MONTREAL – On the sixth anniversary of the passing of a Hockey Hall of Fame legend, the recipients of McGill University's Jean Béliveau Athletic Awards for 2020 have been announced.
Swimmer
Daphne Danyluk of Rivière des Prairies, Que., was selected along with hockey's
Louis-Philip Guindon of St. Joseph du Lac, Que., artistic swimmer
Maria Gheta of Montreal and soccer's
Cameron Butterfield of Ottawa.
These Athletic Financial Awards were established in 2016 to honour the memory of the Montreal Canadiens captain, Hall of Fame member and inspirational community leader who passed away on Dec. 2, 2014. They recognize outstanding McGill student-athletes for leadership in the community. Recipients receive a medallion accompanied by a bursary which ranges between $2,500 and $6,000, as per U SPORTS regulations.
Danyluk was named as both rookie and athlete of the year at McGill last season. A 22-year-old sophomore, she is majoring in anatomy and cellular biology. The multi-event sprinter was voted Team MVP after a stellar campaign that featured school records in six different events and a combined 20 gold medal performances over seven meets. She merited all-conference honours, second-team All-Canadian status and became the team's first swimmer to be named U SPORTS female rookie of the year. At the RSEQ championships, Danyluk won six gold medals and was named swimmer of the meet, leading the McGill women to their first title in 19 years. At the national championship meet in Victoria, B.C., she claimed silver in the 50m backstroke. In the community, since 2018 she has served as a volunteer coach for youth swimmers from ages six to 14.
Guindon, a 25-year-old master's student in exercise physiology, was named most valuable player of the hockey team. In his senior campaign, the 6-foot-1, 188-pound veteran merited all-star status and the OUA East goaltender of the year award, both of them for the second time in three years. He registered a nation-leading .941 save percentage and ranked third among OUA leaders with a 2.22 goals-against average, while registering three shutouts and posting a 12-8 record. Guindon racked up a pair of 56-save performances this season, equaling the second-highest, single-game save total in school history. He opened the campaign with a stellar performance for the Quebec University All-Stars in a game against the Montreal Canadiens prospects, stopping 19 of 21 shots in a relief role. Guindon improved his lifetime win-loss mark to 56-29 in 87 OUA regular season games, equaling the school record for victories. A recipient of McGill's 1938 Champions Award for leadership, he has served as the hockey team representative on the Varsity Council and has volunteered for various fundraising projects, including the Special Olympics and the "Movember" Foundation for cancer.
Gheta, a 21-year-old atmospheric and oceanic science junior, was named individual all-around champion last season as McGill captured the Canadian University Artistic Swimming League title at the UBC Aquatic Centre in Vancouver, B.C. She struck gold twice and claimed one silver, leading McGill's elite "White" squad to the team routine title, then joined up with her older sister to win the duet routine. An honours student with a stellar 3.96 grade-point average (out of 4.0), she won the Uldis Auders Memorial Trophy as the top sophomore student-athlete at McGill in 2019-20 and earned a berth on the Principal's Student-athlete Honour Roll. Gheta has volunteered as McGill's team representative in league meetings and served as VP-Communications for the Atmospheric & Oceanic Science Society of Undergraduates at McGill. Other previous community service includes coaching Synchro Laval's Under-12 squad and serving as a mentor with the Parrainage Sport Etudes program.
Butterfield is a 5-foot-8 defensive midfielder who earned a starting berth in both his sophomore and junior years. The 21-year-old electrical engineering senior achieved a 3.92 grade-point average (out of 4.0). He merited Academic All-Canadian status, along with a spot on the Dean's Honour List and the Principal's Student-athlete Honour Roll. Butterfield is the holder of a Ross Ritchie Family Scholarship and an Engineering Class of 1983 Scholarship. He has served in numerous volunteer activities for the soccer squad, including a "Relay for Life" cancer fundraiser, a "Seeds of Change" team fundraiser and holiday gift-wrapping for Sun Youth, an organization that supports underprivileged families.
The impetus for implementing Jean Béliveau Athletic Awards at McGill came from several donors (
George Lengvari and Terry Tretiak of
Lengvari Capital,
The Rossy Family Foundation, the
Joe Weider Foundation, Power Corporation and the
Martlet Foundation). The endowed fund -- expected to generate approximately $25,000 per year -- is awarded to four full-time varsity student-athletes (two men and two women) who have demonstrated academic achievement and leadership in student and/or community affairs.
Béliveau skated for 18 seasons with the Canadiens from 1953 to 1971. He was a member of 10 Stanley Cup-winning teams as a player and seven more as an executive with the team. Off the ice, Béliveau supported charities in Quebec and throughout Canada. In 2003, the Montreal Canadiens introduced the Jean Béliveau Trophy, which is awarded to the Canadiens player who best demonstrates community involvement and spirit. In 2006, he was presented with an honourary doctorate of law from McGill.
McGill's Jean Béliveau Award Recipients
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Info Office
McGill Athletics & Recreation
(514) 398-7012
