Leadership Academy student-athletes celebrated

ANTIGONISH, NS – The STFX Student-Athlete Leadership Academy recently wrapped up its 13^th year with a celebratory breakfast banquet where 108 student-athletes received leadership certificates for their work completed over the 2024-25 academic year.

Established in 2012, the STFX Athletics Leadership Academy strives to challenge, develop, and support STFX student-athletes through comprehensive leadership training and development.

The Academy founder and director is STFX Director of Athletics & Recreation, Leo MacPherson, who delivers the curriculum alongside associate director of the Academy and STFX Human Kinetics Professor Dr. Angie Kolen.

The Academy is comprised of three primary classifications, which are as follows:

Rising Leaders: Designed for a select group of high potential second and third year student-athletes (and select first year student-athletes). Through a number of ongoing workshops and interactive exercises, the Rising Leaders program provides a strong leadership by example foundation for student-athletes to develop into effective leaders.

Veteran Leaders: Designed for team captains and veteran student-athletes, this program focuses on leading with STFX Athletics and team values to effectively lead others. The program assists student-athletes in developing the skills and knowledge essential to be an effective vocal leader as they navigate the ongoing challenges and responsibilities of team leadership. The program also provides a strong focus on accountability and team standards to effectively build and enhance team culture.      

Elite Leaders: Designed for senior leaders who have successfully completed both Rising and Veteran Leaders programs. The Elite Leaders program focuses on applying leadership skills to positively impact the team, athletic department, campus and community at large. A significant component of the Elite Leaders program is for each leader to undergo a 360 degree evaluation of their leadership skills.  There is also a focus on life after sport and how to transition leadership skills from sport to career.

This year there were 12 student-athletes who received Leader of Distinction Awards, the highest honour bestowed by the STFX Athletics Leadership Academy following a rigorous evaluation process. These student-athletes have earned the utmost respect from their teammates, coaches and themselves. The 2024-25 recipients of the Leader of Distinction Awards are:

Logan Chisholm, X-Men Hockey
Jaya D'Souza, X-Women Basketball
Tyler Ivany, X-Men Football
Brynn Jurus, X-Women Soccer
Janey Kennedy, X-Women Rugby
Skye Koyote, X-Women Rugby
David McGill, X-Men Football
Matt Pennell, X-Men Basketball
Landyn Pitts, X-Women Hockey
Kamdyn Switzer, X-Women Hockey
Madelyn Weisshaar, X-Women Rugby
Hannah Yantha, X-Women Soccer

The 2024-25 Elite Leaders are as follows:

Julia Baniak, X-Women Rugby
Eileen Benoit, X-Women Cross Country Track
Max Bodurtha, X-Men Soccer
Colin Buffalo, X-Men Football
Mairin Canning, X-Women Cross Country Track
Nathan Cayouette, X-Men Football
Logan Chisholm, X-Men Hockey
Caitlin Crichton, X-Women Soccer
Jaya D'Souza, X-Women Basketball
Joel Gallant, X-Men Cross Country Track
Ashlyn Garnett, X-Women Hockey
Amaya Giraudier, X-Women Hockey
Liam Gombrich, X-Men Football
Vivian Hinch, X-Women Hockey
Tyler Ivany, X-Men Football
Brynn Jurus, X-Women Soccer
Janet Kennedy, X-Women Rugby
Skye Koyote, X-Women Rugby
David McGill, X-Men Football
Matt Pennell, X-Men Basketball
Lucas Pfeil, X-Men Hockey
Landyn Pitts, X-Women Hockey
Noah Proulx, X-Men Cross Country Track
Logan Rieck, X-Men Soccer
Cam Shaw, X-Men Soccer
Abby Steen, X-Women Soccer
Emma Steen, X-Women Soccer
Jake Stewart, X-Men Hockey
Kamdyn Switzer, X-Women Hockey
Madelyn Weisshaar, X-Women Rugby
Mark Woolley, X-Men Hockey
Hannah Yantha, X-Women Soccer

The 2024-25 Veteran Leaders are as follows:

Akwaima Akpan, X-Women Rugby
Caroline Ash, X-Women Cross Country Track
Samuel Barrowcliffe, X-Men Soccer
Charlie Callaghan, X-Men Hockey
Tyler Carlson, X-Men Football
Meghan Cole, X-Women Soccer
Krissy Cooper, X-Women Basketball
Damian DeDekker, X-Men Soccer
Emily Dodge, X-Women Rugby
Lauren Gautreau, X-Women Rugby
Luke Green, X-Men Soccer
Zachary Houde, X-Men Football
DJ Jackson, X-Men Basketball
Kilian Kelly, X-Men Football
Will Kubas, X-Men Football
Caden Lee, X-Women Cross Country Track
Meghan Linegar, X-Women Soccer
Rylin Matheson, X-Women Soccer
Liam McCullagh, X-Men Cross Country Track
Aidan Miller, X-Women Soccer
Kya Moss, X-Women Hockey
Terryn Mozes, X-Women Hockey
Katie Murphy, X-Women Rugby
Lauren Neeve, X-Women Basketball
Jeff Ngandu, X-Men Basketball
Brooklyn Oakes, X-Women Hockey
Liam Patterson, X-Men Cross Country Track
Gabriel Pelletier, X-Men Football
Payton Plesh, X-Men Football
Quincy Rotsaert-Smith, X-Women Cross Country Track
Megan Smith, X-Women Hockey
Shawn Spearing, X-Men Hockey
Cole Stewart, X-Men Hockey
Mali Straker, X-Women Basketball
Samuel Taylor, X-Men Football
Maxwell Thomson, X-Men Football
Trystan Watrych, X-Men Football
Valerie von Muehldorfer, X-Women Rugby
Raegan Wiles, X-Men Hockey
Sierra Wood, X-Women Rugby

The 2024-25 Rising Leaders are as follows:

Lauren Adams, X-Women Soccer
Ava Bangs, X-Women Rugby
Drew Bell, X-Women Rugby
Reegan Bell, X-Women Basketball
Cheyenne Bower, X-Women Soccer
Ella Brazier, X-Women Basketball
Ethan Burroughs, X-Men Hockey
Kate Childs, X-Women Rugby
Alex Christopoulos, X-Men Hockey
Ava Elgood, X-Women Soccer
Shona Galloway, X-Women Rugby
Griffin Gamble, X-Men Cross Country Track
Kai Grose, X-Men Football
Kalle Hastman, X-Women Hockey
Brad Hulton, X-Men Football
Owain Johnston, X-Men Hockey
Hailey Jones, X-Women Soccer
Lainey Joyce, X-Women Hockey
Musa Kamara, X-Men Football
Gloire Koua, X-Men Basketball
Matthew Lawton, X-Men Cross Country Track
Patrick Leaver, X-Men Hockey
Zoe Lenci, X-Women Rugby
Andrew Lupenette, X-Men Cross Country Track
Bree MacPherson, X-Women Hockey
Jacob Maillet, X-Men Hockey
Joanna Martinson, X-Women Hockey
Ireland McCloskey, X-Women Hockey
Macy McDonell, X-Women Rugby
Simon Motew, X-Men Hockey
Jessie Penney, X-Women Rugby
Zoe Power, X-Women Soccer
Tobi Sokunbi, X-Men Football
Koat Thomas, X-Men Basketball
Sarah Watson, X-Women Cross Country Track
Giancarlo Wylie, X-Men Football