Posted: Mar 02, 2012
StFX's Normore named MVP
March 2, 2012 (HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2011-12 AUS women's hockey all-stars and major award winners as selected by the conference's seven head coaches following regular season play.
Second-year StFX forward Alex Normore was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player Friday.
Other AUS major award winners announced during the awards banquet this morning at Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., were Moncton's Marie-Pier Arsenault of Bonaventure, Que., who was named rookie of the year; Ashlyn Somers of the Mount Allison Mounties, who was selected as the most sportsmanlike player; St. Thomas forward Kayla Blackmore of Fredericton, N.B., who received the student-athlete community service award; and UPEI head coach Bruce Donaldson, who was named the AUS coach of the year.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Alex Normore, StFX
The Atlantic University Sport women's hockey most valuable player is Alex Normore of the StFX X-Women.
A second year forward, Alex followed up on her strong rookie campaign where she was named the CIS Rookie of the Year last year with 55 point as a sophomore.
The Bedford, N.S., native led the country in scoring, racking up 24 goals and 31 assists and her 55 point tally ranks as the second highest single season total in AUS history. Former X-Women star Candice Ernst hold the record with her 57-point total in 2005-06. She also moves into second place in the AUS record book for most assists in a single season with 31, second again to Ernst who had 38, also in 2005-06.
Normore also led the CIS in assists and was tied for second overall in the country in total goals scored.
An AUS first team all-star for the second consecutive year, Normore was a 2010-11 CIS second team All-Canadian who played a significant role in the X-Women's 2011 AUS championship victory and their CIS silver medal.
This season, Alex helped lead the X-Women to another first place finish atop the conference with a 20-4-0 record. In addition to her impressive point total, she also led the CIS in both plus/minus rating (+42) and shorthanded goals (3), and she scored two hat tricks in regular season play.
"Alex has been an integral part of our program since day one," comments StFX head coach David Synishin. "In only her second year she has been a go-to player in all situations for us. Alex is an extremely intelligent hockey player who reacts very quickly to changes in a game, as well as instructions from her coaches. Alex's biggest asset is her competitiveness both on and off the ice. Her will to compete sets her apart from most other players."
Normore becomes only the second StFX player to be named AUS most valuable player. Brayden Ferguson was the only other StFX player to win the award back in 2007-08. Ferguson is also the only AUS player to win the CIS Player of
the Year award in the same 2007-08 campaign.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Marie-Pier Arsenault, Moncton
Arsenault, a first-year forward from Bonaventure, Que., collected 17 goals and added 11 assists for 28 points in her freshman season and finished the regular season with a plus-14 plus/minus rating.
Marie-Pier becomes the third Moncton player to be named the conference's top rookie, joining Mariève Provost (2006-07) and Guylaine Haché who won the award in 1999-00.
Arsenault will look to become the fourth Atlantic conference player to be selected as the CIS rookie of the year. StFX's Alex Normore (2010-11) and former Saint Mary's Huskies stars Lindsay Taylor (2002-03) and Courtney Schriver (2004-05) are the only AUS players to have won the CIS award.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bruce Donaldson, UPEI
In just his sixth season as head coach, Bruce Donaldson has been chosen by his peers as the 2011-12 AUS coach of the year and becomes the first UPEI recipient of this award.
This year, Donaldson guided the Panthers to a 13-10-1 regular season record this season and a fourth place finish in the AUS standings.
"This is a very deserving award as Bruce has built our women's hockey program into an AUS contender," says UPEI Athletic Director Ron Annear. "Bruce's commitment to his student-athletes, his team, fund raising and community initiatives is highly appreciated by the university, alumni and Island community."
He has been the Prince Edward Island Canada Games women's hockey team head coach and led the Prince Edward Island U18 Program of Excellence
MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER: Ashlyn Somers of the Mount Allison
The 2011-12 most sportsmanlike player is Mount Allison's Ashlyn Somers. This award recognizes an individual who maintains the standards of fair play and treats those around her with respect at all times.
"Ashlyn is the most sincerely honest player I have ever coached," says Mount Allison head coach Zach Ball. "She always gives 100 per cent and has never taken a penalty due to laziness or out of anger."
Somers also had a solid season statistically, with seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points this season.
Ashlyn is the first-ever Mount Allison player to receive this award.
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Kayla Blackmore, St. Thomas
This award honours the individual who best combines academics, athletics and community involvement.
St. Thomas forward Kayla Blackmore, also named a second team AUS all-star today, is a three-time Academic all-Canadian who has maintained a cumulative 3.94 GPA over the past four years and is the recipient of the Dr. Tony Rhinelander Nature of History Prize for commitment to the field of history and research.
On top of her academic and athletic commitments she finds time to work part time at the university gym and volunteer as a youth hockey coach. She is a leader on her team and was previously named the 2010-11 AUS most sportsmanlike player.
Blackmore is the first Tommies player to receive this award and will now represent the conference as the AUS nominee for the CIS Marion Hilliard Award.
FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
The Atlantic University Sport first and second team all-stars were also announced Friday, along with this year's all-rookie team.
First team all-stars:
Goaltender: Megan Corley-Byrne, Mount Allison
Defence: Suzanne Fenerty, StFX
Defence: Geneviève David, Moncton
Forward: Alex Normore, StFX
Forward: Janelle Parent, StFX
Forward: Marie-Michelle Poirier, Moncton
Second team all-stars:
Goaltender: Kathy Desjardins, Moncton
Defence: Jenna Pitts, StFX
Defence: Lauren Oickle, Mount Allison
Forward: Kayla Blackmore, St. Thomas
Forward: Jocelyn LeBlanc, Dalhousie
Forward: Marie-Pier Arsenault, Moncton
All-Rookie Team:
Goaltender: Brittany McMacken, Dalhousie
Defense: Emily van Diepen, Mount Allison
Defence: Laura Bradley, UPEI
Forward: Marie-Pier Arsenault, Moncton
Forward: Danielle Miller, St. Thomas
Forward: Sarah Robichaud, Dalhousie
The 2012 Subway Atlantic University Sport Women's Hockey Championship is being hosted by Dalhousie University, March 1-4, 2012 in Halifax, N.S.
The six participating teams have been separated into two pools based on the final regular season standings.
Pool "A"
1. StFX
4. UPEI
6. Dalhousie
Pool "B"
2. Moncton
3. Mount Allison
5. St. Thomas
The 2012 tournament schedule is as follows:
Thursday, March 1st
Game #1: StFX (1st) 3 vs. Dalhousie (6th) 1
Game #2: Moncton (2nd) 5 vs. St. Thomas (5th) 0
Friday, March 2nd
Game #3: UPEI (4th) vs. Loser Game #1, 3:00pm
Game #4: Mount Allison (3rd) vs. Loser Game #2, 7:00pm
Saturday, March 3rd
Game #5: UPEI (4th) vs. Winner Game #1, 3:00pm
Game #6: Mount Allison (3rd) vs. Winner Game #2, 7:00pm
Sunday, March 4th
Championship Game: Pool "A" winner vs. Pool "B" winner, 2:00pm
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