Mount Allison University honours top athletes for 2009-10

Mount Allison University held its annual Night of the Mounties last Thursday, March 25, to honour its athletes and their special "Mountie Moments" over the past season.

Major awards were presented to football great Gary Ross, standout swimmer Mitchell Peters, and volleyball star Laurie Marchbank. The three athletes were named Mount Allison's male and female athletes of the year. Ross was also one of the university's senior scholar athletes.

The football team's most valuable player, Ross had an unprecedented football season, breaking several school and conference records along the way. Leading the league in most of the special teams and receiving categories, the five-foot-nine Ross was selected as the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference's MVP and was a strong nominee for the nation's most outstanding player award - the Hec Crighton Trophy.

While he narrowly missed this honour, Ross was still recognized with two all-Canadian awards for the second consecutive season. A four-time AUS player of the week, he was named both as a first-team Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-Canadian inside receiver, and a second-team CIS all-Canadian return specialist.

He led the Atlantic conference in receptions (60), receiving yards (818 yards), receiving touchdowns (four), and all-purpose yards (1,423 yards). He has been an all-star receiver and the conference's top special teams player in each of his four years at Mount Allison, and is now the AUS career leader in receptions, receiving yards, and all-purpose yards.

This season, Ross was the only Atlantic conference player to average over 100 yards receiving per game (102.2 yards per game) and his 60 receptions are also a new AUS single-season record, smashing the previous mark of 48. His 818 receiving yards are a new Mounties' single-season school record and the fourth highest total in league history.

Despite teams kicking away from him for most of the season, Ross also added to his career return totals racking up 281 punt return yards and 186 kickoff return yards. He currently ranks second in AUS history with 1,679 career punt return yards and 1,403 career kickoff return yards.

Peters, a Sackville native and this year's swim team MVP, put in a four-medal performance at the AUS championships where he clinched two gold medals in the 400 and 200-metre free races, a silver in the 100-metre free, and a bronze as an anchor in the 800-metre free relay.

In his gold-medal 200-m free swim, Peters made the CIS national standards, qualified for the senior nationals, and broke his own school record. He also made the CIS standard for the 400-m free, dropping 12 seconds off his personal best time and breaking his own university record again. In the silver-medal swim, Peters broke the 100-m free Mount Allison record and made the CIS standard by a full second.

Peters was named a three-time AUS all-star this season, a three-time university athlete of the week, and a two-time athlete of the month. As the second-best male swimmer at the AUS meet, Peters represented Mount A and the AUS at the national championships. It had been five years since a Mount Allison swimmer qualified for the CIS championships and at least 20 years since a Mountie was represented in the freestyle events. Peters is a former provincial record holder from Tantramar Regional High School, and a past eight-time MVP with the Sackville Swim Club, coached by his father and current Mounties' coach John Peters.

Marchbank, a five-foot-six defensive sparkplug and team MVP, had an outstanding year, rebounding from a serious leg injury and leading her team back to the playoffs. Her gritty play all year resulted in her recognition as a first-team all-star and as the conference's MVP. As the top player in the ACAA, Marchbank was also selected as an all-Canadian at the national level, and as an academic all-Canadian.

Winning the outstanding senior scholar athlete awards this year were basketball Mountie Kristen Atkins and Gary Ross. Both Dean's List students over their four years, Atkins is in fourth-year fine arts and captained the Mounties to a third-place ranking and another championship appearance.

Selected as the outstanding senior athletes this year were Jillian Greene of the hockey Mounties, Carrie Murray from the badminton team, and Josh Graham from the basketball team. This award recognizes the four-year achievements of outstanding Mounties who are in their graduation year.

Greene has been an influential Mountie over her career. Top scorer and captain of the hockey team, Greene was recently named a candidate for the AUS James Bayer Scholarship that is awarded annually to an outstanding student-athlete who excels in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship, and citizenship.

Graham had a stellar career over his four seasons with the basketball Mounties. The six-foot guard thrilled the fans with his exciting slashing offensive moves and high-scoring games. Leading the Mounties to the playoffs in each of his four years, Graham was a second-team ACAA all-star last year and a first-team player this season. Finishing second in league MVP voting, he was also named to the 2009-10 all-Canadian team.

Murray was a steady contributor to the success of the Mounties for all four of her seasons with the badminton team. She was selected as the badminton Mounties' rookie of the year and over the following two years was honoured as the team's MVP. For three years she represented Mount Allison and the Atlantic provinces at the national championships, and this year she and her sister won the CCAA Fair Play Award.

The university's rookie-of-the-year honours went to standout volleyball setter Allison Settle of Debert, N.S., and Patrick Burtt, a steady soccer fullback with the soccer Mounties.

In addition to winning university rookie honours, Settle was also recognized this year by the ACAA as both the conference's rookie of the year and as a second-team all-star. She has been a most welcome addition for the volleyball Mounties, and played a large role in her team's advancement to the recent ACAA championships.

It was also a good year for soccer Mountie Patrick Burtt. Burtt is a former Canada Games player and standout with Fredericton High School. A 5'11" midfielder enrolled in first-year arts, Burtt showed great presence on the field every game, and contributed in many ways to a much-improved Mounties' team.

The women's and men's sportsmanship trophies were presented to two outstanding soccer players. Fourth-year commerce student Lauren Ledwell and senior Trevey Davis were honoured with the Gigi Hicks and the Harvey Gilmour sportsmanship awards respectively.

Ledwell has been a steady performer and a quiet leader on the soccer pitch for her full four years. This season she was athlete of the month for October and has captained the Mounties for the past two years and remains an exemplary leader on and off the field.

With the name "LEDWELL," that's exactly what the Mounties' midfielder contributed to the team. With her leadership and effort, she led her team in a run at post-season play this year, and set the cornerstone for future playoff attempts next season. Playing in her last season, she was inspirational in the centre of midfield, competitive when in search of the ball, and intelligent when in possession.

A six-foot senior defender for the Mounties, Davis has provided solid leadership to his team while also involving himself as student president of the university. In fourth-year science, majoring in biology, he hopes to pursue a career in medicine.

Winning the major Bubsy Grant Award this year was the Mounties' football running back Scott Brady. Brady was a workhorse on the team and had a never-say-die attitude despite the numerous injuries he incurred over his four years.

Two soccer volunteers were recognized as managers of the year this season. They were Joanna Mader for the women's teams, and Mitchell Stewart for the men's teams.

Three others were recognized with Bill Johnstone Merit Awards, named in honour of the late Bill Johnstone, a great friend and supporter of Mount Allison athletics.

The service award honours went to: Steve Scott, a second-year assistant with the cross-country teams; Cory Pothier, who was involved with everything in the department from minor officiating in intramurals, to announcing at varsity games; and Noah Kowalski, Mount Allison's two-year sports editor of The Argosy.

The trainer with distinction plaque was given to Melanie Landry. The award recognizes her outstanding contribution to the Mount Allison athletic therapy clinic.