Tommies Honoured with ACAA Awards

St. Thomas University Tommies head coach Meghan Morrison and first-year forward Olivia Ricketts received top honours at the 2016 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Rugby Championship banquet.

Morrison, who led the Tommies to a 6-2 regular season finish and their third straight ACAA final appearance, was named Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

"Meghan is highly respected by her players and does a tremendous job as the head coach of our women's rugby program," St. Thomas University Athletic Director Mike Eagles said. "Not only does she help our student athletes develop on the field, she also helps them become leaders in the community."

Ricketts, a native of Saint John, NB, joins Morrison on the list of major award winners as ACAA Rookie of the Year.

Ricketts came to the Tommies as a utility forward and was quick to earn a spot in the starting lineup. She was among the team's top scorers in her ACAA debut, recording 30 points during the regular season.

Morrison said the addition of Ricketts to the Tommies' roster made an impact on both sides of the ball.

"Olivia is a strong runner who frequently breaks defensive lines and creates opportunities for the players around her," she said. "She has been an asset at the back of the scrum and has a bright future ahead of her with the Tommies."

Four other Tommies cracked the conference's all-star team—Kiaya Jorden, of Murray River, PEI, Bailey Andrews, of Charlottetown, PEI, Shannon Morris, of Saint John, NB, and Jenna Betts, of Rexton, NB.

Jorden, the Tommies' captain, led the team in scoring with 55 points, despite missing two games due to injury. Her ability to run the ball, coupled with her skill defensively, make her a constant presence on the field.

 "Kiaya is equally strong offensively and defensively," Morrison said.  "She creates opportunities for her teammates with her quick foot speed, solid tackling, and ability to create off her opponent's errors."

Andrews, last year's ACAA Rookie of the Year, moved to scrumhalf this season and settled quickly into her new role. She was second in team scoring with 51 points.

"Bailey has continued to have an impact with the Tommies this season," Morrison said. "Her defensive pressure has created many opportunities for the team, while she's also contributed significantly on the offensive side through her smart ball distribution and on-field vision."

Rounding out the all-conference Tommies are Betts and Morris, who used their strength and knowledge to impact the Tommies lineup this season.

"Jenna's speed and agility, combined with her textbook body position into contact, are invaluable to our game play," Morrison said.

"Shannon uses her impressive strength to break through the opposition around the breakdowns and is a very smart player."

The Tommies fell to the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds 24-0 in the ACAA final, claiming their third straight conference silver medal.