RDP celebrates academics, sporting achievement and community impact at 2024/2025 Athletics Awards Night
The 2024/2025 Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings and Queens continue to grow the historic legacy of RDP Athletics.
At the Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics Awards Night held April 8, student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors and supporters were celebrated for their achievements and contributions to academic, athletic and social communities.
"The RDP Athletics Awards provide an opportunity for us to gather and celebrate the vast accomplishments of the Kings and Queens during the past season," says Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics and Student Life, Red Deer Polytechnic. "With ongoing support from sponsors, donors, coaches, athletics staff and fans, the Kings and Queens have continued to demonstrate their commitment to excellence in the classroom, during competition and as leaders in the community."
Seventy-two student-athletes received Academic Excellence Awards, achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher in Fall 2024 Term. Kaedence Mollin (Queens Hockey), Arilyn Toews (Queens Hockey) and Dawson Leroux (Kings Hockey) were named ACAC Academic All-Canadians.
This season, RDP teams and individual student-athletes won three Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) medals (one gold, one silver and one bronze) and 18 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) medals (five gold, six silver and seven bronze). The Dance and Rodeo Teams achieved several top three results throughout the season.
While numerous individuals were acknowledged, RDP student-athletes Mollin, Colby Nemeth and Nicole Homan received special honours. Mollin, the ACAC Women's Hockey Player of the Year, was named the 2024/2025 Red Deer Bottling Outstanding RDP Female Athlete of the Year. Nemeth, the CCAA Men's Volleyball Championship MVP, received the Red Deer Bottling Outstanding RDP Male Athlete of the Year Award. Homan, a CCAA Women's Curling Second-Team All-Star, was honoured with the Al Ferchuk Athletic Leadership Scholarship.
Mollin, a third-year defender from Kelowna, had an outstanding season, helping the RDP Queens Hockey team earn silver at the ACAC Championship. In 25 regular season games, the Queens captain recorded 25 points, which led the team and ranked fourth in the league. She added four points in the playoffs.
"Kaedence has been an excellent on-ice leader for our team. She plays the game with pride and passion," says Kelly Coulter, RDP Queens Hockey Head Coach. "Kaedence is an outstanding 200-foot player who defends very well. She is often tasked with facing the top players from the opposition. She has also been a major driver of our offence with her play on the blue line and attacking off the rush."
In addition, Mollin was named ACAC Women's Hockey Top Scholastic Achiever, an ACAC Women's Hockey Academic All-Canadian and a member of the ACAC Women's Hockey First All-Conference team. During Fall 2024 Term, Mollin achieved a 4.0 GPA in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Polytechnic.
Mollin (11)
Red Deer's Nemeth was dominant on the court, helping to guide the RDP Kings Volleyball team to its 21st ACAC gold medal and 14th CCAA National title.
"Colby had an absolutely outstanding season and this recognition as RDP Male Athlete of the Year is extremely well-deserved. He was dominant in the ACAC all season long and continued to impress when it mattered the most at both the ACAC and CCAA Championships," says Aaron Schulha, Kings Volleyball Head Coach. "His contributions to the team and what we were able to accomplish this year cannot be understated. It was a pleasure to watch him compete this season."
During the regular season, Nemeth ranked first in ACAC Men's Volleyball with 302 kills and 4.65 kills per set, helping to lead the Kings (18-1) to the best record in the league.
Nemeth, a Bachelor of Commerce student, was named ACAC Men's Volleyball South Player of the Year and ACAC Men's Player of the Year. He also earned spots on the ACAC Men's Volleyball South All-Conference Team and ACAC Men's Volleyball Championship First All-Star Team.
Nemeth (3)
Nicole Homan, lead on the RDP Queens Curling team, has demonstrated exceptional leadership both on and off the ice. While she was integral in the Queens earning ACAC gold and CCAA silver, Homan has been involved in many initiatives that contribute to the betterment of RDP and communities.
"I want to congratulate Nicole on receiving the Al Ferchuk Athletic Leadership Scholarship in recognition of her impactful leadership on the RDP Curling team, at Red Deer Polytechnic and in the community," says Brad Hamilton, RDP Curling Head Coach. "Her leadership and extensive volunteerism has set the standard of excellence for all student-athletes to follow."
As Vice Chair on the RDP Student-Athletes Advisory Council, Homan (Bachelor of Education Secondary) has helped plan food drives and organized school trips for the Kings and Queens to mentor youth.
Red Deer's Homan, the captain on the Red Deer Polytechnic Curling team, has coached the Notre Dame High School Girl's Curling team, assisted with curling instruction at St. Joseph High School and participated in Father Henri Voisin School's Read-a-Thon. In addition, she volunteered at the Red Deer Curling Classic.
Homan (second from left)
This season, four RDP coaches – Hamilton (Curling), Admir Sarcevic (Kings Soccer), Schulha (Kings Volleyball) and Michael Schnare (Indoor Track) – were acknowledged as ACAC Coach of the Year in their respective sports. Schulha was also named the CCAA Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year. Eldon Raab (Queens Curling) received the Curling Canada Coaching Award.
The Kings and Queens have continued to spend countless hours volunteering in the community. In addition to helping collect food for the Students' Association of RDP Emergency Student Food Bank, the Polytechnic's student-athletes have donated blood as part of the Bleed Green Campaign. They also coach and mentor youth.
