In her three years at StFX as a member of the X-Women rugby team, Ghislaine Landry has pretty much done it all, and this past weekend she topped things off with an experience of a lifetime as a nominee for the prestigious BLG awards for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Athletes of the Year.

“The entire weekend was amazing and the BLG staff treated us like celebrities,” commented the Human Kinetics student from Toronto. “The other nominees were unbelievable and getting to know them was fantastic, they are all very talented athletes and also fabulous people. I am very thankful to BLG and their Board of Trustees along with CIS for the nomination.”

The 17th annual BLG Awards were handed out Monday night in Toronto, and although Ghislaine wasn’t the overall winner, the honor of being nominated is not something to go unnoticed. Out of 10,000 student-athletes participating in CIS sport across the country, one male and one female athlete from each of the four regional conference were selected as the best-of-the-best, including Landry as the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) female nominee.

Ghislaine is the first female nominee from StFX University to be nominated for the prestigious national award, and the only women’s rugby player from the AUS to be recognized. After only three seasons with the X-Women rugby squad, she is already one of the most decorated players in the short history of CIS women’s rugby.

This past fall, the five-foot-four fullback was named CIS MVP for the second straight campaign, becoming only the second player to receive the honour twice since women’s rugby was added to the CIS program in 1998. The CIS rookie of the year in 2006 and a two-time CIS championship all-star, Landry has been named AUS MVP and a CIS all-Canadian each of her three seasons at StFX. She is also a three-time consecutive StFX Female Athlete of the Year.

The accolades do not stop there. Ghislaine has led the X-Women to three AUS titles in three years, and in her rookie season in 2006, led StFX to their first Monilex trophy as CIS national champions, following up with a CIS silver medal in 2008.

Ghislaine has almost single-handedly rewritten the AUS women’s rugby record book. This past season, she set AUS records for most points (35) and tries (7) scored in a single game and most tries in a single season with 22 in six matches, while finishing with the second best single-season point tally (112) in AUS history. She is the AUS career leader in points (272) and tries (54) and has scored at least one try in each of her 18 regular-season contests with the X-Women, including 15 multiple-try games.

Despite her individual achievements and awards, Ghislaine remains grounded and humble in acknowledging her accomplishments. She is a leader on and off the field for her fellow teammates and leads by example through her actions. A Dean’s List student, she is on her way to earning Academic All-Canadian status this year and is set to graduate in the spring of 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Kinetics degree.

“Being involved in athletics, in particular rugby, has instilled in me a strong sense of self, leadership and an appreciation for struggle,” comments Landry. “As a student-athlete I recognize and honor the position I am in on campus as a positive and effective leader.

“In training, practices and games, I push myself to overcome any obstacles that I face, and I’ve learned to carry this attitude into my every day life. As a team member I’ve also learned the importance and appreciation for other people, especially through difficult times.”

Ghislaine is the type of individual who embodies what a StFX University student-athlete should be. “Ghislaine’s dedication to academics, her chosen sport of rugby, her teammates and the larger StFX community is simply outstanding and I am delighted that she received the prestigious BLG award nomination,” comments Director of Athletics & Recreational Services Leo MacPherson.

“I am so very proud of Ghislaine Landry and all that she has done for StFX, for female sport in Canada and the maturity she continues to demonstrate as a young adult. She will continue to make a difference and her legacy at StFX will last well beyond her student days. 

Aside from her CIS experience, Ghislaine also has also represented her country in international competition. She helped Canada claim the silver medal at the 2008 world university rugby sevens championship in Spain. A highly-touted prospect for the senior national team, she has represented Canada at five international competitions over the past few years as a member of the Under-19 team and the senior rugby 7s squad.

Entering the BLG Awards weekend, the other seven nominees from across the country had equally impressive sporting resumes as Landry. The ultimate winner of the CIS Female Athlete of the Year award was UBC swimmer Annamay Pierse. Volleyball athlete Joel Schmuland received the CIS Male Athlete of the Year honor.

The BLG Awards were established in 1993 to recognize the top female and male athletes from universities affiliated with CIS and are based on athletic accomplishments, outstanding sportsmanship and leadership. Sponsored by the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais, the annual event has become an elite showcase for CIS student-athletes. This year’s awards show will be televised on TSN on Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 pm (EST).

Doug Mitchell, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Canadian Athletic Foundation, commented, “Once again this year, we had eight outstanding nominees. They are all exceptional athletes and dedicated to their sport. We are extremely pleased to have such a great calibre of athletes for these awards.”

The winners were selected by the Canadian Athletic Foundation, a not-for-profit Board established for the purpose of administering the BLG Awards and protecting the integrity of the selection process. All eight nominees received a commemorative gold ring, while Pierse and Schmuland were also presented with a trophy and a $10,000 scholarship to attend a Canadian University graduate school.

Each nominee experienced an activity-filled weekend including press conferences, a Board of Trustees luncheon, and dinner and a visit to the Sick Kids Hospital.
 
When reflecting upon what it meant to represent your school and conference on the national scene, Ghislaine comments, “Representing StFX is always an honor, the school is amazing and the Xaverian family is well known for supporting each other.”
 
“Representing the AUS is also an honor and it is fun, as the Atlantic region is so different from the other conferences across the country. It is a unique conference and I enjoy participating in it.”

Ghislaine will be entering her fourth year in the Human Kinetics program at StFX in September and will be looking to hopefully lead the X-Women to another AUS title and to be competitive at the CIS national championship as well.