HAMILTON, Ont. - Ryan McKiernan, a native of White Plains, N.Y., who skates for the McGill University men's hockey team has been named as the OUA East defenceman of the year and made the league's first all-star team in voting conducted by coaches and released Wednesday by the Ontario University Athletics conference.

He was joined on the first all-star squad by McGill centre Cedric McNicoll from Longueuil, Que. Redmen teammate Samuel Carrier, a defenceman from Varennes, Que., was also honoured as part of the OUA East all-rookie team.

McKiernan, a 24-year-old finance senior, continues the tradition of elite McGill blueliners. This year marks only the fifth occasion that the relatively new award has been handed out and was the fourth time a Redmen rearguard has taken home the honour.  McKiernan, who measures six-feet, 192 pounds, was 11th in the OUA scoring race. He led all defencemen with 34 points -- including a league-leading 13 goals -- eight points better than the next closest defender. He tallied four power-play goals, one shorthanded effort and a game-winner. A first-team all-star and alternate captain, he either scored or assisted on 26.7 per cent of the team's goals, which ranked second in the in the 20-team league with an average of 4.54 goals per game. He was also a key cog on a squad that had the fourth-best defensive record in the league with a 2.57 goals-against average.

McNicoll, was the top-scoring forward for the Redmen, despite missing five games with an injury. The smooth-skating play-maker netted 15 goals and 20 assists in only 23 contests, registering five power-play markers and one game-winner. McNicoll, a second-year accounting major is in his fourth year of eligibility. A 5-foot-10, 174-pound former star in the QMJHL, he became eligible to play this season after a three-year pro stint in the American Hockey League.

Carrier, a 21-year-old elementary education freshman, was second among McGill blueliners in scoring with 20 points, including seven goals, in 28 games.

Kevin Bailie, a Belleville, Ont. native who plays for Queen's, was a triple award winner, meriting the most valuable player, top goaltender and rookie-of-the-year honours, along with a first-team all-conference nod.

Joining McKiernan, McNicoll and Baillie on the OUA East division first team are forwards UQTR's Tommy Tremblay, Stephen Blunden of the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton blueliner Matt Stanisz.

For the second time in his career, Queen's bench boss Brett Gibson has been named the OUA East coach of the year.

Carleton's Joey West, from Orleans, Ont., earned the most sportsmanlike player award. The second-year forward received just six penalty minutes, while collecting 13 goals and 11 assists in 28 games .

Concordia's Olivier Hinse won the division's Randy Gregg Award nomination, presented to the athlete who best exhibits outstanding achievement in hockey, academics and community involvement.


2013-14 OUA MAJOR AWARDS

Most Valuable Player - Kevin Bailie - Queen's
Most Sportsmanlike - Joey West - Carleton
Top Defenceman - Ryan McKiernan - McGill
Top Goaltender - Kevin Bailie - Queen's
Rookie of the Year - Kevin Bailie - Queen's
Randy Gregg Award - Olivier Hinse - Concordia
Coach of the Year - Brett Gibson - Queen's

FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS

Forward
Cedric McNicoll - McGill
Tommy Tremblay - UQTR
Stephen Blunden - Ottawa

Defence
Ryan McKiernan - McGill
Matt Stanisz - Carleton

Goaltender
Kevin Bailie - Queen's

SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS

Forward
Olivier Hinse - Concordia
Connor O'Donnell - Nipissing
Mike McNamee - Carleton

Defence
Chris Van Laren - Queen's
Mikael Langlois - UQTR

Goaltender
Marc-Antoine Gelinas - UQTR

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Forward
Mike McNamee - Carleton
Nick Esposto - Laurentian
Guillaume Asselin - UQTR

Defence
Samuel Carrier - McGill
Mikael Langlois - UQTR

Goaltender
Kevin Bailie - Queen's

-OUA -


For additional information please contact:

Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
514-398-7012


Jessica Barrett
Communications & New Media
Ontario University Athletics
905-540-5156
jessica.barrett@oua.ca
www.oua.ca