Women's volleyball players receive AUS recognition

Fifth-year Saint Mary's left side Kerri Smit was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player for the third time in her career, Thursday night.

Other AUS major award winners announced tonight during the awards banquet in Moncton, N.B., were Dalhousie's Maggie Li of Beijing, China, who was named rookie of the year; SMU's Anastasia Callaghan of Truro, N.S., who was selected as the libero of the year; Dalhousie's Kirstie Shepherd of Stoney Creek, Alta., who received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award; and Saint Mary's head coach Darren Russell, who was named the AUS coach of the year for the second year in a row.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Kerri Smit, Saint Mary's

Kerri Smit, a 6-foot-1 left side and team captain with the CIS No. 2-ranked Huskies, finishes her fifth and final year of eligibility with her third AUS women's volleyball most valuable player award.

A native of Shubenacadie, N.S., Smit was the 2007-08 Atlantic conference rookie of the year, and was also named the AUS most valuable player in both 2008-09 and 2010-11.

Kerri, a second team CIS all-Canadian in 2008-09 and a first team all-Canadian last season, had another stellar season for the first place Huskies, leading the country in kills (4.51 per game), total kills (275) and scoring (5.34 points per game). She also finished ninth in AUS digs (3.00 per game) and 13th in blocks (0.67 per game)

Smit, now the first ever three-time recipient of this award, was also named a first team AUS all-star tonight for the fourth time in her career

"Kerri is one of the most extraordinary student-athletes I have ever had the pleasure of coaching," said Saint Mary's head coach Darren Russell. "The leadership and guidance she provides to the younger players in both practice and game situations is outstanding. Her preparation for competition is also something to which most athletes should aspire. I've watched her develop into one of the best players in the country and I believe her participation in the AUS conference has elevated the level of competition in our league."

Smit will look to become the first AUS player to be named CIS player of the year since 1981-82, when Dalhousie's Karen Maessen won the award.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Maggie Li, Dalhousie

Li, a native of Beijing, China, becomes the fourth player from the Dalhousie program to claim the AUS rookie of the year award and the first since the 2001-02 season when Jilliane Goulet was recognized as the top rookie. Caroline MacFarlane (1998-99) and Cherie Campbell (1994-95) are the only other Tigers to have won this award.

Maggie, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, started all 17 matches for the Tigers in her university debut, playing in all 60 sets.

Li tallied 2.42 kills per game, 0.97 blocks per game and led Dalhousie in scoring this season with an average of 3.29 points per game, finishing in the top 10 in the AUS in each of those categories.

Her 0.395 hitting percentage also led the country this season.

"Maggie has been a key part of our team's success in her first year as a Tiger," says Dalhousie head coach Rick Scott. "She has provided a valuable presence at the net as both an attacker and blocker. She has been extremely committed and worked very hard both on and off the court to improve as a student-athlete. She has a great ability to learn very quickly and has been a pleasure to coach."

No Atlantic conference player has ever won the Mark Tennant Award as the CIS rookie of the year.

LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Anastasia Callaghan, Saint Mary's

Callaghan, a second year student-athlete from Truro, N.S., led the AUS conference with 4.41 digs per game this season, the third best average in the country, and anchored a Saint Mary's defence that held opponents to a league-low .098 hitting percentage.

"Anastasia is one of the hardest workers both on and off the court and every day she tries to make herself better," said Saint Mary's head coach Darren Russell. "To be receiving this recognition in only her second year is a testament to how hard she competes and she is a well deserving recipient of this award. I know she'll only continue improve herself and her team in the years to come."

Christena MacRae (2007-08) and Catherine MacFarlane (2003-04) are the only other Saint Mary's players to be named the Atlantic conference's top Libero since the award was established in 1999-00.

No Atlantic conference player has yet been recognized as the CIS libero of the year.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Darren Russell, Saint Mary's

Russell, in just his third full year at the helm of the Huskies program, has now been selected by his peers as the AUS coach of the year for the second consecutive season..

In 2009-10, his first as head coach, the Truro, N.S. native led Saint Mary's to a CIS championship appearance after an 11-7 regular season, followed by capturing the AUS banner on their home court in Halifax.

Last year, he guided the Huskies to a first place finish in the Atlantic conference with a record of 14-4 and this season his SMU squad posted a league-best 16-1 record and are currently ranked number two in the country.

Saint Mary's has now been ranked in the CIS top ten for all 13 weeks this season, and haven't been ranked any lower than fifth.

As a team, Saint Mary's led the conference in kills, assists, hitting percentage and also held their opponents a league-low .098 hitting percentage during the regular season.

Prior to assuming the head coaching duties, Russell served as an assistant at Saint Mary's since 2002 and as the head coach of the 2009 Nova Scotia Canada Games team.

"Darren flat out loves his team. I have never seen a coach so committed to the effort it takes to win game in and game out while making sure his team is having a premiere university experience," said Steve Sarty, Director of Athletics at Saint Mary's. "The best part about Coach Russell winning this award is that he does not expect it. I know he will share this honour with his players and valuable staff."

