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Press Release

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Carol-Ann MacDonald and Jean-Luc Bastarache Named Université de Moncton's Athletes of the Year


Left to right: Athletic Director Marc Boudreau, Steve LeBlanc, Vincent Deslauriers, Isabelle Morris, Jean-Luc Bastarache, Carol-Ann MacDonald, Catherine Dupuis and Edgar Robichaud, Vice-President, Administration and Human Resources.
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Cross-country runner Carol-Ann MacDonald, of Miramichi, New Brunswick, and track and field athlete, Jean-Luc Bastarache, of Truro, Nova Scotia, are the athletes of the year at the Moncton campus of the Université de Moncton for the 2017–2018 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) season.

The annual Athlete’s Gala, honouring the student athletes, members of the nine Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus/Aigles Bleues teams, took place on Wednesday evening at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel in Moncton. Administration and Human Resources Vice-President, Edgar Robichaud, was in attendance.

Hockey forward Vincent Deslauriers, of Blainville, Québec, and soccer player Catherine Dupuis, of Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Québec, were chosen as rookies of the year. The Coach of the Year Award went to track and field coach, Steve LeBlanc. His athletes won 11 medals in the AUS competition. Track and field athlete Isabelle Morris received the prestigious President’s Award.

Carol-Ann MacDonald stepped on the podium by taking the bronze medal and third spot at the AUS cross-country championships. She was named on the first all-star team and was the first to receive a medal since Patty Blanchard, in 2005. She was second at the UNB/STU competition, third at DAL/SMU and 13th at the Rouge et Or, in Québec. She took the 60th spot out of 151 at the U SPORTS championships. She was chosen three times as Moncton campus athlete of the week. She is a nutrition student.

Jean-Luc Bastarache is a fourth year electrical engineering student who was named on the AUS second all-star team for heptathlon and pole vault. He was second in the pole vault and heptathlon and eighth in the high jump. He took ninth spot at the U SPORTS heptathlon championship with a Université de Moncton record of 4432 points. He won two silver medals at the AUS and collected 13 of his team’s 37 points (35%). He was named the Moncton campus athlete of the week once.

Forward Vincent Deslauriers, an administration student, registered his team’s most points, goals and assists and was 12th in the AUS with 14 goals, 16 assists and 30 points, in as many games. He scored two power-play goals, did a hat trick and took 99 shots on goal. He was an exceptional athlete on and off the ice. He accepted all roles asked of him and attended many community activities.

Catherine Dupuis is the rookie all coaches dream of landing. A member of the AUS all-rookie and first all-star teams, she was fourth in the AUS in scoring, received AUS athlete of the week honours and was Université de Moncton’s athlete of the week three times. She was her team’s top scorer with eight goals and three assists and was named athlete of the game three times. She was a volunteer with Soccer Dieppe and Soccer New Brunswick.

In his eleventh season with the Aigles track and field teams, Steve LeBlanc was named coach of the year. His women's and men’s teams finished third and fourth respectively, in the final standings of the AUS competition. His athletes captured 11 medals: four golds, four silvers and three bronzes. Three of his athletes were at the U SPORTS championships held in Windsor.

The prestigious Prix du Recteur (President’s Award) was attributed to fourth year track and field athlete, Isabelle Morris. The Award is given to an athlete who combines academic, athletic and leadership excellence. A kinesiology student, she was captain of her women’s team, a member of U SPORTS all academic honour roll, a volunteer for several activities, ranked 22nd in heptathlon in Canada, and won gold in the high jump and silver in the shot put at the AUS championships. Isabelle Morris took fourth place in pentathlon, fifth in hammer throw, and was a valuable member of the relay team. She collected 20 of her team’s 57 points in the final standings and was named AUS first all-star in the high jump and second in shot put. She holds the Université de Moncton pentathlon record with 3055 points. She won four AUS medals (one gold and three silvers), was named on four AUS all-star teams in her career and was at the national U SPORTS championships twice.

The AUS James Bayer Award went to soccer player Natalie Fleming. It is offered to an athlete who combines excellence in athletic, studies and leadership. She received a $500 bursary.

Anthony Azard of the Médias universitaires is this year’s recipient of the Méridia Award for his interest and coverage of the Aigles programs. He did excellent and thorough reports for the student newspaper Le Front and student radio CKUM.

The most valuable players of each team were also honoured at the Gala. They are Isabelle Morris and Jean-Luc Bastarache (track and field), Carol-Ann MacDonald and Bryan Thomas (cross-country), Katryne Villeneuve and Vincent Deslauriers (hockey), Emilie Naugle and Alexandre Thériault (soccer) and Pascale Doiron (women's volleyball).

Athletic director, Marc Boudreau, gave an outline the year’s activities, and thanked the coaches, athletes, support staff and sponsors for their commitment to the Aigles programs.



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