Swimming's Sangster and MacDonald honoured as AUS major award winners

(HALIFAX, N.S.) Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2019-20 AUS swimming major award winners as selected by the conference's head coaches and Acadia's Dean Sangster was named the Rookie of the Year. Head Coach Gary MacDonald was named the Male Swimming Coach of the Year.

All of this season's AUS major award winners were announced during today's awards luncheon hosted by Dalhousie University at the University Club in Halifax, N.S.

AUS Women's Swimming Major Award Winners

SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Isabel Sarty, Dalhousie

Atlantic University Sport women's swimming's swimmer of the year is Isabel Sarty from the Dalhousie Tigers.

A third-year neuroscience student from Halifax, N.S., this marks the second consecutive year Sarty has earned the conference's top honour.

In her freshmen year, she was also named swimmer and rookie of the meet at the 2018 AUS championships.

This season, Sarty amassed 13 first-place individual finishes over four invitational meets, and another seven first-place finishes as a member of Dalhousie relay teams.

She set a new conference record on two occasions, both times breaking records she had previously set herself.

At the Kemp Fry Invitational meet hosted by Dalhousie in November, Sarty set a new record of 25.51 in the 50m freestyle event—eclipsing her previous record of 25.75 which she set at the 2019 AUS championship. She then swam the 100m freestyle in a record time of 55.26, topping her own record of 55.66 set in November 2018.

Heading into this weekend's conference championships, she has already guaranteed herself a trip to the national championships, having posted U SPORTS qualifying times in several events.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Polina Konstantinova, Memorial

Polina Konstantinova from the Memorial Sea-Hawks has been named the 2019-20 AUS Atlantic University Sport women's swimming rookie of the year.

A first-year science student from St. John's, N.L., Konstantinova had an impressive showing at her first-ever AUS invitational meet this season.

She helped the Sea-Hawks to a fourth-place team finish at Dalhousie's Kemp Fry Invitational meet which was held in November.

She earned an impressive second-place finish in the 50m breaststroke event and claimed third place in the 200m breaststroke. She also narrowly missed the podium in the 100m breaststroke event, finishing fourth.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Katya Parker, Mount Allison

The 2019-20 student-athlete community service award recipient is Katya Parker from the Mount Allison Mounties.

A fourth-year biology student from La Salle, Ont., Parker has had success both in the pool and in the classroom this season while also finding time to volunteer extensively in the community.

This season, she earned a second-place finish in the 100m breaststroke event at the Jack Scholz Invitational meet hosted by Acadia in November. She narrowly missed the podium in the 50m breaststroke event, finishing fourth. And she earned a fifth-place finish in the 200m breaststroke.

In the classroom, Parker boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.8. In the community, she lends her time to such initiatives as the S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience) program and serves as president of the Women in Science program.

This program brings together women at the university in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs to visit local schools and encourage young girls to become interested in scientific pursuits.

Parker also volunteers her time at the local hospital and serves as a member of the Shinerama Summer Crew which raises funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis.

"Katya has been involved with the Sackville community since her arrival at Mount Allison," said Mounties coach John Peters. "She is hard-working, very dedicated and committed to her volunteer work. She has been a great ambassador for the Mounties program."

COACH OF THE YEAR: Lance Cansdale, Dalhousie

In his eighth season as head coach of the Dalhousie Tigers, Lance Cansdale has once again been chosen by his peers as the Atlantic University Sport women's swimming coach of the year.

He has earned the honour in all eight of his seasons with the Tigers. 

This season, the Tigers women's team has earned a first-place finish at all four invitational swim meets.

Heading into this weekend's AUS championships, eight swimmers from Candale's women's team and one from his men's team have already posted U SPORTS qualifying times.

AUS Men's Swimming Major Award Winners

SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Noah Mascoll-Gomes, Mount Allison

Atlantic University Sport men's swimming's swimmer of the year is Noah Mascoll-Gomes from the Mount Allison Mounties.

A second-year arts student from St. John's, Antigua, Mascoll-Gomes earned six first-place and five second-place individual finishes this season through four AUS invitational meets.

He posted U SPORTS qualifying times in both the 100m and 200m freestyle events.

Mascoll-Gomes was honoured as both AUS rookie of the year last season as well as rookie of the meet at the 2019 AUS championship.

He represented Antigua and Barbuda when he competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, in the men's 200m freestyle. He was the flag bearer for Antigua and Barbuda in the closing ceremony.

He is working towards once again qualifying for this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Dean Sangster, Acadia

Dean Sangster from the Acadia Axemen has been named the 2019-20 AUS Atlantic University Sport men's swimming rookie of the year.

A Bachelor of Applied Science student from Truro, N.S., Sangster had an impressive freshman season for the Axemen, breaking three Acadia school records in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events.

This season, he earned eight first-place, three second-place and three third-place individual finishes throughout four invitational meets.

He also earned six first-place finishes as part of Axemen relay teams.

Heading into this weekend's conference championship, Sangster has already posted U SPORTS qualifying times in multiple individual and relay events.

THE JEREMY INGHAM AWARD (STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD): Eric Meng, UNB

The 2019-20 recipient of the Jeremy Ingham Award for student-athlete community service is Eric Meng from the UNB Reds.  

A fourth-year biology student in his third year of eligibility from Fredericton, N.B., Meng has had both athletic and academic success at UNB, while also being heavily involved in the community.

The co-captain of the Reds men's swim team, he earned a second-place finish in the 50m freestyle event at the Amby Legere Invitational meet hosted by UNB this season. He finished fifth in both the 100m individual medley and the 200m freestyle events.

In the classroom, Meng is a three-time academic all-Canadian, on pace to repeat this season. He boasts a 4.3 cumulative GPA and is a two-time recipient of the NSERC's (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) Undergraduate Research Award. He was the first UNB biology student to complete his honours thesis in his third year in over a decade.

His community involvement includes the founding of the UNB International Swim Program—an initiative to teach water safety skills to refugee and newly immigrated families in the Fredericton area.

Meng volunteers as a peer mentor for the Faculty of Science, and as a faculty representative on UNB's Student Union Council.

He also serves as a student representative on a number of committees, including both the Student Union's Finance and Advancement committees.

THE DAVID FRY AWARD (COACH OF THE YEAR): Gary MacDonald, Acadia

In his fifth season as head coach of the Axemen program, Gary MacDonald has been chosen by his peers as the recipient of the David Fry Award (Atlantic University Sport men's swimming coach of the year).

This marks the second time in three seasons that he has earned the honour.

MacDonald's Axemen earned a first-place team finish at three of four invitational swim meets this season. They were also the top AUS team at the Kemp Fry Invitational meet, finishing second to McGill.

Heading into this weekend's conference championships, five Axemen and two Axewomen have already posted U SPORTS qualifying time, ensuring their trips to the national championships in Victoria, B.C. later this month.

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The 2020 Subway AUS Swimming Championships, presented by Keep It Social, get underway today and run until Sunday at the Dalplex.

Admission for fans is free all weekend and event finals will be available via live webcast throughout the weekend at www.AUStv.ca.

For the complete event schedule, click here. 

The AUS championship banners and trophies will be awarded Sunday immediately following the championships, along with the men's and women's swimmer of the meet and rookie of the meet awards.

The U SPORTS national swimming championships are being hosted by the University of Victoria and will take place Feb. 20-22.