Maggy Burbidge and David Muenkat named STFX student-athletes of the year

ANTIGONISH, NS --- The STFX Athletic Department honored the athletic accomplishments of their varsity athletes this week at the Athletic Awards Gala held Tuesday evening at the Charles V. Keating Centre. X-Women Hockey forward Maggy Burbidge was named the STFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year, while X-Men Basketball forward David Muenkat received STFX Male Student-Athlete of the Year honors. The STFX Female Community X-Cellence award was co-awarded to Kathleen Dolan (X-Women Rugby) and Aliyah Fraser (X-Women Basketball), while Liam Wilde from X-Men Football was the winner of the STFX Male Community X-Cellence award.

Maggy Burbidge is a third year Arts student from Falmouth, N.S., and a forward with the AUS finalist X-Women Hockey team. Burbidge led the country in scoring this season with 47 points and earned recognition as a U SPORTS first team all-Canadian and an AUS first team all-star. Her 25 goals and 22 assists were both second-best in the nation and she led U SPORTS in shots (194) and plus minus ratio (+33). The two-time X-Women most valuable player was a member of the U SPORTS Team Canada all-star team that won a gold medal at the FISU World University Games this past February in Lake Placid.

Burbidge becomes the seventh X-Women Hockey athlete to be named the STFX Female Student-Athlete of the Year, the last one being Tyra Meropoulis in 2020.

David Muenkat is a third year Arts student from Brampton, Ont., in his final year of eligibility as a forward on the AUS champion and U SPORTS silver medalist X-Men Basketball team. The 2023 U SPORTS and AUS defensive player of the year was also honoured as a U SPORTS second team all-Canadian and an AUS first team all-star this past season. Muenkat led the conference in rebounding, averaging 10.2 rebounds per game and was 11^th overall in AUS scoring at 15.2 points per game. He garnered both U SPORTS and AUS tournament all-star recognition and was the AUS playoff MVP, helping lead his team to their first conference banner since 2006. David was the first overall pick in the 2022 CEBL draft with the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

Muenkat becomes the 13^th X-Men Basketball athlete to win the STFX Student-Athlete of the Year award and first since Christian Upshaw in 2010 and 2009.

Kathleen Dolan is a fourth year Science & Health student from Halifax, N.S. and a winger with the X-Women Rugby team. She volunteered weekly at L'Arche Antigonish throughout the school year, and also volunteered time weekly with X-Project at the Paq'tnkek and Pictou Landing First Nations. Kathleen was part of a volunteer research team with two professors for arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, preparing a newsletter and planning a global webinar/conference for adults with AMC. A member of the STFX bike club, she has also volunteered at numerous events, including speaking at the X-ring ceremony, volunteering as a notetaker and organizer at a roundtable conference in Iqaluit for a Search & Rescue organization, and helping with Bell Let's Talk events at STFX. Kathleen lent time to the World Central Kitchen organizing meals after Hurricane Fiona and was a participant in the Health Conference: Innovation in Achieving Health Equity in Rural Nova Scotia. She has participated in numerous health-related conferences and seminars during her time as a student at STFX.   

Aliyah Fraser is a fourth year Science & Health student from New Glasgow, N.S., and a guard with the X-Women Basketball team. The winner of both the U SPORTS and AUS women's basketball community service awards, she serves as the diversity representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, volunteers with STFX's BLACC Society and is the student-athlete representative on the university's Racial Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. The founder of the STFX BIPOC varsity association, Aliyah has been a guest speaker at several events and is a tour guide with the Black Student Association. Last summer, she organized the first Up&Atom Sports and Science Camp in New Glasgow, bringing the joy of sport and the wonders of science to the youth of her hometown. She has volunteered with the Antigonish Multi-Sport organization, the Red Apple Daycare Centre, Next Level basketball academy, at Pictou County Lightening U17 practices, and with the Daneesha Provo Elite basketball camp.   

