the Axewomen struggled to knock down some long jumpers early, going 0-for-5 from three over the first 10 minutes.
McDonald led the way for Acadia with seven first-quarter points, helping the Axewomen to an 18-17 lead heading to the second.
The Panthers led by as many as six points in the opening quarter as AUS first team all-star Reese Baxendale found her shot early, matching McDonald’s seven points on 3-of-4 shooting while picking up three assists in the opening frame.
AUS most valuable player, defensive player of the year, and first team all-star Jenna Mae Ellsworth, who was held to two points in the opening quarter, knocked down two threes at the beginning of the second on her way to 10 points in the quarter, and helped UPEI take a 37-31 lead into halftime.
Baxendale and Ellsworth led all scorers at the break with 12 apiece for the Panthers, while McDonald and Clouatre-Trudeau led the Axewomen with nine points each.
Mia Roberts started the third quarter on a mission, scoring eight straight Axewomen points over the first five minutes of the second half, but the Panthers always had an answer, keeping Acadia at bay.
UPEI’s defence, anchored by Ellsworth, held the prolific-scoring McDonald in check through three quarters with 13 points on 5-of-17 from the field and 0-for-5 from deep.
Baxendale continued to score well in the third with seven in the quarter en route to 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting heading into the fourth as the Panthers led the Axewomen 54-47 with just 10 minutes to play.
Acadia began the fourth showing full-court pressure on defence, turning a couple of UPEI turnovers into easy points at the rim and cutting the lead down to three points with 7:07 to play, but Baxendale immediately knocked down yet another timely three, pushing the lead back to six.
The Panthers refused to be denied, though, as they ended the game on a 16-0 run that began at the 5:12 mark, holding the Axewomen scoreless over the final 5:42 of the game, and ending the game with their biggest lead at 19 points.
This is the Panthers’ first women’s basketball banner since the 1997-98 season.
Tournament all-stars for the women’s event are Memorial’s Haille Nickerson, UNB’s Michaela Dodig, Acadia’s Haley McDonald and UPEI’s Ellsworth and Baxendale.
The Panthers will travel to Ottawa, Ont. for the U SPORTS Final 8 women’s basketball championship being co-hosted by the University of Ottawa and Carleton March 5-8.
Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics. Acad
March 8, 2020
SRC Decoded: What You Missed March 4th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Wednesday at 5:30 PM in the Beveridge Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
This week’s meeting consisted of a discussion revolving around the ASU Code of Conduct and Recall System, the finalization of the ASU Investment Policy and the release of the Wet’suwet’en solidarity statement on behalf of the ASU.
Code of Conduct and Recall System
Councilor Jonah van Driesum brought forward the ASU’s Code of Conduct to discuss with the council. The Code of Conduct has not been changed. It has been recommended that the specificity of misconduct be improved and implemented right away. Councilor Driesum proposed that an independent position within the Code of Conduct be created to enhance the investigation in such matters. This position would allow for a thorough and proper investigation of situations involving misconduct to incur, and as a result, ensure that the SRC could merit punishment based on the report from the hired outside investigator.
Councilor Jonah van Driesum explained that the SRC Recall System is held in high regard, however, more details have been added into section 10. The new addition states:
“Recall election initiation and campaigns could not occur during the Winter Break or Summer Break, and any relevant materials for potential ongoing or future recall elections would have to handed over to the CRO for the course of the break.”
The addition should help restrict the period of time between when the recall period begins and ends. In turn, the restriction will ensure that people are not forced to campaign during study breaks and/or holidays.
Investment Policy
VP Finance and Operations Brendan MacNeil announced that the final amendment made to the Investment Policy is that the ASU will also be divesting from metals and mining companies alongside oils and gas because of the environmental and social risk affiliated with them. Metals and mining are just as harmful and as the ASU only holds one share in metal and mining companies, it is better to boycott them now as well.
The council questioned whether any technological companies that associate with metal companies will be included in the divestment of metal and mining companies. MacNeil assured the council that the new policy is extremely specific in stating that technology was not included in the divestment.
The council then celebrated a successful close to the long and well-thought out process of updating of the ASU Investment Policy and the new finalized version.
