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UNB track and field to compete at CIS level
FREDERICTON, NB - The University of New Brunswick (UNB) today
announced that it will introduce a UNB Varsity Reds track and field
program in fall 2010, the first-ever such program to be based on
UNB's Saint John campus.
Like the other Varsity Reds programs based on the Fredericton
campus, the track and field program will compete at the Atlantic
University Sport (AUS) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
levels, which are the highest levels of varsity sport in
Canada.
Both men and women will be eligible to participate in the Varsity
Reds track and field program. Though based in Saint John, UNB
students from Fredericton may also participate, reflecting a
similar arrangement for Saint John students wishing to participate
in Varsity Reds programs on the Fredericton campus. UNB's CIS-level
presence on its two main campuses is a rare, if not unique, model
in Canada.
"We have worked closely with the athletics directors on both of our
campuses and members of the Saint John community to make this
happen," said John McLaughlin, outgoing president of UNB. "It's
been a real partnership.
"With the upcoming refurbishment of the Canada Games Stadium on the
Saint John campus, it is the perfect time to begin building a
university track and field program of the highest calibre in Saint
John."
Robert MacKinnon, vice-president of UNB Saint John, said the
introduction of a CIS program in Saint John will further enhance
the Saint John Seawolves athletics program and its overall plans
for campus growth, student appeal and community engagement.
"The introduction of a Varsity Reds program in Saint John is yet
another important development for our campus," said Dr. MacKinnon.
"This will join the inauguration of Dalhousie's medical education
program in fall 2010 and the arrival of NBCC Saint John's Allied
Health Centre in fall 2011.
"The program will help boost student recruitment and the quality of
the overall student experience at UNB Saint John."
The Varsity Reds track and field program also fits with the
continuum of high-performance club and varsity sports on the two
campuses, as reflected in UNB's athletics strategic plan. The
program will be managed in partnership by Kevin Dickie, director of
athletics for UNB Fredericton, and David Munro, director of
athletics for UNB Saint John.
Track and field, a winter sport, will work hand-in-hand with the
fall cross-country teams in both Fredericton and Saint John. The
team will complement the overall Varsity Reds program, UNB's
high-performance club teams and the six Saint John Seawolves teams
that represent UNB Saint John at the Canadian College Athletics
Association (CCAA) level: men's and women's basketball; men's and
women's soccer; and men's and women's volleyball.
UNB officials will finalize the program's details over the next
year, and will submit the formal program applications to the AUS
and CIS in spring 2010.
Established in 1785, UNB is one of the oldest public universities
in North America. It's also one of the top five comprehensive
universities in Canada, according to Maclean's magazine. UNB has
more than 12,000 students from over 100 countries. As the largest
research institution in New Brunswick, UNB conducts 80 per cent of
the province's university research. It has more than 3,500 faculty
and staff, and an annual operating budget of more than $160
million. UNB's two main campuses are located in Fredericton and
Saint John, N.B.
Source:
Maureen Sparks, Coordinator
UNB Varsity Reds Athletics Coordinator
