Two graduating athletes win major awards, local sprint star takes home female athlete of the year
Red Deer, April 9, 2024 – One hundred ninety student-athletes. Thirty-six coaches. Ten student-trainers. One night to cap off an incredible 2023/2024 athletics season at Red Deer Polytechnic where three championship banners were hung in the rafters inside the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.
Tonight, Red Deer Polytechnic held its annual Athletics Banquet which highlighted the academic and athletic achievements of student-athletes, along with the support from coaches, student-trainers, staff, sponsors and donors throughout the 2023/2024 season. Multiple awards were given out, including the Allan Ferchuk Leadership Award, Red Deer Bottling Male and Female Athletes of the Year and Team Awards (Coaches, Most Improved, Most Valuable and Rookie of the Year).
Randy Stewart, Manager of Athletics and Student Life, explained that this event is a yearly reminder of what makes coming to the office every day so rewarding.
"It's one of the most enjoyable evenings of the year as we celebrate all of the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of so many people. This event not only provides an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes and coaches, but we also get to recognize our donors, sponsors, medical network, minor officials, volunteers and so many more that make RDP Athletics the incredible success that it is."
This year, Queens Hockey forward Avery Lajeunesse (Bachelor of Education) received the Allan Ferchuk Leadership Award. She is a student-athlete who captained her team to a second-place regular season finish.
Lajeunesse is proud to call herself a Queen and is more than willing to offer her time to mold young student-athletes into becoming ambassadors of the program. On top of her 3.80 grade point average, she also made time to volunteer in the community. The fifth-year forward read to kids at the library while also volunteering with the First Shift which is a program to help ease kids and families into a fun and positive hockey environment.
Queens Hockey Head Coach Kelly Coulter explained Lajeunesse is an inspirational leader on the ice with her competitive level and work ethic.
"Avery is so welcoming to all individuals who come to our dressing room from first-year players to recruits and prospects. Her devotion to the team being successful has instilled in the players who will continue here what Queens culture is all about. When she leaves, she will be the one we say has left an incredible legacy in her time wearing the crown."
In her final season as a Queen, Lajeunesse finished in the top five of the scoring race with 11 goals while adding 10 assists. She was named an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) First Team All-Star. Lajeunesse finished with 50 points in her five seasons with RDP, achieving a career-high in goals, assists and points during the 2023/2024 season.
When the all-star forward looked back on her final season wearing the crown and her last four years with RDP, Lajeunesse explained without being a Queen, she would have never met some of her closest friends.
"Over the course of my five years as a Queen, I have had such an amazing opportunity to make so many incredible memories. As a team we did many different team building events which my favourite definitely was the ropes course. I was able to learn so many new things about my teammates which ultimately helped us become closer as a team."
While thriving on the ice, Lajeunesse also succeeded in the classroom as she obtained a 3.80 grade point average in her final year at RDP.
The Red Deer Bottling Female Athlete of the Year was awarded to Queens Indoor Track and Cross Country runner Loami Rautenbach (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Rautenbach's first full year as a student-athlete at Red Deer Polytechnic was outstanding.
Douglas Spicer, RDP Cross Country Running and Indoor Track Head Coach, stated Rautenbach was a cross country rookie who was consistently a scoring member for the team, but it was during the Indoor Track season when she really made an impact.
"On the track, she was our 'Swiss army knife, running three individual distances where she won ACAC gold and silver while also anchoring both relays to impressive victories. Loami is a great teammate and one of the most coachable athletes I have had the privilege of working with."
Following her impressive performance at the 2024 ACAC Indoor Track Championships, Rautenbach was named the Women's Indoor Track Runner of the Year while also obtaining a 3.46 GPA in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
She said RDP Athletics is special to her, specifically her teammates as they are supportive and close with one another.
"Some of my favourite memories since becoming a Queen on the RDP Indoor Track are our team pasta dinners the evening before a race, Monday morning long runs with the girls and our chant before our cross country races. The coaches are amazing as well as the physiotherapy staff who have helped me overcome a couple of injuries throughout my time at RDP."
Lastly, Jacob Wozney was named the Red Deer Bottling Male Athlete of the Year. The Kings Hockey assistant captain led by example every day with his tremendous work ethic and desire to be his best.
Head Coach Trevor Keeper said Wozney is the perfect example of an athlete who is here to help his team and teammates be the best that they can possibly be.
