Hockey Mountie named Mount Allison Universitys James Bayer Award nominee

This year Shauna Neary, a fourth-year goalie with the hockey Mounties, was Mount Allison University's nominee for the prestigious AUS James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award. The scholarship, given in recognition of James Bayer, a well-known and honoured athletic administrator, was established in 1985 by the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (AUAA) and is awarded annually to an Atlantic University Sport (AUS) athlete who best demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics, and exhibits strong leadership, sportsmanship, and citizenship qualities.
At the end of every season, 10 exemplary nominees are forwarded from all the AUS universities and the year's winner is then publicly recognized at the prestigious 'final six' basketball championships held in Halifax in early March.
A resident of Antigonish, N.S., Neary is a former all-New England hockey MVP, and star with Hebron Academy in Hebron, Maine (US prep school). From 2002-'04 she played with Hebron Academy under the guidance of coach Marc Roy. A past MVP in high school lacrosse and soccer as well, Neary was also a member of the Nova Scotia provincial hockey team in 2001-'02.
Arriving at Mount Allison on a Chris Young Memorial Scholarship in 2004, Neary made a quick impact on women's hockey at the university. In her first season, she made the 2005 AUS all-rookie team and by season's end, she was recognized as the hockey Mounties' team rookie and the university's overall female rookie of the year.
An excellent student and tremendous team player, Neary additionally finds time in her busy schedule as a varsity athlete to help coach the local high school team, the Tantramar Titans. This is a commitment she has taken on for the past two seasons in the community.
Always in the running for university athlete of the week nominations over the season, Neary has also been the recipient every year of an alumni athletic achievement award, recognizing her skill and commitment to Mount Allison varsity athletics. A well-rounded student-athlete who majors in geography, Neary will graduate in May with a degree in social sciences.
Her presence will certainly be missed "between the pipes" and at Mount Allison University.