ASU Statement Release
President Kyle Vandertoorn shared with council the final draft of a statement that will be released on behalf of the ASU concerning support for Acadia University’s indigenous students. Vandertoorn acknowledged all the people that have helped put this statement together and reiterated the amount of thought and research that went into it. After having heard the letter read out loud by Vandertoorn, council agreed that it will hopefully do some good in showing support from the student union perspective.
It was also acknowledged from multiple members that the neutral and supportive tone of this statement is very appropriate to the timing of its release, in contrast to other student unions that released well-pointed letters when the situation was at its peak.
On the other hand, concern was raised by Councilor Jonah van Driesum that the statement failed to address the opinions of students who may be opposed to the situation. He says that while he is not in opposition to the statement, he acknowledges that some people who have different views on the matter on campus and in the community want to feel like they are being included in the conversation. While he understands that as much as we want to show our support for Acadia’s indigenous students, it is important that all people feel comfortable coming to the SRC and are included. President Vandertoorn says that the letter focuses on addressing the people who are affected and that there was no need previously expressed about addressing any opposition.
Lastly, Diversity and Inclusion Representative Soyini Edwards states that the letter appears to be perfect because all that needs to be said to show support is that the ASU stands with the students and violence is never necessary.
March 5, 2020
Tigers top Axewomen 3-1 in last regular season game
HALIFAX, N.S. – The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the Acadia Axewomen 3-1 (25—23, 25-18, 24-26, 25-19) Saturday afternoon in the final match of the 2019-20 AUS regular season.
Both teams traded points in the first set, with the Tigers leading most of the set until the Axewomen made a six-point surge and took a 16-15 lead into the technical time out. Down, but not out, the Tigers battled back and took the set 25-23.
Acadia came out firing in the second set and were up 6-1 early one. The Tigers slowly started to close the gap and were up 16-15 at the technical time out. The Axewomen scored just three more points in the set, falling 25-18.
The Axewomen got off to another early lead in the third set, but the Tigers again clawed their way back in. The teams traded leads in the second half of the set and it was the Axewomen who came out on top this time, taking the third set 26-24.
Dalhousie rebounded in the fourth and were up 12-7 thanks in large part to three-consecutive service aces from Courtney Baker (Bridgewater, N.S.). Acadia’s Peyton DeWolfe (Conquerall Mills, N.S.) answered with two aces of her own bringing the score to 12-12. From that point on, it was all Tigers and they took the fourth and final set 25-19.
Julie Moore (Halifax, N.S.) had a match-high 16 kills for the Tigers, earning Subway Player of the Game honours. She also had 16 digs and two aces for 18.0 total points. Victoria Turcot (Halifax, N.S.) and Victoria Haworth (Waverley, N.S.) added eight kills apiece while libero Catherine Callaghan (Halifax, N.S.) had 16 digs. Baker had 38 assists, nine digs and five service aces in the win.
Acadia’s Becky Dorsey (Toronto, Ont.) earned player of the game honours for Acadia, collecting 16 digs in the loss. Lucy Glen-Carter (Toronto, Ont.) had a team-high 13 kill and added five digs and two aces. Taylor Collombin (Victoria, B.C.) had eight kills, 10 digs and four blocks.
After finishing in the top spot of the AUS standings, the Tigers will host fourth-place UNB in one of two-semifinal series. The best two-of-three series will be hosted by Dalhousie on Thursday, February 20, Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22 (if needed). All games will start at 7 p.m.
Acadia placed third in the regular season standings and will face the number-two ranked Saint Mary’s Huskies next week. Hosted by Saint Mary’s, the games take place on Thursday, February 20 and Friday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. If needed, the third and final match of the series will be played on Saturday, February 22 at 4:00 p.m.
Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics.
February 23, 2020
Axewomen split weekend vs Capers with a 79-60 win
SYDNEY, NS – In Sunday afternoon basketball action, the Cape Breton Capers hosted the Acadia Axewomen at the Sullivan Field House in Sydney. The Axewomen were able to earn a weekend split by handing the CAPERS a 79-60 defeat.
The CAPERS were unable to stop the Axewomen offence in the first quarter and gave up 29 points. The CAPERS couldn’t mount much offence in response and only put up 15 in the first quarter. It was more of the same in the second quarter as Acadia was scoring at will and took a huge 51-27 lead into half-time.
The CAPERS got off to a rough start in the second half as well and at one-point Acadia held CBU without a point for 5 minutes. The CAPERS did come alive in the 4th and outscored Acadia 20-11 in the final quarter but it was much too little too late. Acadia had better numbers in all shooting categories. They were also dominant on the defensive end forcing 18 turnovers and getting 10 steals.
