MacAulay and Mayaleh named outstanding Athletes of the Year

UPEI Athletics and Recreation celebrated their 44th year this evening by recognizing their student athletes at the annual UPEI Athletics Awards ceremony held in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. The Alumni Athletes of the Year Awards went to field hockey's Marina MacAulay and Jimmie Mayaleh from men's soccer.

'We are very proud of all of our UPEI Panther student-athletes,' said UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Schurman. 'It is a real challenge to balance performance in the classroom and high performance sport. This evening we recognized everyone's efforts as well as those who rose above and achieved even greater success.'

MacAulay began her career with the Panthers by being named AUS Rookie of the Year and ended the season strong as a CIS second team All-Canadian.

'MacAulay is a skilled and determined athlete with the ability to quietly lead her team by example,' said UPEI Field Hockey Head Coach Sheila Bell.'During her final year, she adapted to playing a new position with ease, making a difficult position look effortless. Playing in the middle of the field, she controlled the play and forced the opposition to be aware of her at all times,' added Bell.

MacAulay demonstrates the ideal combination of mental and physical strength which allows her to perform her best under pressure. As captain, she demonstrated a great work ethic as well as empathy to her team and earned great respect on and off the field.

Jimmie Mayaleh, a fifth-year senior, was one of soccer's best. He finished the 2012 regular season tied for third in the league in scoring and tied for third in the league in overall points. He was a first team AUS All Star and a CIS second team All-Canadian. He is the one threat every other AUS coach talks about. One AUS coach was quoted: 'We knew if we stopped Jimmie, we would win the game.'

'Mayaleh is a tireless worker who sets a great example for the younger players. He loves the game of soccer and his passion and enthusiasm will be missed next year,' said UPEI men's soccer Head Coach Lewis Page. 'It was a pleasure to have him for five years at UPEI, and I'm proud of what Jimmie has achieved in his time with the program.'

The J.T. 'Mickey' Place Awards were also presented to student-athletes who have made a contribution to student leadership on their team and on campus. John Thomas 'Mickey' Place was connected not only with Athletics at UPEI, but with all aspects of campus life. He believed in fair play and that through respect for one's opponent, an athlete could gain the ultimate respect for themselves. These awards are provided by the Student Union in his memory. The winners from each team include: