Owens and Christie Recognized for Representing the Athletic Ideal

Senior Tommies, Madison Owens, of women’s basketball, and Christian Christie, of men’s volleyball, were recognized for their commitment to the Green and Gold and their representation of the athletic ideal at St. Thomas.

Owens, in her fifth year of eligibility with the Tommies, was honoured with the Cathy Wadden Commitment Award Tuesday night during St. Thomas’s athletic ceremony. The Fredericton, NB local was also named the ACAA’s winner of the Rod Shoveller Memorial Award, given annually to an ACAA men’s or women’s basketball player who has contributed to sport and society through excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and sportsmanship. A five-time CCAA National scholar, Owens has also volunteered in the community by working in a reading program with elementary school kids, been camp counselor at summer basketball camps and has coached U15 girls’ basketball teams.

“Maddy has been a solid leader for the Tommies since she came here,” said head coach, Fred Connors. “She has worked hard to keep the team gelled and always played a very unselfish brand of basketball. Maddy took advantage of the Covid eligibility rules to be a Tommie for six years. That takes a huge amount of time and commitment to the program.”

Christie, from Langley, BC, was named the John Frederick Walls Memorial Award winner, has been a team captain of the men’s volleyball team for four of his five years with the Tommies, and as described by ACAA Coach of the Year, Henri Mallet, is “exactly the type of person you look for when recruiting a student-athlete.”

A two-time CCAA National Scholar, Christie is not only dominant on the court, he is an exceptional leader and teammate off the court. On top of being a two-time St. Thomas Male Athlete of the Year, Christie has also helped the Tommies advance to three CCAA Men’s Volleyball Championships throughout his career, all while taking using up a large part of his free to time to give back to the Fredericton community by refereeing youth hockey and coaching club and school volleyball programs, much to the delight of local parents who have emailed Mallet to let him know how much he means to their children.

“Christian has been making our program and our university proud since he joined the Green and Gold,” added Mallet.

Women’s Hockey Named Leroy Washburn Community Service Award Winners

The women’s hockey team managed to garner over 100 hours of volunteering time throughout the year, which is a number head coach, Peter Murphy, was pleased with considering they were limited with their ability to do their usual work within local schools.

The team managed to run clinics and practices with: Keswick Valley Minor Hockey, EDZA West Reds U18, and the Fredericton Red Wings Day Camps. They also helped to run World Girl Hockey Day in Fredericton Junction and helped organize and run both the STUSAC Food Drive and selling picture frames for the STU Alumni Association.