April 7, 2004

Athletics unveils 37th annual Night of the Dino award winners

The University of Calgary's annual Athletic Awards Banquet, "The Night of the Dino" honoring individual athletes and team that participated in intercollegiate athletics was held Tuesday, April 6, 2003 at the Red & White Club. It culminated with the announcement of the major award winners:

• The Dr. Dennis Kadatz Male & Female Athlete of the Year
• The Calgary Booster Club Scholar Athletes of the Year
• Athletic Award of Merit
• Margaret Southern Award
• Dr. Lou Goodwin Award
• Murray Fraser Awards and Gauntlet Awards
  

The University of Calgary Female & Male Dr. Dennis Kadatz Athletes of the Year recipients are JOANNA NIEMCZEWSKA and CHAD MURRAY. Joanna and Chad will represent the University of Calgary at the school level for the prestigious Borden Ladner Gervais Awards (formerly Howard Mackie) CIS Female and Male Athletes of the Year. The Conference nomination will be announced on April 14, with the BLG Awards taking place in Calgary in May.

A third year member of the Dinos women's volleyball team, Joanna was the Canada West and CIS Player of the Year in 2004. A third year Social Sciences student, Niemczewska helped lead the Dinos to the CIS National Championship, the school's first in women's volleyball since 1994. During the season Joanna's team was ranked number one in Canada the entire season with the exception of one week. They posted a Conference record of 17 wins and three losses and an overall record of 32 wins and five losses. Individually Joanna finished second in Canada with 283 (3.68 per game), and finished fourth in total points. She was named Canada West Female Athlete of the Week once. In addition she was a first team Canada West all-star and first team CIS All-Canadian. Joanna is a graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Calgary. Former teammate Krista Kinsman won the award in 2002.

Swimmer Chad Murray dominated both Canada West and CIS meets in 2004. A fourth year Chemistry major from Lethbridge, Alberta, Murray helped the Dinos to second place finishes at the Canada West and CIS Meets. At the Canada West Championships he won four individual medals winning the 200 and 400 individual medley and the 100 and 200 butterfly events. He had a similar strong performance at the CIS Nationals. Murray won the 200 and 400 individual medley and the 50 and 200 butterfly as well as helping Calgary attain a medal in the individual medley relay. Chad was named CIS Male Swimmer of the Year at the Nationals and was named Canada West and CIS Male Athlete of the Week for March 8. Chad is a graduate of Winston Churchill High School in Lethbridge.

The last swimmer to capture the award was Curtis Myden in 1999.

The Calgary Booster Club /University of Calgary Scholar Athletes of the Year is for student-athletes that have demonstrated the highest level of achievement in both academics and athletics during the past year. The 2003-04 recipients are swimmers ALEXANDRA LYS and CAMERON HYDER.

Alexandra is a second year competitor on the women's swimming team that was Canada West and CIS second place finishers this past year.

This past year Alexandra was a member of the silver medal winning 4 x 200 freestyle relay team at CIS Nationals. Alexandra finished third in the women's 100 freestyle at the Canada West Championships. Lys is a second year Kinesiology student who has a grade point average of over 3.80. She attended Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary and was an alternate on the 2000 Canadian Olympic team that went to Sydney, Australia. She was an Academic All-Canadian last year and was featured in the Calgary Herald Class Act in graduating year.

Cameron Hyder is a third year member of the Dinos swimming program who excelled both in the pool and in the classroom this past year. Hyder helped the Dinos finished second at both the Canada West and CIS Meets with his outstanding performances. He finished second to teammate Chad Murray in the 200 and 400 IM events at both the Canada West competitions and was CIS gold medalist in the 200-meter freestyle. Hyder has a grade point average of over 3.45 in the Faculty of Engineering and has been a CIS Academic All-Canadian. Cameron attended Central Memorial High School.

For the 24th year, Athletic Awards of Merit were awarded to athletes that showed excellence in their sport and were Athlete of the Year candidates.

ERIN GAMMEL - Women's Swimming
A fourth year member of the Dinos swimming team Erin had another outstanding season. A fourth-year Humanities student and a carded member of the Canadian National team Erin was a triple CIS gold medalist in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke events setting a pair of CIS records in the process. She was named CIS Female Swimmer of the Year at the CIS Nationals hosted by the University of Toronto. She is a native of Barriere, B.C. and hopes to compete for Canada this coming summer at the Olympics in Athens, Greece.

AMANDA MOPPETT - Women's Volleyball
Moppett was the captain of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport National Champion women's volleyball team. The final year Kinesiology student was a Canada West first team all-star, a CIS second team All-Canadian this past season leading the Dinos to first place in the CIS Rankings the entire season but one week. She took her game to another level at the CIS National tournament earning tournament MVP honors and was player of the match in both the CIS semi-final and championship final matches. In five years with the Dinos she was a Conference all-star all five seasons and was CIS Rookie of the Year in 2000. She was named Canada West Female Athlete of the Week for March 8, 2004. Amanda is a graduate of Father Lacombe High.

JOANNA NIEMCZEWSKA - Women's Volleyball
A third year member of the CIS National Championship team Joanna was a tournament all-star at the CIS National Championship Tournament hosted by the University of Saskatchewan. A third year Social Sciences student she earned honors this season including being named Canada Female Athlete of the Week for February 23 and was Player of the Match five times this season. She was Canada West and
CIS Player of the Year in her sport and earned first team all-Conference and CIS honors.

