Trent University Honours Top Athletes and Celebrates History of Athletic Achievements

Trent University's Department of Athletics and Recreation celebrated both athletic achievements and forty years of history during this evening's Athletic Awards Ceremony, held at the PSB Wilson Athletic Complex.

Leath Swierenga and Angela Dafoe were awarded the Arthur Cup, the University's most prestigious award for graduates who have demonstrated outstanding contribution, sportsmanship, participation, and leadership in the athletic programs.

For student Leath Swierenga, life at Trent University is as much about athletics as academics. The 23-year old Anthropology student, who hails from Windsor, has been one of the most active participant in athletics, at the club and intramural levels, as well as being an integral member of four different varsity teams including rowing, curling, fencing and most recently, the varsity men's volleyball team. Mr. Swierenga is the first student in Trent Athletic history to have earned the Top Participant award for Otonabee College for five consecutive years, just one of the many honours awarded to him throughout his time at Trent. His persistence to learn and to improve has helped every team with which he competes to gain success, and he is well respected by his peers for his unending support and encouragement to other athletes while taking on roles as convenor, competitor and colleague at the athletic complex

Angela Dafoe is synonymous with volleyball at Trent as she has captained the varsity women's volleyball team throughout her years of study. As a talented and dedicated athlete, she has also participated in many intramural programs during her academic career, and is well known for continually displaying the highest levels of fair play and respect in each of her endeavours. Ms. Dafoe represented Trent at the 2004 OCAA Women's All-Star Volleyball game and has earned a place at the top of the OCAA East Division in kills each season. In addition to the Arthur Cup, Ms. Dafoe was also awarded with the Trent Excalibur Award of Distinction and the Women's Volleyball Coach's Award during the evening's ceremonies. The Frankford native will graduate this spring with a degree in Mathematics from the Trent-Queen's Concurrent Education program.

In presenting the Arthur Cup, Director of Athletics Bill Byrick commended both Swierenga and Dafoe for recognizing the importance of an active lifestyle, and the benefits of combining athletic and academic pursuits at Trent. "Leath and Angela, through athletic excellence and active involvement, have certainly brought credit to the University, and to themselves. They are exceptional individuals and are most deserving of this honour." Byrick was joined by alumnus Derwyn Rokeby-Thomas, who as editor of the student newspaper, established the Arthur Cup award in 1970.

Posted March 23, 2005