The Tribune

It’s rare for the Tribune to recognize a rookie with its Athlete of the Year award, but freshman McGill swimmer Steven Bielby lapped the field of nominees this year, making it impossible to ignore his accomplishments. In February, Bielby became the first male swimmer in McGill history to win three individual gold medals at the CIS National Championships in Vancouver, but what made his medal haul so impressive was the way in which he won his races.

The stellar play of the men’s hockey team is bringing the legitimacy of the McGill Athletics advertising department into question. Wednesday’s annual Winter Carnival Game against Concordia looked and felt like anything but a rivalry match. A pair of hat tricks from centre Guillaume Doucet and left-winger Evan Vossen punctuated a night of absolute dominance, as the Redmen steamrolled the visiting Stingers 12-3 on before more than 1,000 spectators at McConnell Arena.

Less than two weeks ago, the McGill women’s basketball team was riding high after upsetting sixth-ranked Laval on their home floor. Fast forward to Friday night, and the post-game atmosphere at Love Competition Hall was anything but celebratory. The Martlets failed to reach double figures in scoring in three out of four quarters, and connected on an abysmal 23 per cent of their field goal attempts as they were picked apart by the visiting Rouge et Or, 55-37.

Going into Sunday afternoon’s match-up against the visiting Sherbrooke Vert et Or, Head Coach Rachel Beliveau stressed the importance of establishing a presence at the middle of the net as early as possible. Clearly, her players were listening. Sophomore middle Kaiva Mateus opened up the scoring in the first set with a thunderous solo block, and the McGill women’s volleyball team shut down the Sherbrooke offence en route to a convincing straight-set victory at Love Competition Hall.

Most footage of the Olympic Torch Relay showcases celebrity athletes or political figures dutifully passing the Olympic flame in front of hundreds of cameras. While Olympians may be the only ones allowed to light the cauldron at the opening ceremonies, the Torch Relay consists of over 12,000 torchbearers, most of them non-athletes.

Midway through the third period of women’s hockey action at McConnell Arena on Friday night, the McGill Martlets found themselves having to tune out the chants coming from the seats directly above the Ottawa University bench. With the game tied at two apiece and the momentum seemingly on the visitors’ side, McGill’s monumental winning streak seemed on the verge of collapse.

Almost everyone who gets run over by an 18-wheel truck is either dead or severely injured and not able to walk for a long time. Every doctor and nurse I saw was floored by the fact that I’m doing as well as I am. Gabrielle Smith waited four years for the chance to be the starting goaltender for the McGill Martlets women’s hockey team.

Whatever high spirits surrounded the McGill men’s basketball team as they took the court for their first conference game of the new year evaporated with the sound of the final horn on Wednesday night, as the Redmen dropped a heartbreaking 62-61 decision to the visiting Bishop’s Gaiters.