Lewis Page and Bruce Norton of the UPEI Panthers were named co-winners of the men’s coach-of-the-year award as Atlantic University Sport announced its award winners in soccer Thursday.
The Panthers’ Jimmie Mayaleh, a fourth-year striker from Charlottetown, was named to the first all-star team, while teammate Jared Murphy, a third-year midfielder from Charlottetown, was named to the second team.
In women’s soccer, four members of the first-place UPEI squad were named to the first all-star team.
They are fifth-year striker Chelsie McInnis of Summerside, fourth-year midfielder Andrea Archibald of Saskatoon, defender Sara Stewart of Charlottetown and fourth-year keeper Chanelle Roy of Bathurst, N.B.
The men Panthers were coached jointly this season by Page and Norton.
The Panthers (7-2-4) finished the regular-season in second place and have earned a spot in Saturday’s semifinal round of the AUS championship in Sydney, N.S.
They allowed a conference-low 12 goals in 2011 and posted an AUS-leading seven shutouts.
Page, who has been serving as an assistant coach this fall with the Canadian women’s national team, which won gold at the recent Pan American Games, was on the UPEI sideline for six of 13 conference games.
He is a four-time recipient of the AUS award and the 2002 Canadian Interuniversity Sport coach of the year.
Norton, a former UPEI head coach who was named the AUS coach of the year in 1996, has been a longtime assistant to Page and coached the Panthers for the seven regular-season games Page was unable to attend this year, losing only once.
“UPEI is very proud to have both Lewis and Bruce recognized,” said UPEI director of athletics Ron Annear. “With Lewis being away for various periods of time due to his national women’s team responsibilities, it has been the coaching efforts of both men, individually and together, that has been symbolic of their relationship and their love of a program they have built together.”
Other major AUS men’s soccer award winners were: Andrew Rigby, Cape Breton, most valuable player; Bezick Evraire, Dalhousie, rookie of the year; Stuart McAdam, Mount Allison, student-athlete community service award.
The women Panthers (11-1-1) finished the regular in first place in the AUS standings and ranked seventh in the country.
They advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round at the AUS women’s championship in Fredericton, N.B.
Other major award winners in women’s soccer were Kelly Burgess, Saint Mary’s, most valuable player; Karolyne Blaine, Cape Breton, rookie of the year; Mark Sweetapple, Saint Mary’s, coach of the year; Cathleen Bleakney, Acadia, student-athlete community service award.
(See Saturday’s Guardian for previews on the UPEI teams at the AUS soccer championships)
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AUS women’s Soccer
Atlantic University Sport women’s soccer championship in Fredericton, N.B. (seedings in brackets):
Today
Quarter-Finals
Dalhousie (3rd) vs. UNB (6th), 12 p.m.
Cape Breton (4th) vs. St. F.X. (5th), 2:15 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinals
UPEI (1st) vs. lowest remaining seed, 12 p.m.
Saint Mary’s (2nd) vs. highest remaining seed, 2:15 p.m.
Sunday
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
The AUS champion will advance to the CIS championship, Nov. 10-13, at McGill University in Montreal.
AUS Men’s Soccer
Atlantic University Sport men’s soccer championship in Sydney, N.S. (seedings in brackets):
TZoday
Quarter-Finals
St. F.X (3rd) vs. Saint Mary’s (6th), 12 p.m.
Dalhousie (4th) vs. Moncton (5th), 3 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinals
Cape Breton (1st) vs. lowest remaining seed, 12 p.m.
UPEI (2nd) vs. highest remaining seed, 3 p.m.
Sunday
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
The AUS champion advances to the CIS championship tournament, Nov. 10-13, at the University of Victoria.
