Canadian Interuniversity Sport and national law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP announced Tuesday the eight finalists for the 22nd Annual BLG Awards.
For a sixth straight year the Canada West female nominee for the BLG Award is Women’s Volleyball Player Lisa Barclay of the UBC Thunderbirds.
She follows in the footsteps of swimmer Annamay Pierse 2009, volleyball player Liz Cordonier 2010, volleyball player Shanice Marcelle 2011, field hockey player Robyn Pendleton 2012, and Shanice Marcelle 2013. Pierse, Cordonier and Marcelle last year were all winners.
The BLG Awards were established in 1993 to recognize the top female and male athletes from universities affiliated with CIS.
On Monday, April 28, the eight national nominees will be honoured at the EPCOR Centre’s Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary.
One female and one male winner will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, while all finalists will return home with a commemorative gold ring.
Calgary has played host to the awards gala on 18 occasions in the past, including the 20th anniversary edition in 2012. The event was also held in Toronto last year and in 2009, while Vancouver was the site of the 2011 ceremony.
The 2014 awards show will premiere nationally on Sportsnet 360 on Thursday, May 15, at 9 p.m. EDT. A replay is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at 1 p.m. EDT, also on Sportsnet 360.
The 2014 nominees for the Jim Thompson Trophy presented to the female BLG Award recipient are hockey player Katia Clément-Heydra from McGill University, track and field standout Khamica Bingham from York University, volleyball player Lisa Barclay from the University of British Columbia, as well as basketball player Justine Colley from Saint Mary’s University, who was also nominated a year ago.
Colley, a fifth-year guard from East Preston, N.S., was named CIS player of the year in women’s basketball for the second straight season after she led the Atlantic conference in scoring for the fourth campaign in a row.
The commerce student guided the Huskies to a perfect 20-0 regular season, a second consecutive AUS title and a program-best silver medal at the CIS championship.
Clément-Heydra, a fourth-year centre from St. Bruno de Montarville, Que., was voted CIS MVP in women’s hockey thanks to her 40 points (13-27-40) in only 20 league games, good for first in Quebec and second in the nation.
The industrial relations major added 15 points in eight post-season contests as she helped the Martlets capture their first CIS banner since 2011.
Bingham, a second-year sprinter from Brampton, Ont., was named the OUA athlete of the year in track events and went on to pick up female-MVP honours at the CIS championships.
The humanities student claimed three gold medals at the national meet, including a new record of 7.26 seconds in the marquee event, the 60-metre sprint.
Barclay, a fourth-year outside hitter from Brandon, Man., was named CIS MVP in women’s volleyball after she led the country in kills (4.26) and points (4.99) per set.
After guiding UBC to the CIS title in each of her first three campaigns with the team, the kinesiology student once again helped the Thunderbirds reach the national final, where they settled for silver.
On the men’s side, the finalists for the Doug Mitchell Trophy are hockey player Liam Heelis from Acadia University, football player Jordan Heather from Bishop’s University, basketball player Philip Scrubb from Carleton University and hockey player Derek Hulak from the University of Saskatchewan.
Heelis, a third-year forward from Georgetown, Ont., earned CIS MVP honours in men’s hockey after he won the AUS scoring crown with 42 points, including a CIS-leading 24 goals in only 26 league games.
The science student then guided the Axemen to their first Atlantic conference title since 2006 and their first University Cup championship appearance in eight years.
Heather, a fifth-year quarterback from Oromocto, N.B., merited the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top player in the country after he shattered one of the most prestigious single-season records in CIS football thanks to an astounding 3,132 passing yards in eight regular season games.
The history student also set an RSEQ season mark with 20 touchdown passes and completed a team-record 199 passes while leading the Gaiters to their first six-win campaign (6-2) since 1993.
Scrubb, a fourth-year guard from Richmond, B.C., became the first player in history to be named CIS MVP for the third time in men’s basketball.
