By Taylor McKee
The 46th annual Night of the Dino — celebrating the athletic achievements of Dinos athletes — was held on April 2 at the Red and White Club. The night was marked by a sneak preview of the new Dinos brand on a preview video featuring the Dinos mascot Rex traveling to the Royal Tyrell Museum to rediscover his roots.
Overall, 2012–13 was not as successful as previous years for Dinos athletics, but Canada West titles in football, men’s swimming and women’s track and field and a national title in women’s track are still remarkable achievements.
The winner of the Dr. Dennis Kadatz women’s athlete of the year was women’s track and field star Rachel Machin. On a star-studded women’s track and field team, Machin’s outstanding performance in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships in Edmonton cemented her award. Machin earned a medal in all four of the events she competed at, including an individual gold in the high-jump and the long-jump.
The Dinos captured the CIS track and field title scoring 115 points — only edging out the University of Toronto Varsity Blues by 3.5 points — and Machin scored 34 of her team’s points individually, roughly 30 per cent of the entire team’s scoring at the finals. Machin is the first women’s track and field athlete to win the award since Dinos track and field legend Jessica Zelinka who earned the honour in both 2003 and 2007.
After being honoured for her achievements, Machin was quick to spread the praise to her teammates. “It is a very individual sport but your team supports you through everything,” said Machin. “The men’s and women’s team stayed together and cheered everybody on through every event which I think contributed to our success.”
The other nominees for female athlete of the year included basketball player Tamara Jarrett, wrestler Holly Ellsworth-Clark and hockey players Hayley Wickenheiser and Stephanie Ramsay.
The Kadatz men’s athlete of the year award went to men’s swim team captain Jason Block. During the CIS championships, Block won three gold medals, including setting a CIS record in the 50-metre breaststroke and his fourth-straight CIS gold in the 100-metre breaststroke. The men’s swim team won their 20th CW title and finished third in the CIS championships in what was the closest team contest in CIS history.
Other nominees included football players Mike Edem and Kirby Fabien, hockey player Brock Nixon and basketball player Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson.
The female rookie of the year award was given to swimmer Tianna Rissling who had won CW and CIS rookie of the year honours in women’s swimming. Rissling has a bright CIS future ahead of her after winning four medals —including two golds — at her first CIS championship and setting a CIS record in the 400-metre individual medley.
The male rookie of the year award went to football receiver Brett Blaszko who had previously been named CW rookie of the year after finishing the 2012 season fifth in CW receiving yards. Most memorably, Blaszko’s first catch in the CIS was a touchdown against the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
Blaszko noted that the CIS title remains elusive for the football team. “The Vanier is still out there. Personal accolades are nice but the main goal is still that Vanier,” said Blaszko. “This off-season I am going to continue to work hard, training hard, trying to get bigger and stronger.”
Every year, the Gauntlet presents the Gauntlet Extra Effort Award to athletes who go above and beyond in their respective sports. This year, the male award was given to men’s swimmer Bradley Crocker who won a bronze medal at the CW finals and shaved eight seconds off his initial 200-metre backstroke time from the start of the season.
The female Extra Effort Award was presented to women’s track and field rookie Jenna Westaway, who was also named CW women’s track and field rookie of the year and CIS rookie of the year after winning three silver medals at the CIS championships.
The night culminated with the preview of the new Dinos logo from Rex and the unveiling of a new athletics flag, ceremonially replacing the old logo. Dinos athletic director Ron Wuotila said that he believed the U of C was on the precipice of a change that would galvanize the university community with the help of the new athletics re-brand. There are many changes planned to introduce the new brand around campus beginning with the re-surfacing of the Jack Simpson Gym which has already begun. Certainly, the U of C will have a much different appearance come September.