(HALIFAX, N.S.) – Atlantic University Sport held its 2014 annual general meeting earlier this month in Halifax, N.S. The AUS office hosted the annual meetings, attended by representatives of all 11 member institutions, at the Four Points by Sheraton Halifax.
Phil Currie, executive director of Atlantic University Sport, chaired the meetings, which were preceded by a one-day marketing symposium. Accomplished scholar and active business professional Norm O’Reilly opened the symposium, attended by marketing representatives from each member institution, with a presentation on sponsorship and sport marketing.
Several longtime contributors to university sport were honoured at a recognition dinner following the symposium. UNB sports information director Maureen Sparks will be retiring at the end of this AUS season after 33 years in university sport. Retiring athletic directors Karen Moore (Dalhousie) and Dr. David Murphy (Saint Mary’s) were also recognized by the membership and thanked for their tireless contributions.
This year’s annual general meeting followed. Each AGM includes receiving reports from the various AUS committees, discussion on any motions coming forward for the 2014 CIS AGM scheduled for June 9-13 in Vancouver, B.C., finalizing the 2014-15 AUS playing schedules and reviewing sport-specific motions that come from the coaches’ associations of the winter sports.
“Our Atlantic University Sport annual general meetings are always a productive time for our conference,” said AUS executive director Phil Currie. “Now two years into our strategic plan, our office and our 11 member institutions are more determined than ever to achieve the goals we have outlined and succeed in creating Canada’s ultimate student-athlete experience in Atlantic Canada. We had some very positive dialogue at this year’s meetings and I am confident that we are continuing to make strides and positive changes which will benefit our student-athletes, our fans and all of our stakeholders.”
Kevin Dickie, director of athletics for Acadia University, officially began his term as president of the AUS management council, while Marc Boudreau, director of athletics at the Université de Moncton, wrapped up a three-year term as president and remains on the executive committee as past president. After stepping down last year following a typical two-year term as AUS president, Boudreau resumed the position for an additional year following the departure Memorial University athletic director Michelle Healey from university athletics and the AUS presidency.
In addition to the above, highlights of other items discussed at these meetings are as follows:
Men’s hockey playoff format set
Beginning in the 2014-15 season, the AUS men’s hockey championship format will consist of a best-of-three final playoff series during the years when the Atlantic conference has two guaranteed berths in the CIS championship.
During the years when the AUS is guaranteed two or more berths at the national championship, the AUS championship quarterfinal series will be a best-of-three, semifinals a best-of-five, and finals a best-of-three.
The Atlantic conference is guaranteed three berths in the next two CIS championships being hosted in Halifax. As a result, it is possible a best-of-three consolation final series will be required to determine the third AUS team.
If StFX (in 2015) or Saint Mary’s (in 2016) reach the AUS final series, a consolation series will take place concurrent to the final series.
Women’s basketball award to be renamed
AUS women’s basketball coach of the year award will be renamed in recognition of retired Dalhousie women’s basketball coach Dr. Carolyn Savoy.
Following seven years as head coach of the StFX X-Women, Dr. Savoy began a 32-year career as the Dalhousie Tigers women’s basketball coach in 1977. She was named AUS coach of the year four times (1982, 2001, 2005 and 2007) and under her leadership, Dalhousie teams won nine regular season AUS titles and five AUS championship banners.
In 2011, she was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. The decision to rename the AUS award was brought forward by the conference’s women’s basketball coaches and passed unanimously.
2015 Winter AUS championship hosts announced:
The scheduling for the 2014-15 season was concluded and the following dates and locations have been confirmed for the winter AUS championship events:
- Dalhousie University will host the 2015 Subway AUS swimming
championship, February 6-8, 2015.
- University of New Brunswick will host the 2015 Subway AUS
women’s volleyball championship, February 13-15, 2015.
- Université de Moncton will host the 2015 Subway AUS track
& field championship, February 28-March 1, 2015.
- Atlantic University Sport will host the 2015 Subway AUS
men’s and women’s basketball championships, February
26-March 1, 2015.