SHANNON SLATER - Women's Cross-Country and Track & Field
Shannon had a remarkable season for the Dinos in both cross-country and track and field. She earned first team CIS All-Canadian status finishing third overall at the CIS Nationals in Moncton, New Brunswick helping the Dinos capture the CIS National Championship. She also named Canada West Runner of the Year. During the winter months she competed for the Dinos track and field team helping the Dinos place second in Canada West and CIS competitions. She was a member of the CIS gold medal 4 x 800 relay team that were also Conference champions and finished third in the CIS in the 1500 and 3000 meters. Shannon is a third year Communications & Culture student and attended Bishop Grandin High School in Calgary.

JESSICA ZELINKA - Women's Track & Field
For the second consecutive season Jessica dominated women's track and field at both the Conference and CIS Championship Meets. At the CIS Nationals this year in Windsor, Zelinka captured two gold medals, one silver, and bronze medal. She established a new CIS record in the pentathlon with 4,062 points and also won the 60-meter hurdles, was a silver medalist in the 60-meter sprint and bronze in the long jump.
She accounted for 23 points at the CIS National Championship meet as the Dinos finished second in the team competition. Jessica was named CIS Female Athlete of the Meet, CIS Female Track Athlete of the Year, and Canada West track and field athlete of the year. Zelinka is a third year Communications & Culture student from London, Ontario.

NATHAN KENDRICK - Men's Cross Country & Track & Field
A fifth year senior on the cross-country and track and field teams, Nathan finished second overall in the CIS Cross-Country Championships in 2003 earning first team All-Canadian status. In addition he was Canada West Champion. He had several strong meets this season in addition to the CIS Championship Meet winning the Alberta Open and placing fourth at the Washington State Invitational. In track and field
Nathan competed in the 3000 meters finishing third in the country. Kendrick is a graduate of Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School in Calgary and is a graduate studies student at the U of C and a past Academic All-Canadian.

CHAD MURRAY - Men's Swimming
Chad dominated men's swimming both at the Conference and CIS Meets in 2004. A fourth year Chemistry major from Lethbridge, AB., he captured four individual gold medals both at the Canada West and CIS Championships. He won the prestigious 100 and 200 individual medley events. He was named CIS Swimmer of the Year and was Canada West and CIS Male Athlete of the Week for March 8. He is a carded member of the Canadian National men's team and will vie for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team to Athens, Greece later this summer.

JOHN RIAD - Men's Basketball
A fifth-year senior John was instrumental in the Dinos capturing the Canada West regular season title and playoff championship for the first time in 11 years. He was a Canada West first team all-star and CIS second team All-Canadian. He averaged 14.6 points per game (fourth in Conference) four assists and four rebounds per game in Conference play. A fourth year Engineering student from William Aberhart High School, Riad was Player of the Game as the Dinos defeated McMaster in the opening round 74-66.

The Bill Popplewell Rookie of the Year Awards recipients are women's wrestler Laura McDougall and football player David Gruninger.

Laura McDougall: Laura had an outstanding initial post-secondary season winning the Canada West title in the 65KG division in 2004. She had an outstanding CIS National tournament finishing second in her weight class earning CIS Rookie of the Year honors in women's wrestling as well as capturing Canada West Rookie of the Year honors. McDougall attended Winston Churchill High School in Calgary.

David Gruninger: One of the youngest players in CIS football David gained a starting spot in his first year directly from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute on the Dinos football team, becoming the first pure freshmen to start in the offensive backfield in his first league game in 20 years. He started all regular season games at fullback proving to be a solid blocker and played considerably on special teams.
Other Finalists were Heather Sim (women's cross country) and Brett Thurston (men's hockey).


Heather Sim: Heather had a solid rookie season in women's cross country helping the Dinos capture the Canada West and CIS National Championship. She was named Canada West Rookie of the Year and was a second team CIS all-Canadian finishing 13th at the Nationals. Heather is a graduate of John Diefenbaker High School in Calgary.

Brett Thurston: A first year defenseman with the Dinos, Brett was a member of the Canada West all-rookie team notching eight assists in Conference play and being one of the team's top defenders. He joined the Dinos after playing in the WHL for the Brandon Wheat Kings. Thurston is from Strathmore, Alberta.

The Margaret Southern Award for the female person who has contributed the most to intercollegiate athletics goes to MAUREEN CYFRA.
The recipient may be chosen from inside or outside the university community and is based on overall contribution to the athletic department.
Maureen has been involved in the Husky Dino Cup for several years. She has willingly taken on the role of Director of Housing for the tournament making sure visiting teams are met at the airport, escorted to the hotel, and informed of all activities. Along with her husband, Emory, and various members of their family they have shuttled teams to and from the airport as early as 5:00 AM. The personal touch provided by her gives the tournament is a primary reason teams enjoy coming to the tournament.

The Dr. Lou Goodwin Award for the male person who has contributed the most to intercollegiate athletics goes to MIKE BOYLES. The winner may be chosen from inside or outside the university community and is based on overall value contribution to the athletic department. Mike has been a fixture at volleyball tournaments and games for several years assisting at the scorer's table and also supervising the statistical crew.
He coordinates all the personnel at the table and makes sure the stats for both the women's and men's matches are accurate.

The Murray Fraser Awards are awarded to student-volunteers who have assisted the athletic department during the past year and/or several seasons. Selection is based on attitude, leadership, enthusiasm, and overall contribution to the athletic department. This year's female recipient is Lesley Hathaway and the male recipient is Geoff Carr.

Lesley was an outstanding volunteer with a perfect attendance record. She worked every football, soccer, basketball and volleyball event this year and even assisted with both women's and men's hockey. She accumulated over 250 hours of volunteer work. Lesley is extremely knowledgeable and dependable when it comes to running athletic events. In final six weeks of the season she took over for Ben Matchett who had study commitments overseas.

Geoff Carr's main assignments were football, soccer and men's hockey. He is always the first to reply to extra requests and will do whatever is necessary. He also works as a minor hockey official. Geoff volunteered over 100 hours this past season.