For one day only last weekend, the Ambassador Hotel became the home of the Queen’s Golden Gaels.
On Sunday the Queen’s athletic community came together to celebrate the year’s accomplishments and to recognize those people who made exceptional contributions to the Gaels’ success.
Beneath the OUA banners brought home by the figure skating and volleyball teams, and to choruses of the Oil Thigh, Queen’s honoured the best and brightest of its student athletes.
Perhaps the two most prestigious awards of the day, the PHE ’55 Alumnae Trophy and the Jenkins Trophy, were bestowed upon the graduating female and male athletes who have “brought the most honour to Queen’s by his/her athletic and scholastic achievements.”
The PHE ’55 Alumnae Trophy went to rower Jenny Hogsden.
Hogsden has been rowing since high school and told the Journal she has loved training with the competitive Queen’s crew for the past four years. Returning next year to pursue a master’s degree in neuroscience, Hogsden said she will continue to row for Queen’s and aspires to continue her career as an athlete once her academic career is finished. She is currently training for the World University Rowing Championships, to be held in Lithuania this summer.
Her career highlights include five OUA gold medals and three OUA silver medals, as well as nine Royal Canadian Henley Regatta championships.
The Jenkins Trophy went to track and field athlete Jon Martin.
Over four years as one of the most successful long jumpers Queen’s has ever seen, Martin has collected two OUA gold medals—won back-to-back—one OUA bronze medal, and one CIS bronze medal. He was named his team’s Rookie of the Year in 2003 and team MVP last year, and acted as this year’s co-captain.
Proving he is no slouch in the classroom, Martin is a three-time Academic All-Canadian. The distinction is awarded to full-time student athletes who receive a grade point average equivalent to 80 per cent or better for the school year.
“[Being on the team] has definitely made me a very efficient person,” he said of juggling his academic and athletic tasks. He will begin training this summer for the senior national meet.
The Marion Ross Trophy, named for the first woman to hold the post of Queen’s Athletics director, is presented to the female in an individual sport who demonstrates outstanding qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication to her sport. This year’s award went to swimmer Katy Perry.
After recovering from a serious back injury in her last year of high school, Perry has been an important part of the Queen’s swim team. She told the Journal her favourite moment of this year was the 100-metre breaststroke at the OUA championships. She and teammate Brittany Segeren placed first and second respectively in the race, both outstripping their previous personal bests by more than a second each. Perry also brought home one gold and two bronze medals.
She is currently training for next year’s Pan American Games and will spend the summer at the national team training facility in Calgary.
The Jack Jarvis Trophy, named for a former Queen’s boxing coach, is awarded to an outstanding graduating male athlete. This year’s recipient is track and field athlete Bill Woods.
This year’s co-captain, Woods has qualified for the CIS championships in the triple jump in four of his five years at Queen’s. The two-time team MVP has earned two silver and two bronze medals at the OUA championships and both a silver and a bronze in CIS championship competition. Woods is a two-time OUA all-star and was named an All-Canadian for the first time this season. He will also begin training this summer for the senior national meet.
When asked about the best moment of his Queen’s career he replied without hesitation.
“Definitely breaking the Queen’s record [in 2005],” he said.
He graduates as the best triple jumper ever to compete for Queen’s, holding the records for both medal production and distance jumped, at 14.75 metres.
The Jim Tait Award, given to the male athlete in a team sport who best exhibits leadership, sportsmanship and dedication was presented to rugby player Kiel Perchinig.
Playing primarily in the number eight position, Perchinig has been team MVP the past two seasons and was team captain this year. He’s a two-time OUA all-star.
The Award of Merit honours an athlete in a team sport demonstrating extraordinary leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication. This year’s winner was soccer player Kate Chambers. She has been the Gaels’ starting goaltender in each of her four years and captain for the last two.
Chambers is a two-time OUA all-star and was named to the 2004 CIS championship all-star team. In addition to helping her team to one gold and two silver medals in OUA competition, she represented Canada in the 2005 FISU Games in Turkey.
The Alfie Pierce Trophy recipients were Victoria Kaufmann and Danny Brannagan. The award is given to one male and one female first-year athlete for their outstanding contributions to their sports.
A hockey player, Kaufmann was the league Rookie of the Year and was named to the OUA all-rookie team. She led her team in scoring and proved to be a great asset when things were tight, showing outstanding skill in penalty situations and on the power play, where she finished tied for second in Ontario with six power play goals.
The football team recognized Brannagan’s talents right away: his coaches started him at quarterback with only one CIS-level game under his belt.
“I was very flattered that the coaches thought so highly of my abilities after such a short time,” he said of the opportunity.
He was also named OUA Rookie of the Year, ranking second in the OUA and fourth in the CIS in ing yards, with 1,860. He said he plans to play for Queen’s for the remainder of his university career, and is open to the possibility of a future in professional athletics.
Special Recognition Awards were presented to long-time Queen’s Athletics officials and faithful fans Len Coyle, Phil Marshall and Bubs Van Hooser for their years of for hockey and football at Queen’s. Head football coach Pat Sheahan, who gave out the award, told the crowd on Sunday that while it has never officially been tracked, their combined years of service would total somewhere near 160. Marshall will be inducted into the Kingston Sports Hall of Fame this year for his contributions to the community.
Jennifer Walsh, a trainer for the men’s hockey and rugby teams, received the Hal Dunlop Shield for her contributions to Queen’s athletic therapy.
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