Women’s hockey announces 2014 recruiting class

After bringing in nine rookies in 2013, women’s hockey had a smaller but strong recruiting class this year.

Earlier this month, the squad announced a trio of rookies for the upcoming season in forward Addi Halladay, defenceman Amber Sealey and goaltender Stephanie Pascal. The team also added former Laurier Golden Hawks captain Fiona Lester, who comes to Queen’s as a graduate student.

Halladay brings an impressive scoring touch, netting 52 points in 37 games for the Provincial Women’s Hockey League’s (PWHL) Nepean Wildcats, tied for fifth in the league. Sealey is the younger sister of fellow Queen’s blueliner Alisha, and tallied 48 points over three seasons in the PWHL.

Pascal, a Sudbury native, will join Caitlyn Lahonen in net as the Gaels’ new goaltending tandem, after playing midget hockey with the Sudbury Lady Wolves.

Lester, who can play both forward and defence, is a two-time OUA champion and twice made the conference All-Star team. In her last season with Laurier, she finished third in scoring among all OUA defencemen.

The Gaels are looking to continue their success from the last two years. They captured the provincial title in 2013 and were finalists last season.

— Sean Sutherland

Men’s hockey names final recruits

Like their female counterparts, men’s hockey announced a final set of recruits this month.

Joining the team are forwards Ryan Bloom and Braden Mercier, as well as defencemen Liam Maaskant and Eric Chevrier.

Bloom was a member of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s (AJHL) Fort McMurray Oil Barons last season, leading the team with 72 points in 58 games, tied for third-highest in the league. Chevrier also played in the AJHL, racking up 14 points and 146 penalty minutes for the Brooks Bandits.

Maaskant comes from the OHL’s Barrie Colts, where he played 53 games last season and tallied eight points during the regular season, adding two more in the playoffs.

Playing for the Maritime Hockey League’s Yarmouth Mariners, Mercier notched 36 points in 51 games.

The quartet joins a Gaels squad coming off a breakout season, in which Queen’s finished fourth in the OUA East and won their first playoff series under head coach Brett Gibson.

— Sean Sutherland
Women’s basketball tabs recruits

Coming off an appearance in the CIS championships, women’s basketball added three new players.

Last week, the program announced they had added wing Madeline Morris and guards Marianne Alarie and Lauryn Friesen.

Morris is a local athlete, having played for the Kingston Impact program. At 6’0”, she’s comfortable close to the net and beyond the three-point line.

Alarie and Friesen both bring perimeter games to the Gaels and add depth on a squad that features three OUA All-Stars.

Guard Liz Boag and wings Jenny Wright and Gemma Bullard were All-Stars in 2013, while head coach Dave Wilson won the OUA East coach of the year award.

Last year, Queen’s captured the OUA East title and travelled to the national championships, losing both of their games in the tournament.

— Sean Sutherland
Men’s soccer coach steps down

A month after men’s rugby and women’s volleyball announced coaching changes, a third Queen’s team saw their bench boss bolt.

With less than three months remaining before men’s soccer faces RMC in their season opener, head coach Chris Gencarelli announced his departure from the team in early June to pursue a career in teaching.

Gencarelli, a former Gaels player, spent five years at the helm of the soccer program, serving as interim head coach in 2007 and rejoining the team in 2010.

Gencarelli amassed a regular season record of 38-19-3 over his five years at Queen’s. In 2012, he led the team to their first-ever OUA East division title and an appearance in the OUA Final Four.

As a result of the success of the 2012 season, Gencarelli won his first-ever OUA East Coach of year award, and five Gaels earned All-Star recognition.

With his departure comes the search process for a new head coach. No announcement has been made by Queen’s Athletics as to who will be replacing him.

— Angela Su