Liam Wilde is a fifth year Arts student from Calgary, Alta. who is a defensive back with the X-Men Football team. He volunteered his time weekly throughout the school terms at the Antigonish food bank and at Kevin's Corner, helped to maintain those two resource centres. A service learning leader with the Coady Institute, Liam also served as a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council where he was a co-representative for the Student-Athlete Mental Health Initiative (SAMHI). He helped coordinate events for Bell Let's Talk Week, including organizing and moderating a mental health session for fellow student-athletes. Liam volunteered his time with an X-Project event teaching Indigenous children sports skills this past summer and volunteered at the Business-HKIN fundraiser hockey game. A leader of distinction with the STFX Leadership Academy, he was panel member at the recent Nova Scotia Sports Leadership conference, speaking to Nova Scotia athletes.    

Gary Waterman is the winner of the 2023 STFX Coach of the Year award. In his 14th season behind the helm, Coach Waterman was awarded the AUS football coach of the year award for the fifth time in his career and for the first time garnered honours as the U SPORTS national football coach of the year. He led the X-Men to an undefeated 8-0 regular season record, first place in the conference standings and a 2-0 record in AUS postseason play, including winning the AUS championship banner for the second consecutive season. Coach Waterman's X-Men hosted Saskatchewan in the U SPORTS national semifinal Uteck Bowl game, coming down to the wire in the fourth quarter in a close loss.

In 2022, the X-Men finished fourth in the country in scoring (261) and led the conference in yards per game. Waterman's team also topped the AUS in points per game (32.6), yards per game (404.6), passing yards (1940), passing touchdowns (13), rushing touchdowns (13), field goals (16-22), sacks (27) and defensive interceptions (14). The STFX defence led U SPORTS in interceptions and was second overall in sacks. Thirteen of Waterman's players were named to the 2022 AUS all-star team.

The 'X-Ceptional Award' which recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to contribute in a positive manner to STFX Athletics, was awarded to Dr. Tim Hynes. The Dean of the Gerald Schwartz School of Business at STFX University, Dr. Hynes is a long-time supporter of the STFX Athletics program and fulfills many key volunteer roles. He has served as a member of the Father Kehoe Golf Classic organizing committee for many years, and is a friendly and welcoming member each summer at the annual event. Hynes volunteers his time on the awards gala selection committee, and is a co-emcee of the annual STFX Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, along with filling other emcee roles in several other Athletics events and projects as the need arises. He plays an integral role in the recruitment of STFX student-athletes to all varsity teams, often taking the time to call or personally meet with prospective student-athletes. A longtime executive member of the X-Men Basketball booster club, Hynes is a generous supporter of all varsity teams and is a dedicated fan in attendance at the gymnasium, stadium, rink and trails, rarely missing a home game in any X-Men or X-Women sport. He truly bleeds blue and white and his devotion to STFX Athletics does not go unnoticed.

All eligible first-year student-athletes were recognized and received their traditional STFX varsity pin from their respective head coaches, while graduating student-athletes received a framed varsity X for their contributions to their teams over the past four or five years. X-Men and X-Women student-athletes who received AUS and U SPORTS accolades were recognized for their achievements as StFX Athletics produced 46 AUS all-stars, one AUS all-rookie, 16 AUS major awards winners, 10 U SPORTS all-Canadians, one U SPORTS all-rookie, and three U SPORTS major award winners this past varsity season. Three STFX teams – X-Men Football, X-Women Cross Country and X-Men Basketball – were AUS conference champions, and the X-Men Basketball team were also U SPORTS silver medalists. Two STFX runners were crowned as individual track AUS champions – Caroline Ash (1500m) and Allie Sandluck (3000m), with Sandluck also earning the women's cross country individual AUS champion crown.  

Graduating student therapists and sports performance interns, along with student managers from all StFX varsity teams were recognized for their contributions to the 2022-23 varsity season. Iron X Awards were handed out to members of each team for their dedication to sports performance and improvements in the varsity weight room and included the following:

Individual awards for each varsity team were awarded to student-athletes and presented by each head coach. The winners are as follows.

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