Russell will once again represent the AUS as the nominee for CIS coach of the year at next month's CIS awards banquet in Hamilton, Ont. Moncton head coach Monette Boudreau-Carroll is the only AUS coach to ever be named the CIS Coach of the Year.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Kirstie Shepherd, Dalhousie

Dalhousie fourth-year middle blocker Kirstie Shepherd is the 2012 recipient of the Student-Athlete Community Service Award. The award is given to the women's volleyball student-athlete who best exhibits outstanding achievements in three (3) areas: volleyball, academics, and community involvement.

She has not only enjoyed success on the court this past season, but has also excelled in the classroom and the community. Kirstie played in all 60 games for the Tigers, leading the conference in blocks (1.35 per game - 3rd in CIS) and finished ninth in hitting at .233 with 103 total kills. A team captain, Shepherd has been a starting middle since arriving at Dalhousie four years ago. 

Kirstie will graduate this spring with a 3.5 GPA from the Bachelor of Science (Biology) program and will be looking to pursue her MBA. She is on pace to be recognized for the second time as a CIS Academic all-Canadian.

Her community involvement spans a number of areas.

In addition to volunteering with the Tigers Club volleyball program, the 2011 FIVB World Junior Beach Volleyball Championship and serving as an official for high school tournaments, she finds time to volunteer as a Sunday school teacher, with the Nature Conservation group at Dalhousie and as a member of the Relief Society to help women in need of food, clothing and shelter.  

Shepherd also served as co-emcee of the Dalhousie Tigers 'Women in Leadership' Spotlight Dinner and fundraiser this past year.

"Kirstie has been an outstanding leader and had a great year for the Tigers women's volleyball program," said Dalhousie head coach Rick Scott. "She is a tremendous role model for other athletes with her commitment and dedication to her academics, athletics and community involvement. She brings a real passion and energy with everything that she is involved with and is well respected by all that know her. She has been a pleasure to coach and an inspiration to work with."

Kirstie will be the AUS nominee for the CIS Therese Quigley Award. Acadia's Lori-Beth MacEwen (2002-03 and 2003-04) and Mount Allison's Megan Toews (2001-02) are the only Atlantic conference recipients of the CIS award.

FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

The Atlantic University Sport first and second team all-stars were also announced Thursday evening, along with this year's all-rookie team.

First Team All-Stars:
Kerri Smit, Saint Mary's (5th year - Shubenacadie, N.S.)
Vanessa St. Georges, Cape Breton (5th year - Middleton, N.S.)
Louise Facca, Dalhousie (4th year - Aurora, Ont.)
Katherine Ryan, StFX (4th year - Halifax, N.S.)
Ariel Smith, Saint Mary's (4th year - Yarmouth, N.S.)
Maggie Li, Dalhousie (1st year - Beijing, China)
Libero - Anastasia Callaghan, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Truro, N.S.) 

Second Team All-Stars:
Chantel Jones, Memorial (4th year - St. John's, Nfld.)
Catherine Thornton, StFX (4th year - Kobe, Japan)
Megan Brown, Cape Breton (4th year - North Sydney, N.S.)
Meg Rector, Acadia (3rd year - Milton, Ont.)
Véronique Carroll, Moncton (3rd year - Moncton, N.B.)
Sam March, Memorial (3rd year - Bay Roberts, Nfld.)
Libero - Kristen Ryan, Cape Breton (5th year - Port Hastings, N.S.)

All-Rookie Team:
Maggie Li, Dalhousie (Beijing, China)
Vanja Mitrovic, UNB (Fredericton, N.B)
Shelby Michaels, Saint Mary's (Mill Bay, B.C.)
Katelyn Costa, Cape Breton (Oakbank, Alta.)
Kelsey Wolfenden, StFX (Ottawa, Ont.)
Tara Gowan, Dalhousie (Sydney, N.S.)

The 2012 Subway Atlantic University Sport women's volleyball championship gets under way this weekend at the Université de Moncton.

Live webcasts of all five matches of the championship will be available at http://playerv2.streamit.ca/PlayerV2.aspx?eventid=83.

The championship schedule is as follows:

Friday, February 17th
Quarter-final #1: Cape Breton (3rd) vs. Moncton (6th), 6:00pm
Quarter-final #2: StFX (4th) vs. Memorial (5th), 8:00pm

Saturday, February 18th
Semifinal #1: Saint Mary's (1st) vs. Lowest Remaining Seed, 4:30pm
Semifinal #2: Dalhousie (2nd) vs. Highest Remaining Seed, 7:00pm

Sunday, February 19th
Championship Game: Semifinal Winners, 2:00pm

For further information, please visit www.atlanticuniversitysport.com, or contact:

John Keefe
Communications Manager
Atlantic University Sport
P: 902 425 4235
E: jkeefe@atlanticuniversitysport.com
Website www.atlanticuniversitysport.com