UNB, St. Thomas hand out annual athletic awards

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The two university athletics programs in Fredericton recognized their top athletes this week at annual events to cap the sports campaign at the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.

UNB hosted their annual REDS Awards on Thursday, and the two most recognized athletes of the year came from the ice and the hardwood.

Austen Keating of the men’s hockey team won the James Downey Shield for Male Athlete of the Year, according to a press release on the Reds website. Jayda Veinot of the women’s basketball team accepted the Colin B. MacKay Shield for Female Athlete of the Year.

Both athletes won their respective awards coming off historic seasons.

Veinot, who’s from Port Williams, Nova Scotia, accomplished something no other Reds women’s basketball player has done. After averaging 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game in her second season with the Reds, she was named the USports Most Outstanding Player, the first Red ever to receive the award.

Along with that, she also won Atlantic University Sport Player of the Year, and made the USports First Team All-Canadian squad.

Keating was a key player in one of the greatest seasons in the history of Canadian university men’s hockey. The Puslinch, Ont., forward helped lead the Reds to an undefeated season, going 43-0 in exhibition, regular season and playoffs on route to back-to-back U Cup titles.

In his third season as a Red, Keating had a career year, finishing second in the country in points (50), second in goals (23), and first in plus/minus at +47. For his efforts, he was named AUS MVP and was a USports First Team All-Canadian.

After winning Men’s Hockey Coach of the Year for both AUS and USports, Gardiner MacDougall added another award to his resume on Thursday. The longtime men’s hockey coach was named the Reds Coach of the Year after leading his team to their second-straight national title in a historic season.

Thursday’s gala was for UNB’s U Sports teams, and Wednesday’s gala was for the club teams.

UNB’s rookie of the year winners both went to members of the volleyball team. Lex Guimond of the men’s volleyball team won Male Rookie of the Year while Female Rookie of the Year went to fellow volleyball player Talia Nixon.

The Garnet Copeland Award going to the top all-around student-athletes went to men’s volleyball player Scott Mann. Oliver Arnfast and Peighton Johnson of the track and field/cross country team won the Unsung Hero Awards.

Erin Ingalls of the women’s basketball team was given the Brunswickan Academic Achievement Award.

For his contributions on and off the field, track and field/cross country coach Bill MacMackin won the James Born Award.

For the club side, rugby player Hannah Loggie was named Female Athlete of the Year. Owen Lohnes of the baseball team was named Male Athlete of the Year.

On Wednesday, St. Thomas University also held their annual awards banquet, celebrating their student-athletes.

Men’s soccer player Josh Oakes was named Male Athlete of the Year while Ekaterina Pelowich of the women’s hockey team won Female Athlete of the Year.

During the Fall season, Oakes was awarded Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year, and a first-team all-star. He was also recognized on the national level, named Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.

Oakes led the ACAA in goals (13), and points (26) on route to leading the Tommies to a top conference record of 10-0-2. He led STU to the ACAA semifinals before losing to Mount Saint Vincent.

Pelowich served as captain of the Tommies hockey team, and at one point was named National Athlete of the Week. She finished the season in a three-way tie for the scoring title, scoring 18 goals.

The LeRoy Washburn Community Service Award went to the women’s volleyball team.

Luke Ewan of the men’s soccer team won the John Frederick Walls Award. Celine Sterckel of the women’s basketball team won the Cathy Wadden Commitment Award.