UPEI Women’s Rugby puts together top-notch coaching squad

New UPEI Women's Rugby head coach Shannon Atkins announced her coaching staff for the 2010-11 season today. Assistant coaches will be former Panthers, Madelon Cheverie and Dawn Paynter.

Madelon Cheverie graduated in 2006 from UPEI with a Bachelor of Science and went on to the University of Waterloo, receiving a Masters of Science in Health Studies and Gerontology. She is a researcher with the Addictions Research Centre in Montague. While at UPEI, Cheverie played five seasons with the Panthers, was named team captain twice, and maintained Academic All-Canadian status. She has also been active in coaching high school rugby. During her UPEI playing days, she coached the Charlottetown Rural High School team, and this past spring, was head coach of the men's program at Morell Regional High School.

Cheverie had this to say about the upcoming season, "I am so excited to be back at UPEI and involved with the rugby team. I have seen this rugby program evolve over the years and I am really looking forward to getting to know the girls and give back to the club that played such an important role in my life while I was a student at UPEI."

Dawn Paynter has travelled all over Canada to play rugby winning numerous awards. She played for both UPEI and St. FX, was named an AUS All-Star three times, and was part of two AUS championship teams. She graduated from St. FX with a degree in business and is the operations manager at REJ Holdings Inc.

"Having played rugby for over a decade both on and off the Island, I am excited to be returning to the game as a coach. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with the green and black,' commented Paynter.

All three coaches have played together on PEI provincial teams and Atkins and Paynter are both former teammates of Olympian Heather Moyse. The Panthers play their first home game on Saturday, September 11, when they host the Saint Mary's Huskies.