McGill's Picard-Hooper on tap for CIS athlete-of-the-year honours
OTTAWA - Alexandre Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que., a hockey player from McGill University, is among eight finalists announced Tuesday by the CIS and national law firm of Borden Ladner Gervais for the 19th annual BLG Awards gala.
Picard-Hooper is the 15th McGill athlete (and seventh male) in 19 years to earn the Quebec nomination for the BLG Awards, which were established in 1993 to recognize the top female and male athletes from universities affiliated with CIS. Among the previous nominees from McGill was current Habs left-winger Mathieu Darche, who was a BLG finalist in the 1999-2000 season.
The eight national nominees will be honoured on May 16, with one female and one male winner receiving a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship in front of more than 1,000 guests at The Centre in Vancouver For Performing Arts in Vancouver, B.C. The awards show will premiere on TSN on Saturday, June 4, at noon Eastern.
Joining Picard-Hooper as finalists for the Doug Mitchell Trophy, presented to the CIS male athlete of the year, are St. Francis Xavier University soccer player Michael Marousek of Prague, Czech Republic, Carleton University basketball player Tyson Hinz of Ottawa and University of Calgary volleyball player Graham Vigrass of Calgary.
The 2011 nominees for the Jim Thompson Trophy presented to the female BLG Award recipient are Université de Moncton hockey player Mariève Provost of Laval, Que., University of Montreal soccer player Véronique Laverdière of Montreal, University of Windsor basketball player Jessica Clemençon of Saint-Rambert, France, as well as University of British Columbia volleyball player Shanice Marcelle of Victoria.
"Continuing with the premise of national exposure for these outstanding athletes, we are delighted to be hosting the 19th annual BLG Awards in Vancouver this year," said Doug Mitchell, national co-chair of BLG, which sponsors the Awards. "BLG Vancouver is looking forward to welcoming these exceptional athletes, their university representatives, families, clients and guests as we spotlight the importance of athletics in our Canadian universities."
"The BLG Awards are a wonderful occasion to celebrate exceptional CIS student-athletes who are unrelenting in their pursuit of excellence," said Marg McGregor, chief executive officer of CIS. "The BLG Awards are always a highlight of the university sport calendar year."
Picard-Hooper and Redmen linemate Francis Verreault-Paul have developed amazing chemistry on the ice over the past three years and now they have one more thing in common: a BLG Award nomination.
One year after his teammate was the Quebec finalist for the prestigious award, Picard-Hooper will represent the conference this year hoping to cap off an already extraordinary season with one more accolade. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound all-Canadian centre became the first player in McGill history to capture the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as CIS player of the year in men's hockey. He led the country in both assists (47) and points (58) in 28 regular games to become the first member of the Redmen to win the CIS scoring race since 1999-00 when current Montreal Canadiens forward Mathieu Darche - himself a BLG Award nominee in 2000 - accomplished the feat. Picard-Hooper's totals were even more impressive considering the fact Verreault-Paul, the top sniper in the nation with 28 goals in only 19 contests, was sidelined for nine games due to an injury.
Picard-Hooper played a large role in helping McGill - the oldest organized hockey club in the world which debuted in 1877 - to its best-ever CIS season. The Redmen led the country in scoring for the second straight year with 5.04 goals per game, topped the CIS in victories in conference play with a school-record 24-2-2 mark, claimed their second straight Queen's Cup as OUA champions and reached the national gold-medal final for the first time in program history at the University Cup in Fredericton.
A native of Boucherville, Que., he enrolled at McGill following a successful major junior career that saw him rack up 323 points in 265 QMJHL contests with Baie-Comeau and Saint John and win the league's Guy Lafleur Award as the player who best combines academic success with hockey excellence. The 23-year-old finance junior has never missed a regular season game since he joined the Redmen and has an impressive 32-111-143 record in 84 career outings for an average of 1.70 points per contest.
"Alex is a skilled, crafty centreman who is very smart and good at both ends of the ice," says McGill head coach Kelly Nobes. "He has eyes in the back of his head and makes guys around him better. He has a knack for delivering saucer-like passes right on target."
The BLG Awards are based on athletic accomplishments, outstanding sportsmanship and leadership. Each of the 51 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 22 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.
Official website: www.blg.com/blgawards
QUEBEC CONFERENCE NOMINEES FOR BLG AWARD
1992-93
Andrea Nugent, McGill, swimming
François Gravel, Laval, swimming
1993-94
Linda Thyer, McGill, cross country / track & field
Michel Cazes, Laval, volleyball
1994-95
*Linda Thyer, McGill, cross country / track & field
Emerson Thomas, Concordia, basketball
1995-96
Vicky Tessier, McGill, basketball
Trevor Lovig, Bishop's, football
1996-97
Sonia Paquette, Sherbrooke, track & field
Pierre Gendron, McGill, hockey
1997-98
Corinne Swirsky, Concordia, hockey
Hugues Legault, Montreal, swimming
1998-99
*Corinne Swirsky, Concordia, hockey
*Alexandre Marchand, Sherbrooke, track & field
1999-00
Sarah Ali-Khan, McGill, cross country / track & field
Mathieu Darche, McGill, hockey
2000-01
Sophie Simard, Laval, swimming
Randy Chevrier, McGill, football
2001-02
Sophie Simard, Laval, swimming
David Stipe, Bishop's, football
2002-03
*Kim St-Pierre, McGill, hockey
Patrick Banim-Massok, UQAM, track & field
2003-04
Martine Dugrenier, Concordia, wrestling
Ryan Tomicic, McGill, swimming
2004-05
Danielle Day, McGill, soccer
Christian Bernier, Montreal, volleyball
2005-06
*Marylène Laplante, Laval, volleyball
Mathieu Poitras, McGill, hockey
2006-07
Audrey Lacroix, Montreal, swimming
Patrick Donovan, Concordia, football
2007-08
*Laetitia Tchoualack, Montréal, volleyball
Jamall Lee, Bishop's, football
2008-09
Charline Labonté, McGill, hockey
Étienne Légaré, Laval, football
2009-10
Véronique Maranda, Montréal, soccer
Francis Verreault-Paul, McGill, hockey
2010-11
Véronique Laverdière, Montréal, soccer
Alexandre-Picard-Hooper, McGill, hockey
*national recipient of a BLG Award
PREVIOUS BLG AWARD WINNERS:
2009-10: Liz Cordonier (UBC - volleyball) / Erik Glavic (Calgary - football)
2008-09: Annamay Pierse (UBC - swimming) / Joel Schmuland (Alberta - volleyball)
2007-08: Laetitia Tchoualack (Montreal - volleyball) / Rob Hennigar (UNB - hockey)
2006-07: Jessica Zelinka (Calgary - track & field) / Josh Howatson (Trinity Western - volleyball)
2005-06: Marylène Laplante (Laval - volleyball) / Osvaldo Jeanty (Carleton - basketball)
2004-05: Adrienne Power (Dalhousie - track & field) / Jesse Lumsden (McMaster - football)
2003-04: Joanna Niemczewska (Calgary - volleyball) / Adam Ens (Saskatchewan - volleyball)
2002-03: Kim St-Pierre (McGill - hockey) / Ryan McKenzie (Windsor - cross country & track)
2001-02: Elizabeth Warden (Toronto - swimming) / Brian Johns (UBC - swimming)
2000-01: Leighann Doan (Calgary - basketball) / Kojo Aidoo (McMaster - football)
1999-00: Jenny Cartmell (Alberta - volleyball) / Michael Potts (Western Ontario - soccer)
1998-99: Corinne Swirsky (Concordia - hockey) / Alexandre Marchand (Sherbrooke - track)
1997-98: Foy Williams (Toronto - track & field) / Titus Channer (McMaster - basketball)
1996-97: Terri-Lee Johannesson (Manitoba - basketball) / Curtis Myden (Calgary - swimming)
1995-96: Justine Ellison (Toronto - basketball) / Don Blair (Calgary - football)
1994-95: Linda Thyer (McGill - track & field) / Bill Kubas (Wilfrid Laurier - football)
1993-94: Sandra Carroll (Winnipeg - basketball) / Tim Tindale (Western Ontario - football)
1992-93: Diane Scott (Winnipeg - volleyball) / Andy Cameron (Calgary - volleyball)
For further information, please contact:
Earl Zukerman, McGill Athletics & Recreation
514-398-7012 -belanger [at] universitysport.ca
Michel Bélanger, Canadian Interuniversity Sport
613-447-6334 - belanger [at] universitysport.ca
Brian Findlay, Stellick Marketing Communications Inc
416-802-4062 - bfindlay [at] gotoguys.net