Acadia's Liam Heelis named as BLG Nominee

OTTAWA (CIS) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport and national law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) announced Tuesday the eight finalists for the 22^nd Annual BLG Awards.

Official BLG Awards website: www.blg.com/blgawards 
For the complete CIS release visit http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/cis_news/2013-14/releases/blgnominees14.

The BLG Awards were established in 1993 to recognize the top female and male athletes from universities affiliated with CIS.

On Monday, April 28, the eight national nominees will be honoured at the EPCOR Centre's Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary. One female and one male winner will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, while all finalists will return home with a commemorative gold ring.

Calgary has played host to the awards gala on 18 occasions in the past, including the 20^th anniversary edition in 2012. The event was also held in Toronto last year and in 2009, while Vancouver was the site of the 2011 ceremony. 

The 2014 awards show will premiere nationally on Sportsnet 360 on Thursday, May 15, at 9 p.m. EDT. A replay is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at 1 p.m. EDT, also on Sportsnet 360. 

"We are extremely excited to be hosting the 22^nd BLG Awards in Calgary," said Doug Mitchell, National Co-Chair of BLG. "We continue to be amazed by the talents and accomplishments of these outstanding athletes. Each year, as we follow the past winners and hear about their accomplishments or what they are involved in, we realize how important their university sports background has been to them. We congratulate the universities who have provided the great education and athletic programs for these students to succeed in their careers."

"A key part of our mission is to help develop Canada's next generation of leaders and these exceptional student-athletes are prime examples of the greatness that can be found at our Canadian universities," said Pierre Lafontaine, chief executive officer of CIS. "To be nominated for a BLG Award is one of the most prestigious honours our 11,000 student-athletes can aspire to in their university careers. This is a very special honour not only for the eight finalists but also for their coaches, teammates, families, and anyone who contributed to their success."

The 2014 nominees for the Jim Thompson Trophy presented to the female BLG Award recipient are hockey player Katia Clément-Heydra from McGill University, track and field standout Khamica Bingham from York University, volleyball player Lisa Barclay from the University of British Columbia, as well as basketball player Justine Colley from Saint Mary's University, who was also nominated a year ago.

Colley, a fifth-year guard from East Preston, N.S., was named CIS player of the year in women's basketball for the second straight season after she led the Atlantic conference in scoring for the fourth campaign in a row. The commerce student guided the Huskies to a perfect 20-0 regular season, a second consecutive AUS title and a program-best silver medal at the CIS championship.

Clément-Heydra, a fourth-year centre from St. Bruno de Montarville, Que., was voted CIS MVP in women's hockey thanks to her 40 points (13-27-40) in only 20 league games, good for first in Quebec and second in the nation. The industrial relations major added 15 points in eight post-season contests as she helped the Martlets capture their first CIS banner since 2011.

Bingham, a second-year sprinter from Brampton, Ont., was named the OUA athlete of the year in track events and went on to pick up female-MVP honours at the CIS championships. The humanities student claimed three gold medals at the national meet, including a new record of 7.26 seconds in the marquee event, the 60-metre sprint. 

Barclay, a fourth-year outside hitter from Brandon, Man., was named CIS MVP in women's volleyball after she led the country in kills (4.26) and points (4.99) per set. After guiding UBC to the CIS title in each of her first three campaigns with the team, the kinesiology student once again helped the Thunderbirds reach the national final, where they settled for silver.   

SEE COMPLETE PROFILES BELOW.

On the men's side, the finalists for the Doug Mitchell Trophy are hockey player Liam Heelis from Acadia University, football player Jordan Heather from Bishop's University, basketball player Philip Scrubb from Carleton University and hockey player Derek Hulak from the University of Saskatchewan.

Heelis, a third-year forward from Georgetown, Ont., earned CIS MVP honours in men's hockey after he won the AUS scoring crown with 42 points, including a CIS-leading 24 goals in only 26 league games. The science student then guided the Axemen to their first Atlantic conference title since 2006 and their first University Cup championship appearance in eight years.

Heather, a fifth-year quarterback from Oromocto, N.B., merited the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top player in the country after he shattered one of the most prestigious single-season records in CIS football thanks to an astounding 3,132 passing yards in eight regular season games. The history student also set an RSEQ season mark with 20 touchdown passes and completed a team-record 199 passes while leading the Gaiters to their first six-win campaign (6-2) since 1993.

