Queen’s Wilkie honoured as ArcelorMittal Dofasco CIS male athlete of the week

OTTAWA (CIS) – Maddie MacKenzie, a rugby player from Acadia University, and Alex Wilkie, a cross country runner from Queen's University, are the ArcelorMittal Dofasco CIS female and male athletes of the week for the period ending Sept. 27, 2015.

MacKenzie, a third-year science student from Peterborough, Ont., scored a pair of tries to help the Axewomen (3-0) upset the reigning CIS champion and then nationally top-ranked StFX X-Women (2-1) on their home turf, Sunday in Antigonish, N.S. The 5-foot-9 winger, who was named Subway player of the game for her efforts, crossed the try line for the first time in the opening half and added her second of the afternoon with eight minutes remaining in the contest as Acadia rallied from a 19-point second half deficit to prevail 32-29. StFX had not lost at Oland Stadium since 2013.

Soccer players Joëlle Gosselin of Laval, Emily Brown of Wilfrid Laurier and Rachel Hutchinson of Trinity Western were also nominated for the women's award.

Wilkie, a third-year health studies student from Almonte, Ont., established course and meet records at the Western International Invitational Saturday in London to top a field of 127 competitors from 13 universities. The Gael veteran finished the eight-kilometre race in 24 minutes and 35 seconds, a full 10 seconds ahead of his closest rival, and 21 seconds faster than the previous course and meet standards set three years ago by former Guelph standout and CIS champion Aaron Hendrikx. Wilkie was named a second-team All-Canadians in 2014 after he placed 10th at the CIS championships.

Soccer players Bezick Evraire of Dalhousie, Charles Arsenault of Laval and Cam Hundal of Victoria were the other male nominees.

Female nominees:
AUS: Maddie MacKenzie, rugby, Acadia (recipient)
RSEQ: Joëlle Gosselin, soccer, Laval
OUA: Emily Brown, soccer, Wilfrid Laurier
CWUAA: Rachel Hutchinson, soccer, Trinity Western

Male nominees:
AUS: Bezick Evraire, soccer, Dalhousie
RSEQ: Charles Arsenault, soccer, Laval
OUA: Alex Wilkie, cross country, Queen's (recipient)
CWUAA: Cam Hundal, soccer, Victoria

Source: CIS