MONTREAL - Swimmer Steven Bielby of Pointe Claire, Que., headed a list of 15 awards won by McGill University athletes and teams from the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, during the 27th annual University Sports Gala at the Delta-Centreville Hotel, Wednesday.

The Montreal Carabins led all schools with 22 awards, followed by Laval (17), McGill (15), Concordia (10), Sherbrooke (6), Bishop's (2), UQTR (2) and UQAM (1).

The Foundation, which recognizes the top student-athletes, coaches and teams, dished out 82 bursaries totalling $189,750. Since the awards were initiated in 1983, McGill athletes, coaches and teams have garnered 275 awards totaling $517,250.

Bielby, a fifth-year engineering major, received two bursaries totaling $4,000. One was for athletic excellence and the other for academic athlete of the year honours, a title he has snared for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year.

The national champion hockey Redmen were named as men's team of the year. They posted a 32-12-1 record overall, en route to capturing the OUA East title, the OUA's Queen's Cup as league champions and the CIS University Cup.

Distance runner Sarah McCuaig of Waterloo, Ont., who learned earlier in the week that she had won a prestigious Rhodes scholarship, was also recognized with two bursaries, totaling $3,500 -- one for leadership and other for academic excellence. She captained the cross-country and track teams to RSEQ titles, earned all-star status in both sports and achieved a 3.93 grade-point average (out of 4) while majoring in microbiology and immunology.

Bielby and McCuaig both made the Dean's List and the Principal's student-athlete Honour Roll, in addition to earning Academic All-Canadian status.

Four additional awards for athletic excellence went to: Alexis Pradié (soccer, $1,500) of Marseille (France),Alexander Hutchison (football, $1,500) of Beaconsfield, Que., Alexandria Hoyte (soccer, $1,500) of Laval, Que., and Mélodie Daoust (hockey, $1,500) of Valleyfield, Que.

Also, six athletic recruitment bursaries were dished out to McGill's Gabrielle Davidson (hockey, $7,000) of Pointe Claire, Mariam Sylla (basketball, $4,000) of Conakry (Guinea), Taylor Hough (hockey, $3,000) of Toronto, Benjamin Raymond (track & cross-country, $3,500) of Laval, Gabriel Fortier (football, $2,500) of Ancienne-Lorette, Que., and Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis (soccer, $2,500) of Montreal.

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No. OF QUEBEC FOUNDATION AWARDS HANDED OUT TO McGILL ATHLETES (by year)
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1983      4
1984      3
1985      1
1986      4
1987      5
1988      8
1989    16
1990      7
1991      3
1992      9
1993    10
1994    12
1995    15
1996    13
1997    10
1998      7
1999      8
2000    11
2001      3
2002      3
2003      7
2004      5
2005      9
2006      7
2007    11
2008    16
2009    10
2010    19
2011    18
2012    15

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INDIVIDUAL McGILL AWARD RECIPIENTS, YEAR-BY-YEAR
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SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman

McGill Sports Info Office

514-398-7012