Scrubb, a fourth-year guard from Richmond, B.C., became the first player in history to be named CIS MVP for the third time in men's basketball. The commerce student, who led Carleton in points (18.6) and assists (4.9) per game during league play, guided the Ravens to an unblemished 22-0 regular campaign and to their fourth CIS title in as many years with the team. 

Hulak, a fourth-year forward from Saskatoon, was named Canada West MVP and won the conference scoring race by 12 points over a 28-game schedule thanks to his 48 points (13-25-48), which ranked second in the country. The business student guided the Huskies to a second-place finish at the University Cup and, despite a heartbreaking loss to Alberta in the final, earned MVP honours after leading the three-game tournament in goals (4) and points (6).   

SEE COMPLETE PROFILES BELOW.

The BLG Awards are based on athletic accomplishments, outstanding sportsmanship and leadership. Each of the 54 CIS schools selects one female and one male athlete of the year. From these nominees, one female and one male athlete are chosen within each of the four regional associations: Atlantic University Sport (AUS), Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA). To be eligible, a student-athlete must have competed in a CIS sport for a minimum of two years and cannot be a previous recipient of a BLG Award.

All nominees receive a commemorative gold ring and winners are presented with a trophy and a $10,000 scholarship to attend a Canadian university graduate school. Winners are selected by the Canadian Athletic Foundation, a not-for-profit board established for the purpose of administering the BLG Awards and protecting the integrity of the selection process. The CAF Board of Trustees consists of 20 members from five Canadian cities representing major corporations from across the country who are committed to ensuring that Canadian university athletes receive the recognition they deserve.

Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Nominees

Liam Heelis
Acadia University
Sport: Hockey
Year of eligibility: 3
Academic program: Science (Bachelor of Science in Psychology)
Hometown: Georgetown, Ont.
 
Liam Heelis' hockey season started back in August with his participation at the Florida Panthers NHL prospects camp and didn't slow down from there.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward exploded in his third campaign with the Acadia University Axemen, winning the AUS conference scoring title with 42 points - including a CIS-leading 24 goals - in only 26 league games. A terrific special teams player, the sniper tied for the CIS lead with four short-handed markers and was second in the AUS with seven power play goals. He also potted three game-winners and ranked second in the Maritimes with 117 shots.

Thanks in large part to his stellar play, the Axemen took second place in the ultra-competitive Atlantic conference with a superb 21-4-3 record and went on to capture their first AUS banner – and book their first ticket for the University Cup national championship - since 2006.

During the December break, the science major was part of an AUS all-star team that travelled to Trentino, Italy to represent Canada at the Winter World University Games. Following a 2-1 semifinal victory over two-time defending champion Russia, whose powerful lineup included no less than 11 players with KHL experience, the Canadians defeated Kazakhstan 6-2 in the gold-medal final to claim the country's fourth FISU title.

Hockey is in his blood and sport is part of the family genetics.

A former OHL player with Owen Sound and Peterborough, Heelis spent countless winters in the backyard on a rink his father built ever year. His mom, Adele, and his uncle, Pat, are both former University of Waterloo student-athletes in basketball and hockey, respectively, while his aunt, Jennifer, played basketball at the University of Guelph. His sister, Katie, competed in cheerleading for two years at Wilfrid Laurier University and his younger brother, 16-year-old Daniel, was recently drafted by Owen Sound in the OHL Priority Selection.

Heelis' hometown of Georgetown, Ont., a small community 40 minutes North-West of Toronto, is known for "Little NHL", where organized minor hockey leagues began.

"I strongly feel that Liam epitomizes what a CIS student-athlete should be," says Acadia head coach Darren Burns. "There is no question his abilities as a player was evident this year on the ice. However, his ability to be a leader on our campus and in the community is even more impressive. There is no doubt is work ethic, passion and overall commitment to success make him an excellent candidate for this prestigious award." 

Justine Colley
Saint Mary's University  
Sport: Basketball
Year of eligibility: 5
Academic program: Commerce
Hometown: East Preston, N.S.

It has been a very busy and successful year for Saint Mary's University basketball player Justine Colley since she earned her first BLG Award nomination 12 months ago.

A few weeks after last year's ceremony in Toronto, the talented guard from East Preston, N.S., received the news she had been so eagerly hoping for: She had been selected to the Canadian senior national team and would spend the next few months travelling the world with the country's best. Her magical summer was capped off by a second-place finish at the FIBA Americas championship last September in Mexico, a result that qualified Canada for the 2014 FIBA Worlds in Turkey (Sept. 27 – Oct. 5).    

