Sanguin Queen of Queens, Hunt named top Kings athlete
Jodi Sanguin put together a year most athletes can only dream of.
The third-year RDC nursing student won the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference women’s cross-country running title, placed second in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championship and 18th in Athletics Canada senior women’s cross-country championships. She also led the RDC women’s team to a gold medal at the ACAC finals and a bronze at nationals.
For her efforts Sanguin stood front and centre at the RDC awards banquet at the Westerner Wednesday, receiving the female athlete of the year award.
Sanguin shared the spotlight with CCAA volleyball All-Canadian Taylor Hunt, who took home the top male award.
Sanguin never got into competitive running until her final year at Notre Dame.
But once she got a taste of it she fell in love with the sport.
“I ran a half marathon and was hooked ever since,” she said. “I love it and the cross-country season is a highlight of my year.”
She not only enjoys the running, but even more so the competition.
“I love the competition. There’s no other feeling like walking up to the start line with the nerves and excitement.”
The fact she’s involved in the demanding nursing program makes it difficult to find time to train and compete.
“I definitely learned time management,” she said. “You have to make priorities. If you don’t schedule runs they won’t happen. You have to make it work. But I’ve always loved running and it’s a stress relief for me to go out after class and train. I look forward to it and I have a great coach (Brian Stackhouse) and great family support.”
Sanguin, who was the cross-country runner of the year in the ACAC, has one more year at RDC and hasn’t announced yet if she’ll compete, although she did say she wants running to be part of her future.
“I definitely have discovered a passion and I hope to continue to run after school and compete at the elite level.”
Basketball’s Lauren Loyek, Jessica Abt of the hockey Queens, Stephanie Tremblay, who competed in both soccer and basketball, and volleyball’s Mandy Carroll were also up for the award.
Hunt, in his second year at RDC was named the male volleyball player of the year in the ACAC while leading the league in total kills, kills per game, total aces and aces per game. He helped the Kings finish second in the ACAC championships to Briercrest and fifth at the national finals.
“It was a sweet finish to the year,” said Hunt, a native of Brooklin, Ont., who came at RDC after a year at the University of Manitoba. “Winning the athlete of the year and receiving the other awards was amazing.”
Hunt came to RDC two years ago to work on the academic side as well as play for the Kings, which is one of the premier programs in the country.
“It was more than I hoped for,” he said. “Basically I wanted to get my schooling back on track and I never dreamed I’d improve as much as I did as an athlete and a person.”
Hunt, who will attend he University of Alberta next year and play for the Golden Bears, indicated it was hard to pin point one thing that stood out during his time at RDC.
“If there was one it was my teammates,” he said. “I became extremely close friends with a lot of guys despite being here only two years. Closer than some of the guys I’ve known for 22 years back home. I know I’ll be close to the people I met here throughout my life.”
Hunt has always had a passion for volleyball and gave credit to friends, family and those close to him for his success.
“They all helped me a lot through my endeavors.”
Hunt beat out soccer goalie Brad Hughes and curler Evan Asmussen, who skipped the ACAC gold medal winning men’s team, for the award.
• It was announced during the evening that Ralph and Phyllis Ward of Scott Builders have donated $50,000 to be used for a pair of $1,000 elite athlete scholarships each year.
drode@reddeeradvocate.com
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