Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) double medallist Louis David Bonneau and CIS championship all-star Melissa Abraham were named Gee-Gees athletes of the year for 2003-2004 at the University of Ottawa’s annual athletic banquet, on April 1.
Academic All-Canadians Marlies Phillion and Rob Rideout from the women’s and men’s hockey teams received the Rector’s Award with a $1,500 bursary in recognition of their excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement.
The banquet capped one of the most successful years in the history of the Gee-Gees. While the women’s soccer team finished second in Canada this fall, several athletes and teams representing the University of Ottawa made their mark on the national stage this spring.
The women’s basketball team captured the Ontario Universities Championship for the first time in their 34-year history. They represented Ontario and the University of Ottawa at the CIS national championships in Winnipeg. Coach Angie McLeod was voted Coach of the Year in Ontario. Sadly, McLeod later announced that she was leaving the program to return to her native city of Halifax.
The newest Gee-Gees team in women’s hockey took home the silver medal at the national championships, bowing in the final to the University of Alberta by a 2-0 score. Goaltender, Megan Takeda, a first-year commerce student in the School of Management, was named to the tournament all-star team. The Gee-Gees also won the Quebec Student Sports Federation Championship this season.
Meanwhile the men’s hockey team earned a berth to the CIS national hockey championships after placing among the top five teams in the country during the regular season.
“The success of our teams this year has more than exceeded my expectations,” said Sports Services director Luc Gélineau. “In addition to their athletic achievements, more than 20 percent of our student athletes maintained an academic average of over 80 percent.”
“It’s been a fantastic year and we’re very excited about our future.”
