Photo credit Guelph Athletics

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. (CIS) – For the second straight season, fifth-year University of Guelph number 8 Jacey Murphy is Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s player of the year in women’s rugby.

The native of Alliston, Ont., became the fourth multiple winner of the MVP award since the sport made its CIS debut in 1998. She follows in the footsteps of Lethbridge’s Ashley Patzer (2006, 2009), St. Francis Xavier’s Ghislaine Landry (2007, 2008) and Alberta’s Heather Denkhaus (1999, 2000).

Other CIS major award winners announced Wednesday evening in Peterborough, Ont., during the All-Canadian Banquet were McMaster’s Cindy Nelles of Belleville, Ont., who was named rookie of the year; Laval’s Sarah Boudreau Turpin of Quebec City, who received the Student-Athlete Community Service award; and Sherbrooke’s Mélissa Laberge, who merited the coach of the year award, presented by Coaches of Canada.

The 2011 CIS championship, hosted for the second consecutive year by Trent University, gets under way Thursday and culminates Sunday with the gold-medal final at 2 p.m. All nine games from the tournament will be webcast by SSN Canada.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jacey Murphy, Guelph

Murphy is one of three Guelph players to be named CIS MVP. Barbara Mervin and Lauren Smithson were honoured in 2005 and 2001, respectively.

In her fifth and final year of eligibility, the agriculture student led the OUA conference with 12 tries in the five-game regular season and placed third in the league with 60 points. She was a force both on offence and defence and was one of the main reasons the Gryphons led the country by a wide margin in both points scored (453) and allowed (8) in conference play, en route to an unblemished 5-0 record.

Murphy’s speed off the back of the scrum on offence creates havoc for any defence and numerous scoring opportunities for her teammates. She is a very hard runner to take down, has excellent vision of the field, and is able to control the back of the scrum and give a clean ball to the scrum-half when challenged. On defence, she has exceptional closing speed and is a hindrance to any fly-half.

The 22-year-old was named OUA Russell division rookie of the year and a conference all-star in her university debut in 2007 and never looked back. Her nomination as an all-Canadian this season is her third in as many years. Going into this week’s national championship, she has guided the Gryphons to four straight OUA titles and four CIS bronze medals.

“Jacey has been an offensive threat ever since she joined the Gryphons in 2007,” said Guelph head coach Colette McAuley. “Now, she is developing her leadership abilities by taking rookie Brittany Priddle under her wing and showing her running lines and field vision. She makes other people around her better.”

StFX number 8 Tyson Beukeboom, Laval centre Karen Paquin and Lethbridge flanker Kelsey Willoughby were the other nominees for CIS MVP honours.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Cindy Nelles, McMaster

Nelles is the first McMaster player to claim the CIS rookie of the year award.

The 5-foot-11 flanker had an immediate impact in her Marauders’ debut finishing second in OUA scoring with 88 points in five regular season games, while tying for third in tries (9) and placing second in converts (20). Her performance earned her a selection as a Russell division all-star and helped McMaster to a perfect record in conference play (5-0), a berth in the OUA final and the second CIS championship appearance in school history – and first since 1998.

The 18-year-old engineering student grew up with rugby and started in the touch game when she was around six years of age. She was a member of the Canadian U20 team that finished third at the Nations Cup tournament last summer in California.

“Cindy is a dominant player with ball in hand. She is also a force around the field making impact tackles, winning ball and excelling in the line out,” said McMaster head coach Cam Mitchell. “Her attitude and enthusiasm is contagious among her teammates, making her a team leader even as a first-year player.”

Acadia centre Deidre Rees, Laval fullback Dominique Laliberté-Martineau and Lethbridge fullback Kayla Moleschi were also in the running for the top freshman award.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Sarah Boudreau Turpin, Laval

Boudreau Turpin, a first-year nutrition student, is a bursary recipient of the Quebec Foundation for University Athletics and has also received a leadership and sustainable development scholarship from the Université Laval Foundation.

Despite her young age, the list of her accomplishments is as long as it is impressive. She helped restore a wildlife reserve and a community centre in Las Quebradas, Costa Rica; she coordinates physical activities for young disabled; provides academic help for a young refugee from the Congo; leads a fundraising campaign for the restoration of a schoolyard in an underprivileged neighborhood in Quebec City; and helps an autistic child in his daily activities. She has also led a fundraising campaign for a group which helps women pursue university studies.

On the field, the flanker brought a wealth of experience in her first campaign with the Rouge et Or, which so far has seen the team claim the RSEQ regular season and playoff titles. A member of the provincial elite program for the last four years, she was co-captain of the Quebec U19 team that captured gold at the 2010 national championship in Calgary. Her transition towards the Quebec senior squad was equally impressive as she was a starter during the National Women’s League finals in her rookie campaign.

