BlackBerry CIS athletes of the week: Swimming MVPs McCabe, Russell honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – Swimmers Martha McCabe of UBC and Colin Russell of Toronto are the BlackBerry Canadian Interuniversity Sport female and male athletes of the week for the period ending February 21, 2010.

McCabe, a third-year human kinetics major from Toronto, was named CIS female swimmer of the year after she claimed four medals, including one gold, and recorded the highest combined total points (1,826) on the FINA chart in the women’s competition at the national championships held last weekend at the University of Toronto. The 20-year-old junior reached the podium in each of the three individual breaststroke events winning the 200-metre race in a time of 2:21.91, finishing second in the 100m (1:07.30) and taking bronze in the 50m (31.95). A three-time all-Canadian, McCabe, who helped the Thunderbird women take second place in the team standings for the second straight year, added a bronze medal in the 4x100 medley relay to bring her career total to 11 medals in three appearances at the CIS meet.

Saint Mary’s volleyball player Kerri Smit, Montreal swimmer Geneviève Saumur and Windsor hockey player Jamie Tessier were also nominated for the women’s award.

Russell, a fifth-year arts and science student from Burlington, Ont., was named CIS male swimmer of the year for a second straight season after he captured seven medals in as many events at the national championships, including five gold, and led the UofT men to second place in the team standings, marking their best finish since 1995. The 2008 Olympian broke his own CIS meet record from 2009 (22.03) in the 50m freestyle touching the wall in 21.73 seconds, was also victorious in the 100 free (47.94), 200 free (1:45.04), 4x200 free and 4x100 medley, and added silver medals in the 50 breaststroke (27.73) and the 4x100 free relay. Russell, in his second year with the Varsity Blues after starting his university career at Indiana, also became the first male swimmer since Montreal’s Hughes Legault in 1997 and 1998 to win back-to-back Sprinter’s Cup as he successfully defended his titles in the 50 and 100 free. The 25-year-old ends his short CIS career with 14 medals in 14 races at the national meet, including 10 gold.

Dalhousie swimmer David Sharpe, McGill swimmer Steven Bielby and Simon Fraser wrestler Raj Virdi were the other male nominees.

Female nominees:
AUS: Kerri Smit, volleyball, Saint Mary’s
QSSF: Geneviève Saumur, swimming, Montreal
OUA: Jamie Tessier, hockey, Windsor
Canada West: Martha McCabe, swimming, UBC (recipient)

Male nominees:
AUS: David Sharpe, swimming, Dalhousie
QSSF: Steven Bielby, swimming, McGill
OUA: Colin Russell, swimming, Toronto (recipient)
Canada West: Raj Virdi, wrestling, Simon Fraser


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