MONTREAL - The RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) is pleased to release its all-star teams and major award winners for the 2010-2011 women's university ice hockey season.

Concordia Stingers goalkeeper Audrey Doyon-Lessard (Charny, QC) has been selected as the most outstanding player in the RSEQ this season. She posted a 2,74 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. In 20 games this season, the former Dawson College Blues player helped the Stingers place third in the standings with a 8-9 record. McGill Martlets' Katia Clément-Heydra (Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC) was named rookie of the year. In 20 games this winter, she scored 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points to rank second in the RSEQ scoring chart. Elected on the AA College First All-Star Team last year, the former Edouard-Montpetit College Lynx sniper was also second top scorer in the Quebec College League with 49 points, including 17 goals in 21 games.

Peter Smith of the Martlets was elected Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career after leading McGill to the league's title with a perfect 20-0 record. On the weekend, the Martlets picked up their 100th and 101st conference wins, a 2-1 shootout decision over the U. of Montreal Carabins and a 5-2 win over the Stingers. Smith returned behind the Martlets' bench last fall after a one year absence. In 2009-2010, he was assistant coach on Canada's Women gold medal winning team at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Finally, Carleton Ravens' defenceman Erica Skinner (Markham, ON) is the RSEQ's candidate for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's Marian Hilliard Trophy honoring the best hockey student-athlete in the nation demonstrating both academic success and community involvement. The Commerce student is involved with Kidfest Running and Reading Program, encouraging and supporting reading development with youth.

The curtain rises on the semifinals

The league's semifinals will begin on Wednesday as the Martlets face the Ravens and the Carabins play the Stingers in a pair of best of three series.

The first game of the Martlets-Ravens series will be on Wednesday night at 7 pm (ET) at the McConnell Arena while the second will follow on Friday at 3:30 pm at the Ice House Arena. If necessary, the third game will be played at McConnell Arena on Sunday at 2 pm. The Martlets are the five-time defending RSEQ champions and have won their five games against Carleton this season. The Martlets are currently atop the national standings and are the last RSEQ team to win the CIS Championship, back in 2008-2009. The double Olympic medallist Charline Labonte (Boisbriand, QC) has registered 37 shutouts in 65 career regular season matchs for McGill, a CIS record.

In the other series, the first game between the Carabins and the Stingers is set for Wednesday night at 7 pm at the CEPSUM, followed by game number two, Friday night at 7 pm at the Ed Meagher Arena. If a third and ultimate game is necessary, it will be contested on Sunday at 2 pm back at the CEPSUM. The Stingers have won three of their five encounters this season. In their first women's ice hockey season last year, the Carabins made it to the CIS National Championship, placing fifth while the Martlets came home with a silver medal. This season, only the RSEQ Champion will go to the national tournament, March 10-13 at Wilfrid Laurier University. The two semi-final winners will meet in the RSEQ final for a chance to capture the Ed Enos Trophy.

Player of the Year
Audrey Doyon-Lessard, Concordia

Rookie of the Year
*Katia Clément-Heydra, McGill

Marion Hilliard Award nominee
Erica Skinner, Carleton

Coach of the Year
Peter Smith, McGill

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, school, program, hometown, last team

*Forward, Ann-Sophie Bettez, McGill, Management, Sept-Îles, Dawson College
Forward, Kim Deschênes, Montréal, Arts et sciences, Saint-Quentin, N.-B., Northern Stars de Bathurst
Forward, Fannie Desforges, Ottawa, Science Social, Fournier, Ontario
*Defence, Cathy Chartrand, McGill, Physical and Health Education, Nominingue, Montreal Axion
Defence, Gillian Ferrari, McGill, Arts, Thornhill, Ontario, University of Calgary
Goalkeeper, Charline Labonté, McGill, Physical and Health Education, Boisbriand, Collège Lionel Groulx, Équipe canadienne

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, school, program, hometown, last team

Forward, Erin Lally, Concordia, Art History Calgary, Calgary Midget AAA
Forward, Caroline Hill, McGill, Physical and Health Education, Dorval, The Loomis Chaffee School
Forward, Claudia Bergeron, Carleton, Health Science, Drummondville, Cégep Limoilou
Defence, Stéphanie Daneau, Montréal, Sciences infirmières, Drummondville Cégep de Saint-Laurent
Defence, Kristen Marson, Carleton, Criminology, Ajax, Ontario, Etobicoke Dolphins
Goalkeeper, Audrey Doyon-Lessard, Concordia, Certificate Business Admininistration, Charny, Dawson College

ROOKIES ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, school, program, hometown, last team

Forward, Josianne Legault, Montréal, Déficience intellectuelle, Granby, Collège Laflèche
*Forward, Katia Clément-Heydra, McGill, Industrial Relations, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Collège Edouard-Montpetit
Forward, Alyssa Sherrard, Concordia, Applied Human Sciences, Bathurst, N.-B. Atlantic Canadiens U20
Defence, Janique Duval, Montréal, Adaptation scolaire, Val-d'Or, Collège Édouard-Montpetit
Defence, Adrienne Crampton, McGill, Kinesiology, Toronto, Ontario, The Bishop Strachan School
Goalkeeper, Rachel Ouellette, Montréal, Études cinématographiques, Pointe-Claire

*Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence bursary winner

-RSEQ-