The CAPERS were led in scoring Monique Calliste (Toronto, ON) with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Audrey Rankin (Prince George’s County, MD) also had a strong showing in her final home game as a CAPER. The 5th-year senior put up 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds despite the loss.
The Axewomen were once again led in scoring by current AUS scoring leader Haley MacDonald who had an efficient 21 points to go along with 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Acadia also received a strong game from Jayda Veinot who had 20 points and 4 rebounds in the victory. Rachel Cloutare-Trudeau, 13 and Mia Roberts, 10 also hit double figures for the victors.
The Axewomen’s Haley MacDonald was named the Subway Player of the Game. Acadia remains in 1st place with a record of 15-4 with the win. The CAPERS fall to 8-11 on the year and are in 5th place.
The Axewomen wrap up their regular season on Wednesday, February 19th when they host Saint Mary’s at 6 pm. The CAPERS play their last regular-season game Friday, February 21st when they travel to Antigonish to take on ST.FX at 6 pm.  All the action can be seen on AUSTV.CA.
Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics.
February 23, 2020
Axewomen post 3-0 sweep of U SPORTS No. 2 Dalhousie
WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Axewomen volleyball team stunned the visiting U SPORTS No. 2 ranked Dalhousie Tigers with a three-set win in Sunday afternoon play. The Tiger loss is the first match lost since February 15 last season.
“Today was a great team win! We had multiple individuals rise today which contributed to our success,” said Axewomen head coach Michelle Wood. “There is always emotion involved in any match that we play, however today in particular the team played for the senior athletes that have helped build our program. Ultimately, we accomplished our goal today, but our sights are still set on something greater. The beautiful part about sport is that it’s the moments along the way that help propel programs.”
The undefeated Tigers jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the opening set, but the Axewomen tied the game up at six on a Dalhousie attack error. A kill by Peyton DeWolfe sparked a run that ended at 13-7 on an Acadia service error.
The Tigers battled back to tie the match up at 14 on a Victoria Turcot service ace, but the Axewomen once again took control and the lead. The action was neck and neck until 20-20 when two Dalhousie attack errors combined with a Jamie Crocket kill and a Hannah Helm service ace ended the set at a 25-20 win for the hometown Axewomen.
More of the ‘see-saw’ battle continued into the second set with no more than two points separating the teams until a 12-12 tie was broken by a kill by Bianca Ruiz triggering a rally that included three Lucy Glen-Carter service aces in a row, a Hannah Helm kill and another Glen-Carter ace to give Acadia a 20-13 lead.
The Tigers responded six-point rally, but it wasn’t enough and the Axewomen collected a 25-22 second set win.
Could the Tigers face a three-game sweep? Once again only two points separated the teams in the opening minutes of the third and eventual final set. Dalhousie pushed to a 9-6 lead on a Victoria Haworth service ace and an Acadia attack error, but the Axewomen would post another rally to give them a comfortable 12-9 margin.
Acadia pushed to a 17-12 advantage and retained the lead until Tiger Julie Moore nailed two consecutive kills to give Dalhousie a 21-20 lead. Lucy Glen-Carter landed four kills in the closing of the third set for the eventual 27-25 win. One of Glen-Carter’s kills broke the 25-25 tie and her last of four ended the match.
Glen-Carter ended with match high 12 kills and a hitting efficiency of 0.355. Subway Player of the Game Jamie Crocket added nine kills for an amazing efficiency of 0.438. Rookie setter Sydney Zakutney handled the playmaking with 31 sets, while Becky Dorsey had a team high 14 digs. Hannah Helm had 3 solo and 1 assisted blocks in the win.
Tiger Victoria Haworth had a team high eight kills and teammates Julie Moore and Victoria Turcot added seven each. Haworth had four solo blocks in the loss.
The Axewomen take on Moncton this Monday night in a make-up game that was postponed on Friday due to inclement weather. Next weekend the Axewomen head to Saint Mary’s on Friday followed by Saturday’s season-ending matchup against Dalhousie in Halifax.
The Tigers’ season wraps up with a rematch against Acadia next Saturday night.
Eric Cederberg is the Director of Communications for Acadia Athletics.
February 15, 2020