“It’s nice to see Sarah receive such an award, not only for her rugby performances, but also because her leadership extends beyond the playing field,” said Laval head coach Bill McNeil. “Her resume is impressive. She is involved with local and international initiatives and is one of the main reasons why we had one of the best seasons since the inception of our program in 2005.”

Saint Mary’s Jessica Frenette, Queen’s Rachelle Kranenburg and Calgary’s Jovita Byzitter were also nominated.

COACH OF THE YEAR (presented by Coaches of Canada): Mélissa Laberge, Sherbrooke

Laberge is the second Vert & Or sideline boss to earn CIS coach-of-the-year honours since the inception of the award in 1998. Benoît Deslignerie received the distinction in 1999.
In her first season at the helm, she led Sherbrooke to a 2-4 record in the competitive Quebec conference. The Vert & Or barely missed out on their first playoff appearance in 12 years, finishing tied with Ottawa with four points but having to settle for fifth place behind the Gee-Gees.

Laberge is a well-known figure in rugby circles in the province of Quebec. She played the sport for 16 years, including a year with the senior national team and four more with the Quebec provincial squad. She had been involved behind the scenes with the Vert & Or program for many years before taking on the role of head coach this season.

“I’m really happy to see that Mélissa’s hard work and efforts are being recognized. She has done so much for women’s rugby over the years, not only in the Eastern Townships but in the entire province of Quebec,” said Christian Gagnon, director of athletics at the University of Sherbrooke. “Mélissa is very involved within the Vert & Or family and she is a great role model for her student-athletes.”

StFX’s Mike Cavanagh (AUS), Guelph’s Colette McAuley (OUA) and Calgary’s Simon Chi (Canada West) were named coach of the year in the other CIS conferences this season.

ALL-CANADIAN TEAM

The all-Canadian team was also announced on Wednesday.

Joining Murphy on the all-CIS squad were conference most valuable players Beukeboom, Paquin and Willoughby, Canada West rookie of the year Kayla Moleschi, Concordia number 8 Hughanna Gaw, Ottawa prop Esinam Agbeyaka, Laval fly-half Charlotte Vallières-Villeneuve, Calgary prop Samantha Crandell, McMaster number 8 Natasha Turner, Toronto fullback Karla Telidetzki, Western centre Arielle Dubissette-Borrice, Acadia lock Allison Jordan, as well as centre Lisa Gauthier and fullback Magali Harvey, both of the reigning national champion StFX X-Women.

Over half of the all-star cast had already been honoured in the past including Murphy (2009, 2010), Beukeboom (2010), Paquin (2009), Willoughby (2010), Vallières-Villeneuve (2007, 2008), Turner (2010), Gauthier (2009) and Harvey (2010).

2011 CIS WOMEN'S RUGBY AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS

Player of the year: Jacey Murphy, Guelph
Rookie of the year: Cindy Nelles, McMaster
Student-Athlete Community Service award: Sarah Boudreau Turpin, Laval
Coach of the year, presented by Coaches of Canada: Mélissa Laberge, Sherbrooke

All-Canadian Team

Position - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Faculty
Centre Karen Paquin Laval 5 Quebec City, Que. Engineering
Number 8 Hughanna Gaw Concordia 3 Elgin, Que. Leisure Science
Prop Esinam Agbeyaka Ottawa 4 Oshawa, Ont. Political Science
Fly-half Charlotte Vallières-Villeneuve Laval 5 Quebec City, Que. Masters Physiotherapy
Flanker Kelsey Willoughby Lethbridge 3 Lethbridge, Alta. Education
Prop Samantha Crandell Calgary 2 Calgary, Alta. Arts
Fullback Kayla Moleschi Lethbridge 1 Williams Lake, B.C. Education
Number 8 Natasha Turner McMaster 5 Rockcliffe, Ont. Arts & Science
Fullback Karla Telidetzki Toronto 4 Edmonton, Alta. Grad Studies
Number 8 Jacey Murphy Guelph 5 Alliston, Ont. Agriculture
Centre Arielle Dubissette-Borrice Western 2 Toronto, Ont. Social Science
Number 8 Tyson Beukeboom StFX 3 Uxbridge, Ont. Human Kinetics
Centre Lisa Gauthier StFX 3 St. Bernardin, Ont. Business Administration
Fullback Magali Harvey StFX 3 Quebec City, Que. Business Administration
Lock Allison Jordan Acadia 3 Fall River, N.S. Business Administration

-CIS-