"He's a first team ACAC All-Star and arguably the most complete forward in the league. Jacob has an incredible work ethic and his drive helped the Kings Hockey team immensely in our last two seasons where the team was crowned as champions."
In his final year as a King, the fifth-year forward put up a career high in goals and assists to finish with 30 points in the regular season. He finished eight points shy of the 100-point mark while scoring 45 goals and totaling 47 assists in his five-year career. The Bachelor of Education student finished the Fall Term with a 3.23 GPA.
Wozney explained the awards banquet is a nice way to get together with the other teams and celebrate each and every accomplishment.
"It is important that we recognize and celebrate not only our own personal success but the success of every athlete who wears the crown. It reminds us of the lasting legacy that the athletes who have worn the crown before us have left, something I hope to leave as I finish my college athletics career as a King.
The Bachelor of Education student-athlete was one of seven Kings hockey players to graduate following the end of the 2023/2024 season.
The Kings and Queens Athletics season will kick off on September 7, 2024 when the Soccer teams head to SAIT to take on the Trojans in Calgary. The Polytechnic's first home match will take place the following day when they host the Olds College Broncos.
Team Awards
Kings Basketball
Coach's Award – Parker Weinrauch
Most Improved Player – MacGregor Manyluk
Most Valuable Player – Jose Mauro
Rookie of the Year – Deandre Rowe
Queens Basketball
Coach's Award – Sadie Jeffries
Most Improved Player – Janai Hubert
Most Valuable Player – Sandra Garcia-Bernal
Rookie of the Year – Salome Nuako
Cross-Country
Coach's Award – Zoey Longman
Most Improved Player – Georgia Sawchuk
Most Valuable Player – Justine Larson
Rookie of the Year – Dylan Leadlay
Curling
Coach's Award – Sam Goodey
Most Improved Player – Teryn Harder
Most Valuable Player – Cassidy Blair
Rookie of the Year – Aiden Berube
Kings Hockey
Coach's Award – Chance Longjohn
Most Improved Player – Sean Michalevich
Most Valuable Player – Jacob Wozney
Rookie of the Year – Dawson Leroux
Queens Hockey
Coach's Award – Brooke Skrypichayko
Most Improved Player –Hayley Kolosky
Most Valuable Player – Avery Lajeunesse
Rookie of the Year – Tora Ward
Kings Soccer
Coach's Award – Eshay Fernandes
Most Improved Player – Brian Murray
Most Valuable Player – Ajdin Sarcevic
Rookie of the Year – Njegos Bajovic
Queens Soccer
Coach's Award – Grace Smith
Most Improved Player – Cara Lord
Most Valuable Player – Kayla Yeo
Rookie of the Year – Payton Erick
Kings Volleyball
Coach's Award – Jonathan (JJ) Graham
Most Improved Player – Zach Neufeld
Most Valuable Player – Noah Carlson
Rookie of the Year – Owen Langberg
Queens Volleyball
Coach's Award – Jaiden Ferguson
Most Improved Player – Jailyn Stouffer
Most Valuable Player – Emma Holmes
Rookie of the Year – Raya Roesler
Team Service Awards
Kings Basketball – Jesse Bonsu
Queens Basketball – Jessica Hennelly
Cross-Country – Jenna Schnare
Curling – Andrew Jones
Kings Hockey – Zach Noble
Queens Hockey – Michael Gundran
Kings Soccer – Jaden Humphrey
Queens Soccer – McKenna Richelhoff
Kings Volleyball – Jillyn Halldorson
Queens Volleyball – Mandy Carroll
Minor Officials Award
Beth Ferchuk, Ed Duiker
Student Trainer Recognition
Jon Walsh Memorial Kings Volleyball Student-Trainer Scholarship – Jillyn Halldorson
Red Deer Bottling Kings Pit Crew Award – Ethan West
Red Deer Bottling Queens Pit Crew Award – Estel Quinteros
STRIDE Student-Trainer Scholarship – Alissa Berwick
Tim Hamilton Student-Trainer Queen Award – Zachary Noble
Tim Hamilton Queens Hockey Student Trainer – Brook Dunn
Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award – Shyla Jenkins
Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award – Jade Gaudet
Red Deer Bottling/Truant Family Student Trainer Award – Michael Gundran