The commerce student, who led Carleton in points (18.6) and assists (4.9) per game during league play, guided the Ravens to an unblemished 22-0 regular campaign and to their fourth CIS title in as many years with the team.
Hulak, a fourth-year forward from Saskatoon, was named Canada West MVP and won the conference scoring race by 12 points over a 28-game schedule thanks to his 48 points (13-25-48), which ranked second in the country.
The business student guided the Huskies to a second-place finish at the University Cup and, despite a heartbreaking loss to Alberta in the final, earned MVP honours after leading the three-game tournament in goals (4) and points (6).
The BLG Awards are based on athletic accomplishments, outstanding sportsmanship and leadership. Each of the 54 CIS schools selects one female and one male athlete of the year.
From these nominees, one female and one male athlete are chosen within each of the four regional associations: Atlantic University Sport (AUS), Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA).
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have competed in a CIS sport for a minimum of two years and cannot be a previous recipient of a BLG Award.
All nominees receive a commemorative gold ring and winners are presented with a trophy and a $10,000 scholarship to attend a Canadian university graduate school.
Winners are selected by the Canadian Athletic Foundation, a not-for-profit board established for the purpose of administering the BLG Awards and protecting the integrity of the selection process. The CAF Board of Trustees consists of 20 members from five Canadian cities representing major corporations from across the country who are committed to ensuring that Canadian university athletes receive the recognition they deserve.
2014 Female BLG Award Nominees (Jim Thompson Trophy):
AUS: Justine Colley, basketball, Saint Mary’s (East Preston, N.S.)
RSEQ: Katia Clément-Heydra, hockey, McGill (St. Bruno de Montarville, Que.)
OUA: Khamica Bingham, track & field, York (Brampton, Ont.)
CWUAA: Lisa Barclay, volleyball, UBC (Brandon, Man.)
2014 Male BLG Award Nominees (Doug Mitchell Trophy):
AUS: Liam Heelis, hockey, Acadia (Georgetown, Ont.)
RSEQ: Jordan Heather, football, Bishop’s (Oromocto, N.B.)
OUA: Philip Scrubb, basketball, Carleton (Richmond, B.C.)
CWUAA: Derek Hulak, hockey, Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA)
Lisa Barclay (University of British Columbia)
Sport: Volleyball Year of eligibility: 4
Academic program: Kinesiology Hometown: Brandon, Man.
A native of Brandon, Man., Lisa Barclay extends the University of British Columbia’s remarkable streak to six consecutive finalists for the Jim Thompson Trophy, including three nominees who put their hands on the coveted award.
She follows in the footsteps of swimmer Annamay Pierse (2009 winner), volleyball player Liz Cordonier (2010 winner), field hockey player Robyn Pendleton (2012), as well as former teammate Shanice Marcelle, a two-time nominee who claimed the trophy last year in Toronto.
While the past season saw the end of the Thunderbirds’ amazing six-year reign atop the CIS women’s volleyball world, Barclay enjoyed one of the best campaigns in recent memory.
The fourth-year outside hitter claimed the Mary Lyons Award as CIS player of the year after she led the country in kills (4.26) and points (4.99) per set in league play, her-point-per-game average being the highest in the Canada West conference in seven years.
After winning yet another Canada West title with a gold-medal victory over Manitoba, the T-Birds came just short of prolonging their record CIS championship streak two weeks later in Regina, dropping a rematch against the same Bisons in the national final.
Despite the heartbreaking loss to the school for whom her father, Mel, once played football, Barclay was named a championship all-star for the third consecutive year. She was the MVP of the 2012 and 2013 CIS tournaments.
The 21-year-old kinesiology student has also showcased her talent on the international stage in recent years.
A mainstay with the Canadian senior national team, she has represented the country at numerous competitions, including two World University Games (2011, 2013), a pair of Pan American Cups (2012, 2013), as well as the 2013 senior NORCECA continental championship in Nebraska and the 2010 junior NORCECA in Mexico.
Thanks to Dan Elliott for the info from UBC Media Relations Department