While many Kings and Queens have finished competing this season, several members of the Red Deer Polytechnic Rodeo team have qualified for the Canadian Collegiate Rodeo Association Final. This event will be held in Rimbey from May 16-18.
Additional RDP Awards
Red Deer Bottling High GPA Scholarship - Paige Kalbfleisch (Queens Soccer and Futsal)
Red Deer Bottling High GPA Scholarship - Melissa Ray (Queens Cross Country Running and Indoor Track)
Allan Ferchuk Kings Hockey Student-Athlete Scholarship - Brennan Davis
Jillian Walls Dance Leadership Scholarships - Hailey Warren, Makenna Evans
Team Awards
Dance - Makenna Evans (Coach's Award)
Dance - Shiloh Semeniuk (Most Improved Player)
Dance - Siena Wald (Most Valuable Player)
Dance - Meghan Walker (Rookie of the Year)
Rodeo - Ryan Collett/Rylee Peck (Coach's Awards)
Rodeo - Julia Holtkamp (Most Improved Player)
Rodeo - Taylor Cholach (Most Valuable Player)
Rodeo - Casey Thomson (Rookie of the Year)
Kings Basketball - Cole Wicker (Coach's Award)
Kings Basketball - Lucaas Kuprowski (Most Improved Player)
Kings Basketball - Payton Baltzer (Most Valuable Player)
Kings Basketball - Zayne Vernon (Rookie of the Year)
Queens Basketball - Jorgia Hicks (Coach's Award)
Queens Basketball - Salome Nuako (Most Improved Player)
Queens Basketball - Rachel Harvey (Most Valuable Player)
Queens Basketball - Mia Cunningham (Rookie of the Year)
Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Georgia Sawchuk (Coach's Award)
Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Leland Lusk (Most Improved Player)
Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Jordan Coen (Most Valuable Player)
Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Japhet Kipkosgei (Rookie of the Year)
Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Hadley Guenther (Most Improved Player)
Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Justine Larson (Most Valuable Player)
Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track - Eiley Morrison (Rookie of the Year)
Curling - Cassidy Blair (Coach's Award)
Curling - Nicole Homan (Most Improved Player)
Curling - Kaylee Raniseth (Most Valuable Player)
Curling - Rhett Whittmire (Rookie of the Year)
Kings Hockey - Brennan Davis (Coach's Award)
Kings Hockey - Dawson Leroux (Most Improved Player)
Kings Hockey - Tanner Sklaruk (Most Valuable Player)
Kings Hockey - Alex Bernauer (Rookie of the Year)
Queens Hockey - Tasha Barsby (Coach's Award)
Queens Hockey - Addison Longmore (Most Improved Player)
Queens Hockey - Kaedence Mollin (Most Valuable Player)
Queens Hockey - Emily Hourie (Rookie of the Year)
Kings Soccer - Brian Murray (Coach's Award)
Kings Soccer - Jaxon Fernandes (Most Improved Player)
Kings Soccer - Ajdin Sarcevic (Most Valuable Player)
Kings Soccer - Skipper Martin (Rookie of the Year)
Queens Soccer - Paige Kalbfleisch (Coach's Award)
Queens Soccer - Payton Erick (Most Improved Player)
Queens Soccer - McKenna Leslie (Most Valuable Player)
Queens Soccer - Olivia Lundell (Rookie of the Year)
Kings Volleyball - Brett Theise (Coach's Award)
Kings Volleyball - Owen Langberg (Most Improved Player)
Kings Volleyball - Colby Nemeth (Most Valuable Player)
Kings Volleyball - Drew Dykstra (Rookie of the Year)
Queens Volleyball - Francesca Sandini (Coach's Award)
Queens Volleyball - Sarah Mistol (Most Improved Player)
Queens Volleyball - Lauren Junck (Most Valuable Player)
Queens Volleyball - Rhyen Hannett (Rookie of the Year)
Team Service Awards
Rodeo - Stacey Terpsma
Kings Basketball - Alissa Berwick
Queens Basketball - Ali Brereton
Cross Country Running - Noah Arychuk
Curling - Andrew Jones
Kings Hockey - Liam Stalwick
Queens Hockey - Amy Friestadt
Kings Soccer - Marko Ilich
Queens Soccer - Kruise Kalbfleisch
Kings Volleyball - Avery Duske
Queens Volleyball - Mandy Carroll
Come Back Award - Raya Roesler (Queens Volleyball)
Minor Officials Award - Karson Ince, Ashley Maksymiw and Michael Moore
Tim Hamilton Student Trainer Hockey Award - Shyla Jenkins (Kings Hockey)
STRIDE Student Trainer Scholarship - Alexandria Brereton (Queens Basketball)
Jon Walsh Memorial Kings Volleyball Student Trainer Scholarship - Avery Duske (Kings Volleyball)
Red Deer Bottling Kings Pit Crew Award - Katie Young (Kings Volleyball)
Red Deer Bottling Queens Pit Crew Award - Karlee Abt (Queens Volleyball)
Tim Hamilton Student Trainer Queen Award - Kruise Kalbfleisch
Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award - Alissa Berwick
Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award - Quanalee Brown
Red Deer Bottling/Truant Family Student Trainer Award - Ethan West
Red Deer Polytechnic Student Trainer Award - Peyton Wagstaff
Stay connected to RDP Athletics social media and rdpolytechathletics.ca throughout the summer for information about the 2025/2026 schedule and other athletics news.