From the ice to the pitch and everywhere in between, RDC honoured its student-athletes Tuesday night for their remarkable accomplishments during the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference season.
While celebrating the success of so many, the RDC athletic community also paid tribute to Nick Fountain, the Kings hockey player who is fighting a battle at the University of Edmonton Hospital after emergency brain surgery on the weekend.
“We want to take this time to send our love and prayers to Nick and his family and wish him a full recovery while he fights this battle,” said Kings’ teammate Arie Postmus, who served as an emcee for the event.
“Nick is known to not back down from a fight and he is recovering well in the hospital and showing positive signs. We love you Nick and we’re all here for you.”
RDC also showed their support Tuesday night for those affected by the Humboldt Broncos bus crash last Friday.
Tonight our thoughts are with Humboldt and Nick Fountain of @rdckingshockey. 💚💛#HumboldtStrong #MyKingsMyQueens pic.twitter.com/07ti6gcfCO
— RDC Athletics (@rdcathletics) April 11, 2018
The Kings and Queens brought home a number of awards throughout this athletic season, including 10 ACAC medals, five individual medals, 22 ACAC awards and two Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association awards. RDC athletes were ACAC Athlete of the Week on 12 occasions and CCAA Athlete of the Week five times.
Kings hockey captain Tanner Butler was named the Red Deer Bottling RDC Male Athlete of the Year on Tuesday. The fourth-year Kinesiology and Sport Studies had a career campaign as a defenceman for RDC and led the squad to an ACAC bronze and 19-7-2 regular season record.
Butler, 24, was an ACAC First-Team All-Star who finished fourth in league scoring and led all defenceman with 12 goals and 21 assists. Six of his goals were on the power play and one was a game-winning goal.
The Souris, Man. native credited his teammates with allowing him to achieve the success he had this season. Butler was the selected the RDC Male Athlete of the Year unanimously across all programs.
“I thought I had a great season. I can’t take all the credit, it has to come from our coaches and from our teammates – I thank them for making going to the rink every day memorable and enjoyable,” Butler said.
“My confidence– being here for my fourth year, it just helped my game and helped my confidence. It was a bit of a change from junior. Over the years I improved a lot.”
From Red Deer to Humboldt, we’re with you. #HumboldtStrong #MyKingsMyQueens pic.twitter.com/9Gx3U4SOFo
— RDC Athletics (@rdcathletics) April 11, 2018
The veteran King added that he dedicated his award on Tuesday to the Humboldt Broncos as well as his teammate Nick Fountain.
Fountain is currently recovering and in stable condition after suffering a traumatic health scare at a recreational hockey tournament in Edmonton on Friday.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Nick Fountain, our teammate and the Humboldt Broncos that were in that devastating accident this past week. This award goes out to them for sure,” Butler said.
Kings head coach Trevor Keeper added that Butler was a prime example of what the Kings look for in a leader.
“I think that Tanner is the best two-way defenceman in the league. He is very good defensively, on special teams and one-on-one,” Keeper said.
“He leads by example, says the right things, and is very respected by his teammates.”
Curler Sara McMann, in her first year as skip for the RDC Queens was named the 2018 Red Deer Bottling RDC Female Athlete of the Year. McMann had a solid year at the helm for the Queens, as she earned ACAC Female Curler of the Year honours earlier in 2018.
The third-year curler from Chauvin, Alta., in the Bachelor of Science Nursing program, led the Queens to an ACAC gold medal in Feb. and the team finished sixth at nationals.
“(The award) means a lot after all the work we put in this season, not just me but my entire team,” McMann said of the Athlete of the Year honour.
“We proved to ourselves that we could do it with a new team and it feels really, really good.”
McMann was selected from a talented group of female athletes, as cross-country runner Jordanna Cota, Queens volleyball setter Chanelle Kayser and Queens goalie Tracie Kikuchi were all nominated for the award.
“I was up against some really, really great female student-athletes. Getting this award just means so much when you’re up against women who are dominating their sports,” McMann said.
RDC also honoured their student-athletes who went above and beyond in the classroom, with 103 Kings and Queens earning an RDC Academic Excellence Award.
Five student-athletes were also recognized as Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadians. Tracie Kikuchi (Queens Hockey), Chelsea Webster (Queens Soccer), Miranda Dawe (Queens Volleyball), Chanelle Kayser (Queens Volleyball) and Adam Turlejski (Kings Volleyball) achieved honours (3.5 GPA or higher) at RDC and were selected to a 2017 – 18 ACAC All-Conference team.
Two additional winners were crowned, with Hayley Nassichuk-Dean of Queens Soccer taking home the Comeback Award and Spencer Klassen of Kings Basketball earning the Al Ferchuk Athletic Leadership Award.
Additional 2018 RDC Athletics Awards Winners
Kings Basketball
Coach’s Award – Spencer Klassen
Most Improved Player – Solon Ellis
Rookie of the Year – Omon Edobar
Most Valuable Player – Eric Bakker
Queens Basketball
Coach’s Award – Eva Bonde
Most Improved Player – Mary Krause
Rookie of the Year – Paige Schultz
Most Valuable Player – Emily White
Cross Country Running & Indoor Track
Coach’s Award – Adam Wass
Most Improved Player – Devon Gurney
Rookie of the Year – Lucas Wessner
Most Valuable Player – Jordanna Cota
Curling
Coach’s Award – Chloe Logelin
Most Improved Player – Austin Kelts-Larsen
Rookie of the Year – Shelby Primrose
Most Valuable Player – Sara McMann
Golf
Coach’s Award – Logan Hill
Most Improved Player – Paige Tichkowsky
Rookie of the Year – Justin Loro
Most Valuable Player – Shaye Leidenius
Kings Hockey
Coach’s Award – Michael Salmon
Most Improved Player – Tyler Berkholtz
Rookie of the Year – Lynnden Pastachak
Most Valuable Player – Tanner Butler
Queens Hockey
Coach’s Award – Jade Petrie
Most Improved Player – Camryn Wallan
Rookie of the Year – Catherine Longchamps
Most Valuable Player – Tracie Kikuchi
Kings Soccer
Coach’s Award – Matthew Elphick
Most Improved Player – Hugo Janssen
Rookie of the Year – Kyle Bett
Most Valuable Player – Koltan Childs
Queens Soccer
Coach’s Award – Reesa Garez
Most Improved Player – Nicole Phillips
Rookie of the Year – Erin Gill
Most Valuable Player – Krysten Strand
Kings Volleyball
Coach’s Award – Mark DeWit
Most Improved Player – Ben Hankins
Rookie of the Year – Tom Wass
Most Valuable Player – Adam Turlejski
Queens Volleyball
Coach’s Award – Hanna Delemont
Most Improved Player – McKenna Olson
Rookie of the Year – Kelly Heinemann
Most Valuable Player – Chanelle Kayser
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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