UBC student and Edmonton native Annamay Pierse has been named female athlete of the year. Pierse swins for UBC and broke the 200-metre breaststroke short-course record during Canadian Spring Nationals. Pierse competed for Canada this summer in Beijing. Pierse had an incredible performance at CIS nationals this year - winning the 50-, 100- and 200- metre individual breaststroke events.
The male athlete of the year is U of A volleyball player Joel Schmuland. Schmuland led the Golden Bears to the national championship and an undefeated season. Schmuland caputed CIS volleyball player of the year and won tournament MVP at nationals. The 6 foot 7 power hitter finished his career at the U of A with 3 national championships.
Each athlete won a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Stunning to beleive that Alberta, who have been a powerhouse in several Male sports (hockey, volleyball, soccer and basketball) over the last 15 years had to wait this long to have a CIS Male Athlete of the Year.
ReplyDeleteThe Bears hockey team has five CIS Men's Hockey titles in the last 11 seasons.
The Bears volleyball team has claimed four CIS Men's volleyball titles in the last eight years-with eight straight Gold Medal game appearances. The Bears basketball team, though no longer a perennial power, has claimed three CIS men's basketball titles in the last 15 seasons.
And the Golden Bears soccer program has two CIS titles in the last six seasons.
And yet the school was consistently overlooked at both a Conference level and at a National level.
Case in point 2000 Canada West BLG Nominee Russ Hewson who was the CIS Men's Hockey Player of the Year, and who led the Bears to a National Championship scoring the overtime winner over UNB in the Final.
So congrats to Schmuland.