Adam Gordon-Centre Fielder, Redbirds Baseball
Coach Ernie D'Alessandro's club surprised a lot of people this past October when they surged into the final game of the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association National Championship Tournament. Adam Gordon kept the Redbirds afloat in the regular season, leading them in hits (16), doubles (five), home runs (one), total bases (26), and OBP (1.041). In addition to making a spectacular diving catch and accounting for two runs in the first inning of the championship game, he was named to the all-tournament team along with fellow freshman Casey Aurebach. Gordon's versatility-he also pitched four and two-thirds scoreless innings in the regular season-ensures that he'll be a major part of the Redbirds in the years to come.
Alexandra Morin-Boucher-Forward, Martlets Soccer
Katherine Green-Defender, Martlets Soccer
Morin-Boucher, Head Coach Marc Mounicot's star recruit, led both the Martlets-along with Magalie Kolker-and Quebec rookies with six goals in 13 games, even though a leg injury hampered her effectiveness throughout the season. Morin-Boucher and Kolker formed a formidable front-line for the 9-4-1 Martlets, who put 34 shots past opposing goalies.
On the other side of the field, Katherine Green was a standout fullback for the Martlets, who allowed only 10 goals in 14 games. Green's skill and athleticism consistently frustrated opposing attackers, and for her efforts she was named QSSF rookie of the year. Though Mounicot is losing his top forward (Kolker) and midfielder (Vanessa Salasky), Morin-Boucher and Green have the talent to lead the new wave of Martlets past the QSSF semifinals, where they've stalled the past two years.
Michael Stein-Forward, Redmen Soccer
Yohann Capolungo-Midfielder, Redmen Soccer
Much like Morin-Boucher's contribution to the Martlets, Michael Stein provided the Redmen with some much-needed offence, particularly when fellow forward James Scholefield went down with a sports hernia injury early in the conference season. Stein matched Scholefield's output of four goals in QSSF play, good for fourth in the conference.
While it was Stein's job to put the ball in the back of the net, it was Capolungo's job to get it to him. Before joining the Redmen this year, the flashy midfielder from Vallan, France, was a reserve on AJ Auxerre, a French Ligue 1 team. Along with fellow midfielder Sami Oba'd, Capolungo aggressively went after the ball and ruled the middle of the pitch for the surprising Redmen, who finished 7-1-4, and ended the season ranked seventh in the nation before falling to Laval in a Quebec semifinal.
Alexandre Picard-Hooper-Forward, Redmen Hockey
After losing several important pieces from last year's squad that reached Nationals, expectations were somewhat tempered for Head Coach Martin Raymond's Redmen. But the OUA East Coach of the Year thrust centre Alexandre Picard-Hooper onto the team's first line with veterans Sam Bloom and Marko Kovacevic this season, and the rookie responded with a team-leading 36 points en route to winning OUA East Rookie of the Year and a spot as a second-team all-star. Picard-Hooper's speed and precision passing jump-started McGill when the first line was on the ice, and he should be a major player under Raymond's tutelage in the years to come.
Anneth Him-Lazarenko-Forward, Martlets Basketball
The Martlets relied heavily on Anneth Him-Lazarenko this season, and it showed when they choked away a playoff spot to Concordia after the 5'10" rookie forward went down with a season-ending ACL injury with four games remaining in the regular season. Him-Lazarenko, who was named to the CIS all-rookie team despite her shortened season, led the Martlets in scoring and rebounding, and averaged 1.5 steals per game. A strong presence in the post and a 43.8 per cent three-point shooter, Him-Lazarenko's versatility was perhaps her greatest asset, and the Martlets' fate next year depends on whether her knee heals over the summer.
Marie-Andre Leclerc-Auger-Forward, Martlets Hockey
The CIS Rookie of the Year can't possibly be overlooked on this list, even though her fellow Martlets are well-represented in other areas of the sports section this week. Marie-Andre Leclerc-Auger led the national champions with 94 points overall and 46 points in the conference season-a new single-season Quebec rookie record. She tied Vanessa Davidson for the team lead with three hat-tricks, and led the team with seven game-winning goals. If Head Coach Peter Smith can land a rookie who's half as efficient as Leclerc-Auger next season, the Martlets will coast through the Quebec conference again.
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