CALGARY – University of Calgary Dinos track and field star Sam Effah is the Canadian Interuniversity Sport male athlete of the week for March 9, 2008.

A Calgary native, the sophomore speedster led the Dinos to within three points of national champion Guelph at the 2008 CIS track and field championships in Montreal last weekend. After being named CIS track athlete of the year before the event, he racked up four gold medals en route to the championship MVP honour.

He went into the event ranked No. 1 in the country in both the 60-metre and 300-metre events and lived up to expectations, winning gold in both races. He also led the Dinos to the top of the podium in both the 4x200-metre and 4x400-metre relays. In the latter race, the Calgary team bested a 15-year-old CIS meet record with its time of 3:14.12.

Effah becomes the fifth Dinos athlete named CIS athlete or player of the week in 2007-08. He follows Aaron Ifield (football, Oct. 14), Holly Harper (volleyball, Dec. 2), Jared Aulin (hockey, Jan. 6), and Ashley Hill (basketball, Jan. 20) as UC athletes honoured nationally this season.

Other nominees for the award were Saint Mary's basketball player Mark McLaughlin, Laval track and field athlete Tommy Lecours, and Aaron Doornekamp of the Carleton Ravens men's basketball squad.

On the women's side, Catherine Chartrand led her McGill Martlets to their first ever CIS women's hockey championship to beat out Brayden Ferguson (hockey, St. FX), Lindsay Carson (track and field, Guelph), and Janine Polischuk (track and field, Regina) for the national weekly honour.

-UC-