Sarah McCuaig, a distance runner from Waterloo, Ont., has had a phenomenal sophomore campaign for the McGill University Martlets. The 20-year-old physiology major came out of nowhere to win three of her five races, including the Quebec championship, where she finished first in a field of 57, completing the five-kilometre course in 18 minutes, 12 seconds, to win the race by 14 seconds. She led wire-to-wire as the Martlets captured the Quebec university title for the first time in three years.
McCuaig was named athlete of the championship meet, conference athlete of the year and also was voted as the league's athlete who best combines academics with athletic and community service. She was named three imes as McGill athlete of the week and on two of those occasions, also won the Quebec conference weekly honour.
"Sarah is a very dedicated athlete and a joy to be around," says McGill head coach Dennis Barrett. "She has worked hard both academically and athletically and it's paid off with her tremendous improvement this year in each of our cross-country meets. She is a true team leader and is very well liked by her teammates and coaches. A terrific person to have on our team."
On the academic front, McCuaig is a Greville Smith scholarship holder who achieved a 3.86 grade-point average out of a possible 4.0 in the faculty of science during her freshman year. She earned CIS Academic All-Canadian honours and merited a spot on the Principal's Student-athlete Honour Roll.
In the community, she volunteers four hours a week in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and also serves on the Student Athletic Council at McGill.
ATHLETIC AWARDS:
- 2010 RSEQ Quebec Conference Athlete of the Year
- 2010 RSEQ Quebec Conference Championship Athlete of the Meet award
- 2010 RSEQ Quebec Conference Community Service Award Winner
- 2010 RSEQ Quebec Conference all-star
- 2010 RSEQ Quebec Conference scoring champion
- Two-time Quebec university female athlete of the week (Nov.2/10, Sept. 21/10)
- Three-time McGill female athlete of the week (Nov.1/10, Oct. 11/10, Sept. 20/10)
ACADEMIC AWARDS:
- Achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.86 (out of 4.00)
- 2009 Greville-Smith Scholar (the top entry scholarship given by any university in Canada)
- CIS Academic All-All-Canadian
- Principal's Student-athlete Honour Roll
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
- volunteers 4 hours per week at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit where her duties include:
-cuddling babies,
-conversing with the parents of the children,
-answering the telephone for a one-hour shift at the nurse's station;
-folding laundry
- also serves on the Student Athletic Council at McGill
SOPHOMORE SEASON HIGHLIGHTS IN CROSS-COUNTRY (2010):
- 1st at McGill Open
- 8th at UWO International
- 1st at Laval Open
- 3rd at Sherbrooke's AUS-Quebec Interlock,
- 1st at Quebec Conference (RSEQ) Championship and helped McGill capture the league title
