Press Release
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
The 2019-2020 Sports Season Kicks Off on the Moncton Campus
The Université de Moncton, Moncton campus, and its athletes kicked off the 2019-2020 sports season for the Aigles Bleues and Aigles Bleus this morning.The teams, which are part of Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and U SPORTS, promise another competitive season and exciting play-offs. The athletes on the nine teams have started training and the soccer season began this past weekend.
A new head coach, Younes Bouida, joined the men’s soccer staff this season. Steve LeBlanc, already head coach for track and field, will also be head coach of the men’s and women’s cross-country teams. Judes Vallée for men’s hockey, Mehyar Zekaroui for women’s soccer, Marc-André Côté for women’s hockey and Monette Boudreau-Carroll for women’s volleyball will be back behind the bench of their respective teams.
“We’re very happy to start the 2019-2020 season,” said the interim President and Vice-Chancellor of the Université de Moncton, Jacques Paul Couturier. “Our nine men’s and women’s teams have always been a great source of inspiration for our university community. I encourage members of the community to come out and support them at home games and competitions all year long.”
The Director of Physical and Sports Activities, Marc Boudreau, wished the athletes, coaches and support staff a good season, mentioning that a number of teams will have an excellent season.
Here is a look at the nine teams on the Moncton campus:
Women’s Hockey
The Aigles Bleues women’s hockey team, going into its 22nd season, is counting on the return of 16 veterans and six rookies. Experience gained over the last seasons will be an asset. Goalie Audrey Berthiaume is starting her second season. Katherine Dubuc and Chantale Beauchamp will be leading the team on the ice. The Aigles Bleues will play five preparatory games, including three in Québec on the weekend. The regular season starts at home against St. Thomas University on Friday, October 4. Assistant coaches Marie-Pier Corriveau, Ian Girard, Luc LeBlanc and Dave Kennedy are back.
Women’s and Men’s Cross-country
The women’s cross-country team has high aspirations this fall. The team will be led by veterans Carol-Ann MacDonald and Sophie Black, along with promising rookies. Coach Steve LeBlanc is anxious to see how his athletes progress. The first competition will be at St. Francis Xavier University on Saturday, September 21.
Men’s Hockey
Judes Vallée’s third season behind the bench is promising, with a good mixture of veterans and rookies. The first home game will be on Wednesday, October 9, against the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers. Goalie Étienne Montpetit, AUS and U SPORTS rookie of the year, is back, along with Maxime St-Cyr, Vincent Lanoue and Robbie Graham. Vincent Deslauriers is the new captain. Six rookies are joining the team. Luc Michaud is the new director of operations and the assistant coaches are Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, Ricky Jacob, Adrien Lemay and Frédérick Roy.
Track and Field
The first competition at home is the Last Chance qualifier, scheduled for Saturday, December 21 at the CEPS Louis-J.-Robichaud. The Moncton Open Meet will take place on January 11. The AUS championships will be held in Saint John for the first time, on February 21 and 22. The Aigles Bleues will be able to count on veterans Constance Gilman and Sharon Ngongo (sprints/jumps). The goals for the next season are for the women’s and men’s teams to finish in third place in the AUS and to take home 12 AUS medals. The assistant coaches for the season are Monica LeBlanc, Earl Church (throws), Julien Léger and Ron LeBlanc (manager).
Women’s Soccer
The women’s team, piloted by Mehyar Zekaroui, has 24 players: 13 returning athletes and 10 newcomers. It’s goalkeeper Chelsea Burnham’s second year. The defense will be balanced and offense will be fierce. The only fifth-year player is Madelaine LeBlanc. The team played its first matches last weekend. The goal of the Aigles Bleues is to continue the progress already begun and to be competitive in every match against all the teams in the circuit. Renée Gauvin is the assistant coach and Jamie Allain is looking after the goalkeepers.
Men’s Soccer
The Aigles Bleus have a new coach, Younes Bouida, a veteran of the sport and former player for the Bleu et Or. The team is counting on its goalkeepers, André LeBlanc and Christian Masimengo. Félix Robichaud and Jean-Michel Dako are players to watch, as is rookie Alex Basque. The assistant coaches are Renée Gauvin, Jamie Allain and Raoul Martens. There are 12 rookies and 15 returning players.
Women’s Volleyball
The Aigles Bleues women’s volleyball team is depending on youth this season, with rookies ready to step up. The Bleue and Or are starting their season on Friday, October 25, at home against the University of New Brunswick Reds. There are seven returning players, who will give the team stability, and six rookies. The team will be able to depend on returning player Pascale Doiron. The team is aiming to make the play-offs. For the first time, the championship will be determined by series instead of a tournament. Assistant coaches Natasha LeBlanc and Véronique Carroll are back, along with manager Pauline Cormier.
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