MONTREAL -- Emilia Cotter of the McGill University women's hockey team merited a major conference award for leadership and was one of four Martlets to earn all-star status as Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec announced their laureates, Thursday.

The conference's best-of-three semifinals open tonight (Feb. 21) with third-seeded McGill playing second-place Concordia and Ottawa confronting the division-leading Montreal Carabins. All playoff games will be streamed with live stats available at the following link.

McGill teammates Tricia Deguire, a goaltender from Sherbrooke, Que., and forward Jade Downie-Landry of St. Jean, Que., both received RSEQ first-team all-star status, while Cotter, a defenceman from Toronto, was named to the second team, along with Kellyane Lecours, a forward from Victoriaville, Que.

Cotter becomes the fifth McGill recipient to win the conference's Marion Hilliard Award nomination for excellence on the ice, in the classroom, and the community. She joins previous Martlet honourees Shauna Denis (2007 & 2008), Olivia Sutter (2016) and Nicole Howlett (2018).

A 21-year-old science senior majoring in kinesiology, Cotter is a 5-foot-7 defensive stalwart who scored seven points, including six assists, in 20 games. As the team's alternate captain, she has volunteered for numerous community endeavours, including the "Shoebox Project" -- an organization that distributes gift-filled boxes to homeless women in Montreal -- and the "McGill Students for Best Buddies", an international not-for-profit program that creates opportunities and friendships for people with intellectual disabilities.

Among the other community programs she volunteers time to as a member of the McGill Varsity Council, is to help organize numerous events, including a Christmas gift-wrapping initiative for Sun Youth, a Montreal-based organization that provides services for needy families. Finally, she serves as the hockey team's liaison and leader for the "Bell Let's Talk" mental health program as well as the annual "Shoot for the Cure" game, a fundraiser for breast cancer research and awareness.

Deguire, a two-time all-star who stands 5-foot-8, posted a 13-6 record in starts with a 1.46 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and five shutouts. The 21-year-old kinesiology junior led all Quebec league starters in games (19), minutes (1,150:50), wins, shutouts, GAA and save percentage. She guided the Martlets to the best defensive record in the league with only 29 goals allowed in 20 games, their stingiest total in six years since conceding 29 in 2012-13. In 94 career appearances over three years, Deguire has a 55-35-1 record overall with 18 shutouts, a 1.94 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

Downie-Landry, a 5-foot-9 centre, led the league in assists and won the conference scoring title with a 5-18-23 record in 20 games. The 23-year-old psychology junior, who serves as one of the team's alternate captains, either scored or assisted on 45 per cent of McGill's 51 goals, establishing career highs in both assists and points. She struck for a pair of game-winners and one insurance goal. In 99 games overall since joining the team in 2016, Downie-Landry has tallied 45 goals and 104 career points.

Lecours, a 5-foot-5 forward, posted a 10-6-16 record with only two penalty minutes in 15 contests. The 21-year-old elementary education sophomore ranked second among league leaders with 10 goals, despite missing five games to injury. She scored a team-leading four power-play goals, with two game-winners, including one in overtime, and three insurance markers.  In the season opener against Carleton (Oct. 10/18), Lecours became only the third player in school history to score four goals, one shy of the team's single-game record.


2018-19 RSEQ Women's Hockey Major Awards & All-Stars

MAJOR AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR	Jessica Cormier	Montréal
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR	Rosalie Begin-Cyr	Concordia
LEADERSHIP AWARD	Emilia Cotter	McGill
COACH OF THE YEAR	Isabelle Leclaire	Montréal

FIRST TEAM

Forward	Jessica Cormier	Montréal
Forward	Jade Downie-Landry	McGill
Forward	Audrey Belzile	Concordia
Defence	Claudia Fortin	Concordia
Defence	Alexandra Paradis	Montréal
Goalkeeper	Tricia Deguire	McGill

SECOND TEAM

Forward	Annie Germain	Montréal
Forward	Kellyane Lecours	McGill
Forward	Estelle Duvin	Montréal
Defence	Emilia Cotter	McGill
Defence	Brigitte Laganiere	Concordia
Goalkeeper	Aube Racine	Montréal

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Forward	Rosalie Begin-Cyr	Concordia
Forward	Jessika Boulanger	Montréal
Forward	Megan Wilson	Carleton
Defence	Kelly-Ann Nadeau	Montréal
Defence	Sandrine Lavictoire	Concordia
Goalkeeper	Aube Racine	Montréal