As the 2011-2012 varsity season came to a close in mid-March when the X-Men basketball team captured a national bronze medal to conclude the year for StFX sports, there was plenty to be proud of if you were a student-athlete sporting blue and white this past season, especially members of two teams who took home AUS championship titles, X-Women rugby and X-Men cross country, not to mention several AUS champion performances in track and field.
On the winter sports scene, there were some ups and downs in 2011-2012. Beginning on the ice, we start with a look at the X-Men and X-Women hockey teams.
The StFX X-Men entered the season with high expectations as they were ranked seventh overall in the country in the CIS pre-season top ten rankings. The X-Men were unable to meet those expectations and found themselves on the losing end of 13 one-goal games to compile a total record of 10-14-4 for 24 points and a sixth place finish in the AUS conference. The X-Men took on the Moncton Aigles Bleus in first round AUS playoff action as the series went the distance to the third and final game, only for Moncton to win 1-0 and move onto the second round.
The StFX X-Women were ranked in the top five in the CIS rankings throughout the 2011-12 season. They compiled a 20-4-0 record in AUS regular season play, good enough for first place overall in the conference. The X-Women moved on to the AUS championship tournament in Halifax but were upset in their pool as they lost to UPEI in the final game of their season, and were not able to advance to the AUS championship game, prompting a very disappointing end to a year filled with promise. Forward Alex Normore was the top scorer in the CIS and earned AUS most valuable player honors.
Moving to the court, The X-Men and X-Women basketball teams both could call their seasons successes, especially the X-Men as they finished with a bronze medal in the CIS final 8 tournament for a third place finish in the country.
Starting with the X-Women, the blue and white finished the season fifth in the AUS conference with a 10-10 record for 25 points. StFX hosted the Subway AUS championship and rode the hometown crowd advantage to a berth in the AUS semi-final game, only to bow out to the eventual AUS champion Acadia Axewomen by a close 70-66 margin. Freshman guard Vanessa Pickard was honored as the CIS Rookie of the Year for the X-Women.
The X-Men basketball squad were ranked second overall for seven straight weeks in the CIS top ten rankings to start the season. They were eventually slotted sixth in the final CIS top ten rankings, as well as earning the sixth seed for the CIS Final 8 tournament, as their first place finish atop the AUS conference (16-4-0 record, 46 points) combined with their second place finish at the AUS championship earned them the berth at nationals. StFX opened the CIS final 8 tournament in Halifax with a 98-82 quarter-final victory over Concordia, but succumbed 91-83 to Alberta in the semifinals. The X-Men closed out the championship with an 89-86 victory over Fraser Valley Cascades 89-86 to take home the bronze medal.
The X-Women volleyball team sat in the middle of the pack for the majority of their season under new head coach Danny Da Costa. They finished in fourth place in the AUS conference with an 8-9 record for 16 points. The blue and white competed at the AUS championship tournament in Moncton but were defeated in the quarter-finals by the Memorial Seahawks three sets to one.
The X-Women indoor track and field team had a strong season competing favourably in all in four meets they entered. The X-Women finished second overall at the AUS championship in Moncton, collecting 15 medals (4 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze) for a total of 113 points in the competition. Kelly MacDonald (3000m) and Susie Lajoie (60m hurdles and triple jump) took home gold medals for StFX and Lajoie was named MVP of the meet. The women’s 4x800m relay team (Tory Anderson, Sarah Deveau, Liz O’Connel and Jessica White) also won AUS gold. Distance runner Kelly MacDonald advanced to the CIS championship where she placed eighth overall in the 3000m race.
The X-Men track and field team competed in four meets this past season and were successful in all, with many runners placing in the top half of the standings. At the AUS championship in Moncton, they finished second overall with a total of seven medals (3 gold and 4 silver) for 61 points. Connor McGuire (1500m and 3000m) and Max Maund (300m) won AUS gold medals for StFX. McGuire also advanced to the 3000m race at the CIS championship, where he placed tenth overall in the 3000m run.
Looking back at the fall sports at StFX, the X-Women rugby team won their 14th consecutive Atlantic University Sport title with a convincing 60-0 shutout over Acadia at home at Oland Stadium on October 28th. StFX is the only team to be crowned conference champions since the inception of the AUS women's rugby league. At the CIS national championship at Trent University in Peterborough, ON, the X-Women competed with the goal of defending their 2010 national title, but fell short in the gold medal game against a tough Guelph squad, losing 28-0. They had earlier tournament victories over Trent (76-3) and Lethbridge (20-5) en route to the final game, their fifth gold medal appearance in the past six years. The CIS silver medal was their third in team history. The X-Women were ranked No. 1 in the nation for the entire 2011 season.
The X-Men cross country team enjoyed a successful 2011 campaign, winning every AUS meet they entered this season, including the AUS championship meet in Fredericton on October 29th as hosted by UNB. Third year runner Connor McGuire was the individual AUS champion while freshman teammate Riley Johnston was second overall. The X-Men placed six runners in the top ten. The championship marked the fourth AUS title in X-Men history as they previously won in 2009, 2008 and 2006. At the CIS championship on November 12th at Laval the X-Men placed ninth overall amongst a field of 17 teams.
The X-Women cross country team ran a strong race at the AUS championship, placing second overall to Dalhousie. The top finisher for StFX was Natalie Kannenberg in fifth place as the X-Women placed four runners in the top ten. In regular season competition, StFX had three first-place finishes and one second place showing. At the CIS championship on November 12rth at Laval, the X-Women ran to a seventh place finish amongst 19 teams and were the top team from the AUS conference at the national meet.
On the soccer pitch, the X-Women and X-Men teams both competed at their respective AUS championships. After the X-Women had a 6-6-1 season and finished in fifth spot overall, they met Cape Breton in the AUS quarterfinals hosted in Fredericton by UNB. After playing to a scoreless draw at half, the Capers scored three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to take the 3-0 victory and send the X-Women down in defeat.
At the AUS men's soccer championship in Cape Breton, it was deja-vu all over again for the X-Men as they were defeated in penalty kicks for the third consecutive season in the playoffs. This time it was at the expense of the Saint Mary's Huskies, the eventual AUS champions who went on to win a CIS silver medal. Saint Mary's defeated the X-Men 1-0 in the AUS quarterfinal match. StFX played to a 7-3-3 regular season, finishing one point out of second place. They were ranked in the CIS Top 10 for the majority of the regular season.
The X-Men football team continues to rebuild with their young team. They finished the 2011 regular season with a 2-6 record in third place in the AUS conference. They met the second place Saint Mary's Huskies in the AUS semi-final playoff game and lost 25-2 in Halifax on November 5th. The X-Men will be returning a core group of players on both offense and defense next season.