CALGARY - Dino DaLeaka Menin was named an All-Canadian at the women's rugby banquet on Wednesday night in Guelph, Ont.

A member of Rugby Canada's U20 program for the past two years, Menin took on another level of dominance for Calgary in the Canada West season. The 2013 Canada West and CIS Rookie of the Year scored one try on the year, but her contributions show up more significantly away from the scoresheet: already a solid scrummager, she has developed into an imposing force in the breakdown and continued to improve her skills as a ball carrier. A native of Vulcan, Alta., Menin has also taken on a significant leadership role with the Dinos in 2014 and was a key contributor in Calgary capturing its first-ever Canada West championship on home turf.
 
"DaLeaka has worked hard over the past 12 months, and she is starting to take her game to another level," said Chi. "Her dedication to training has been exemplary, and she is starting to make some significant gains – especially in her strength and conditioning. While by nature she is a bit soft-spoken, this year we have asked her to take on a leadership role and she was able to put herself out of her comfort zone and rise to the occasion. While winning rookie of the year last year was a great accomplishment, she has worked even harder to take the next step and is a deserving recipient of the MVP award."
 
Joining Menin include conference MVPs Lori Josephson, Emma Taylor, Alexandra Tessier and Alanna Fittes on the 15-member all-star squad were Queen's teammates Lauren McEwen (centre) and Gillian Pegg (hooker), York's Dorrian Khouri (lock), McMaster's Cindy Nelles (number 8), Guelph's Brittany Priddle (flanker), Carleton's Natasha Smith (back), Laval's Camille Provençal-Aubé (second row), UBC's Gabrielle Hindley (fullback-second row), Victoria's Laura Crowe-Hutchon (flanker) and Acadia's Janna Slevinski (back row).
 
Taylor, Nelles, McEwen and Slevinski, like Josephson, were honoured for the second straight season.
 
2014 CIS WOMEN'S RUGBY AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
 
Player of the year: Lori Josephson, Western
Rookie of the year: Anne-Charlotte Beaulieu, Laval
Student-Athlete Community Service award: Shanda Mosher-Gallant, UPEI
Jim Atkinson Award (coach of the year): Jennifer Boyd, Ottawa

ALL-CANADIAN TEAM

 

Pos.     Athlete                        University       Year    Hometown                  Academics                 

SH       Lori Josephson            Western           5          Beaverton, Ont.           King's College
LK       Dorrian Khouri            York                3          Brampton, Ont.            Kinesiology & HS
No. 8   Cindy Nelles                McMaster         3          Belleville, Ont.             Civil Engineering        
F          Brittany Priddle            Guelph             4          Badjeros, Ont.              Geography
C          Lauren McEwen          Queen's           4          Wasaga Beach, Ont.     Fine Art
HK       Gillian  Pegg                 Queen's           3          Oro-Medonte, Ont.      P&H Education
C          Alexandra Tessier        Concordia        2          St. Clothilde de Horton, Que. Math & Stats
B          Natasha Smith              Carleton           2          Ottawa, Ont.                Psychology     
SR        Camille Provençal-Aubé   Laval               1          Sherbrooke, Que.         Nursing
W         Alanna Fittes                Alberta             4          Rimbey, Alta.              PE & Recreation
P          DaLeaka Menin           Calgary            2          Vulcan, Alta.               Arts                 
FB/S     Gabrielle Hindley        UBC                5          Guelph, Ont.                Science
F          Laura Crowe-Hutchon Victoria            5          West Vancouver, B.C. Science                       
SR        Emma Taylor               StFX                5          Scotsburn, N.S.            Business Admin.
BR       Janna Slevinsky           Acadia             4          St. Albert, Alta.            Kinesiology