Back with the Huskies later in the fall, Colley made the most of her fifth and final university season, and then some.

At the AUS conference level, the commerce student won her fourth straight scoring crown thanks to her 20.8 point-per-game average. Thanks in large part to her stellar play, Saint Mary's kept an unblemished 20-0 record in league play and reached the top of the national rankings - two firsts in the history of the program - and went on to claim its second consecutive AUS banner.

Colley then merited her second straight Nan Copp Award as CIS player of the year, one year after becoming the first-ever recipient from an AUS school. At the CIS championship in Windsor, the 22-year-old led the Huskies to a program-best silver medal, a run that included a mindboggling 38-point performance in a 67-54 semifinal win over Saskatchewan.

Over the course of the season, Colley also became the all-time scoring leader in CIS women's basketball history with 2,376 points. The youngest of five children (three girls and two boys), she finished her brilliant university career with five selections as a first-team AUS all-star, four as an all-Canadian – including three first-team nods – and one on the CIS all-rookie squad.

"Justine established herself as one of the top players ever to play in CIS after winning her second consecutive MVP trophy. The stats certainly back up that claim. However, her impact on our team and a basketball game go far beyond stats," says Saint Mary's head coach Scott Munro. "She is simply one of the best leaders I have ever been around. Her desire to compete and win separates her from any other student-athlete I have coached. Justine is certainly a unique individual."

Past BLG Award Winners:

2012-13: Shanice Marcelle - UBC (volleyball) / Kyle Quinlan - McMaster (football)
2011-12: Ann-Sophie Bettez - McGill (hockey) / Marc-André Dorion - McGill (hockey)
2010-11: Jessica Clemençon - Windsor (basketball) / Tyson Hinz - Carleton (basketball)
2009-10: Liz Cordonier - UBC (volleyball) / Erik Glavic - Calgary (football)
2008-09: Annamay Pierse - UBC (swimming) / Joel Schmuland - Alberta (volleyball)
2007-08: Laetitia Tchoualack - Montreal (volleyball) / Rob Hennigar - UNB (hockey)
2006-07: Jessica Zelinka - Calgary (track & field) / Josh Howatson - Trinity Western (volleyball)
2005-06: Marylène Laplante - Laval (volleyball) / Osvaldo Jeanty - Carleton (basketball)
2004-05: Adrienne Power - Dalhousie (track & field) / Jesse Lumsden - McMaster (football)
2003-04: Joanna Niemczewska - Calgary (volleyball) / Adam Ens - Saskatchewan (volleyball)
2002-03: Kim St-Pierre - McGill (hockey) / Ryan McKenzie - Windsor (cross country & T&F)
2001-02: Elizabeth Warden - Toronto (swimming) / Brian Johns - UBC (swimming)
2000-01: Leighann Doan - Calgary (basketball) / Kojo Aidoo - McMaster (football)
1999-00: Jenny Cartmell - Alberta (volleyball) / Michael Potts - Western (soccer)
1998-99: Corinne Swirsky - Concordia (hockey) / Alexandre Marchand - Sherbrooke (T&F)
1997-98: Foy Williams - Toronto (track & field) / Titus Channer - McMaster (basketball)
1996-97: Terri-Lee Johannesson - Manitoba (basketball) / Curtis Myden - Calgary (swimming)
1995-96: Justine Ellison - Toronto (basketball) / Don Blair - Calgary (football)
1994-95: Linda Thyer - McGill (track & field) / Bill Kubas - Wilfrid Laurier (football)
1993-94: Sandra Carroll - Winnipeg (basketball) / Tim Tindale - Western (football)
1992-93: Diane Scott - Winnipeg (volleyball) / Andy Cameron - Calgary (volleyball)

2014 Female BLG Award Nominees (Jim Thompson Trophy):

AUS: Justine Colley, basketball, Saint Mary's (East Preston, N.S.)

RSEQ: Katia Clément-Heydra, hockey, McGill (St. Bruno de Montarville, Que.)

OUA: Khamica Bingham, track & field, York (Brampton, Ont.)

CWUAA: Lisa Barclay, volleyball, UBC (Brandon, Man.) 

2014 Male BLG Award Nominees (Doug Mitchell Trophy):

AUS: Liam Heelis, hockey, Acadia (Georgetown, Ont.)

RSEQ: Jordan Heather, football, Bishop's (Oromocto, N.B.)

OUA: Philip Scrubb, basketball, Carleton (Richmond, B.C.)

CWUAA: Derek Hulak, hockey, Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Sask.)