BlackBerry CIS athletes of the week: Swimmers McCabe, Sinclair honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – Swimmers Martha McCabe of UBC and Nicholas Sinclair of Victoria are the BlackBerry Canadian Interuniversity Sport female and male athletes of the week for the period ending January 24, 2010.

McCabe, a third-year student from Toronto, was named female swimmer of the meet at the Canada West championships in Lethbridge, Alta., after she collected five medals, including three individual victories, and helped the Thunderbirds upset defending CIS champion Calgary in the women’s team standings. The 20-year-old senior national team member set conference records in the 400-metre individual medley and the 200 breaststroke, added a third gold medal in the 100 breast, and claimed silver in the 200 IM and the 4x100 medley relay. McCabe and her UBC teammates will take on the nation’s bests at the CIS championships from February 18 to 20 at the University of Toronto.

Cape Breton basketball player Kelsey Hodgson, Laval basketball player Marie-Michelle Genois and Guelph hockey player Danielle Skoufranis were also nominated for the women’s award.

Sinclair, a first-year student from Victoria, became the first athlete in Canada West history to be named swimmer of the meet and rookie of the meet in the same year at the conference championships, and the first UVic male swimmer to capture either award. The 18-year-old member of Canada’s junior national team racked up an impressive six medals including wins in the 400 IM, 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 100 back and second-place finishes in the 50 back and 4x100 medley relay. Sinclair, who set school records in both the 100 and 200 back, will travel to Toronto next month for his first CIS championships.

Basketball players Paris Carter of Cape Breton, Jules Diagne of UQAM and Boris Bakovic of Ryerson were the other male nominees.

Female nominees:
AUS: Kelsey Hodgson, basketball, Cape Breton
QSSF: Marie-Michelle Genois, basketball, Laval
OUA: Danielle Skoufranis, hockey, Guelph
Canada West: Martha McCabe, swimming, UBC (recipient)

Male nominees:
AUS: Paris Carter, basketball, Cape Breton
QSSF: Jules Diagne, basketball, UQAM
OUA: Boris Bakovic, basketball, Ryerson
Canada West: Nicholas Sinclair, swimming, Victoria (recipient)


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