The 2024-25 season was filled with sweet victories and bitter defeats. Fortunately, The Journal was there to capture them all.
First up is OUA Player of the Year and First Team All-Canadian volleyball player Hannah Duchesneau, ArtSci ’25, who reminds us of the duality of being a student-athlete.
“Yeah, I don’t like exams. So, I’m ready to be done with exams. But I definitely know that in the first couple of months going to play pro, I’m going to get bored of not really using my brain too much.”
—Women’s Volleyball Hannah Duchesneau after her last season as a Gael.
“The biggest thing we’ve talked about over the last little bit as a program is learning what joy can do for your program.”
—Women’s Basketball Head Coach Claire Meadows when asked about the lessons learned from a season riddled with injuries and off-court challenges.
“Uh, if we did, we wouldn’t tell ya.”
—Men’s Basketball Head Coach Steph Barrie who kept it short and blunt when asked if he had any tricks up his sleeve.
“Might have been our best game of the season from an analytical point of view. We were 1-3-1, but unfortunately, that’s why the game is played on ice.”
—Men’s Hockey head Coach Brett Gibson after failing to advance to the OUA Finals.
“It wasn’t so much that you frame them as an insurmountable task to get your boys fired up; it was more so they’re beatable. Everybody bleeds. Let’s make them bleed.”
—Men’s Rugby Head Coach John Lavery after the Gaels defeated the Guelph Gryphons, 38-28, in the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championships.
“I’d like to say that we push each other to be better as a group,” Wheeler-Dee said sarcastically. “He would like to say that, wouldn’t he,” Mironov added jokingly. “But when I get to the workout and this guy’s [Mironov] standing right beside me and we got like a 20-minute session, I’m trying to drop ‘em as hard as I can,” Wheeler-Dee concluded.
—Cross Country’s Jude Wheeler-Dee, ConEd ’26, and Roman Mironov, Comm ’25, bantering about their practice relationship.
“Belief is incredibly important, right? If the road isn’t challenging, then I don’t think you’re learning the lessons that you need to learn to be ready for whatever the next challenge is.”
—Women’s Rugby Head Coach Dan Valley on the importance of contrasting undefeated seasons, 100+ point wins, and comeback victories like their 31-24 win against the Guelph Gryphons Sep. 21.
“One thing that sticks out to me is servant leadership and putting the players at the centre of everything we do. My coaching philosophy is very player-centric and very people-centric.”
—Men’s Soccer Head Coach Kasy Kiarash when asked about his coaching philosophy as he entered his first year behind the wheel of Queen’s Men’s Soccer.
Then of course we have the greatest quote in the history of The Journal coming from Head Coach of the Men’s Hockey team, Brett Gibson.
“Hey Aidan hold up for a second. I’ve been here, you know, 20 plus years. I thought you did a fantastic job this year. I think the questions you gave to me, I thought they were well thought out and you know that’s not always the case. So, I wish you all the best in what you do moving forward, man.”
—Gibson after his last interview of the 2024-25 season.
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