BLG AWARD WINNERS
Top athletes in university sport
There was one important concession Philippe Maillet needed from his coach and general manager with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.
That he be allowed to attend the 2017 BLG awards in Calgary.
“I asked my coach and he was really supportive from the very beginning,” said Maillet. “He told me that I better win it, laughingly. He understood it was a unique opportunity.”
Maillet, a standout hockey player at the University of New Brunswick, was one of two fourth-year athletes who proved to be the finest of the finest on Monday night. He and Laval soccer player Arielle Roy-Petitclerc were honoured as U Sports athletes of the year during the 25th annual BLG ceremony, held at the Martha Cohen Theatre.
Maillet, who became a feared scorer throughout his varsity career at UNB, came out ahead of three other worthy nominees for the Doug Mitchell Trophy: Laval football player Mathieu Betts, York soccer star Jonathan Lao and Trinity Western University volleyball player Ryan Sclater.
“I’m on a cloud right now,” said Maillet. “Just the whole weekend has been amazing and just to be beside those top athletes ... the success they had in their respective sports ... I’ll stay a BLG award winner forever. It’s something I’ll be proud to tell my kids and grandkids. I’m really excited right now.”
Maillet’s efforts have helped UNB become a national hockey powerhouse, as this past spring the Varsity Reds won their second straight title and third in five years. Interestingly, the only other BLG winner out of UNB, Rob Hennigar, is his assistant coach with the Varsity Reds.
“We shared two national championships in the last two years and now we share the BLG award,” said Maillet.
Following a successful University Cup, the Terrebonne, Que., native signed on with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, the Los Angeles Kings’ top affiliate. The Reign is in the midst of a best-of-five playoff series against San Diego and were down two games to one heading into Monday night’s fourth game. Maillet is set to rejoin them on Tuesday, hopefully, for a Game 5.
“I’ll be updating the box score a couple of times,” Maillet said with a smile. “I’ll be ready to go (tomorrow) and if they need me, I’ll be ready.
“They (Reign) have been supporting me and it’s really gratifying that they’re behind me. They’ve known me for only a month but they respect my past. I feel I can fit in and I’m looking forward to next season with them also.”
Roy-Petitclerc also beat three other outstanding student-athletes for the Jim Thompson Trophy: Queen’s cross country runner Claire Sumner, St. Francis Xavier hockey player Sarah Bujold and UBC volleyball star Danielle Brisebois.
“I feel very great,” said a smiling
“It was an amazing season,” Roy-Petitclerc said. “And when I finished the season, I didn’t realize just how amazing it was, but now I realize it’s a great achievement.”
She’ll return to Calgary next Saturday to join the Calgary Foothills semi-pro women’s team.
“Last year I went to California and I’m trying Calgary this year,” she said. “It seems like a good organization and good coaching.”
She was also an integral part of Canada’s Universiade squad which in 2015, in South Korea, attained its best finish ever at a university games, taking fourth spot. Understandably, to play for Canada is a long-term goal.
“It’s always a dream to play on the national team, but I think I have a couple of stages that I have to reach to make it there,” Roy-Petitclerc said. “I want to play professional in Europe and maybe I’ll have a connection to the national team after that.”