2011-12 RSEQ women's hockey major awards and all-stars announced

MONTREAL - Women hockey’s playoff action is getting underway this Wednesday in the RSEQ’s university league with a best of three semifinal between the defending champions McGill Martlets and the Ottawa Gee-Gees, while the Carleton Ravens face the Montreal Carabins in the other final four match-up.

For the complete schedule, please visit our Website at http://www.sportetudiant-stats.com/universitaire/hockey-f/.

The Martlets have won the last six RSEQ championships as well as three national titles in the last four seasons (2008, 2009 and 2011). The team is aiming for a seventh straight conference title after closing the regular season with a 18-1-1 record.

Their dominance extended to the RSEQ all-star teams and individual awards, taking three of four major awards this season.

For a second time in four seasons, Anne-Sophie Bettez* (Sept-Îles, QC) is the RSEQ’s most outstanding player. The Martlet forward scored 13 goals and 32 points in 20 games to finish second in the scoring charts. She previously received this award in 2008-09 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2007-08.

Martlet teammate Mélodie Daoust* (Valleyfield, QC) is the RSEQ rookie of the year after finishing her first season as the top scorer with 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points in 18 games.

McGill’s Peter Smith is the coach of year after leading his troops to a 18-1-1 record in his 13th campaign behind the Martlets’ bench. Smith has led McGill to 10 CIS tournament appearences in the last 11 seasons, winning nine medals. Smith holds McGill’s record for most wins by a coach in the program’s history (315-108-31 in 454 regular season and playoff contests).

Carleton University blueliner Kristen MacDonald (Osgoode, ON) is the recipient of the RSEQ Leadership and Social Implication Award and is the league’s nominee for CIS Marion Hilliard Award. These two awards honour sporting excellence as well as community involvement. The forensic science student volunteers in girls’ minor hockey in the Ottawa region and co-founded the Start to Finish Running and Reading Program at Queen Mary Elementary School to help inner-city kids fight illiteracy.  She also helps organize the Carleton Ravens’ year-end banquet all the while maintaining an 80% plus average. According to coach Shelley Coolidge, she is an exceptional student-athlete and a real model for her teammates. A three-time CIS academic All-Canadian, MacDonald scored nine goals and five assists in 20 games while patrolling the blue line this season.

WOMEN HOCKEY’S MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
*Forward, Anne-Sophie Bettez, McGill, Public Relations Management, Sept-Îles QC

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
*Forward, Mélodie Daoust, McGill, Physical & Health Education, Valleyfield, QC

RSEQ LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL IMPLICATION AWARD (Nomination for CIS’ Marion Hilliard Award)
Defender, Kristen MacDonald, Carleton, Forensic Science, Osgoode, ON

COACH OF THE YEAR
Peter Smith, McGill

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, school, study program, hometown
*Forward, Ann-Sophie Bettez, McGill, Management, Sept-Îles, QC
* Forward, Mélodie Daoust, McGill, Physical & Health Education, Valleyfield, QC.
Forward, Cassandra Dupuis, Montreal, Security & Police Studies, Sherbrooke, QC
*Defender, Cathy Chartrand, McGill, Education (Physical & Health), Lac Nominingue, QC
Defender, Valérie Watson, Ottawa, Social Sciences, St. Hyacinthe, QC
*Goalkeeper, Charline Labonté, McGill, Master in Sports Psychology, Boisbriand, QC

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, school, study program, hometown
Forward, Fannie Desforges, d'Ottawa, Kinesiology, Fournier, ON
Forward, Kim Deschêsne, Montreal, Arts & Sciences, St. Quentin, NB
Forward, Leslie Oles, McGill, Education (Physical & Health), Beaconsfield, QC
Defender, Janique Duval, Montreal, School Adaptation, Val-d’Or, QC
Defender, Melanie McKnight, Carleton, Geography, Barrie, ON.
Goalkeeper, Tamber Tisdale, Carleton, Commerce, Red Deer, AB

ROOKIE ALL-STAR TEAM

Position, name, university, program, hometown
* Forward, Mélodie Daoust, McGill University, Physical & Health Education, Valleyfield, Qué.
* Forward, Ariane Barker, U. de Montréal, Arts et sciences, Napierville, Qué.
Forward, Élarie Leclair-Célestin, U. d’Ottawa, Social Sciences, Varennes, Qué.
Defense, Brittney Fouracres, McGill University, Engineering, Calgary, Alb.
Defense, Valérie Watson, U. d’Ottawa, Social Sciences, Saint-Hyacinthe, Qué.
Goaltender, Stéphanie Mercier, U. d’Ottawa, Nursing, Smooth Rock Falls, Ont.

* Quebec Fondation for Athletic Excellence bursary recipient

RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) promotes and insures development of sports and physical activity within the student community, from initiation stage to the elite level. The organization advocates for youngsters' education, academic achievement and health.

-RSEQ-