Gauntlet presents athlete awards at annual Night of the Dino ceremony
By Christie Melhorn, April 5 2018 —
Every spring, the Dinos athletics department hosts an awards ceremony called Night of the Dino to honour the University of Calgary’s student athletes and coaches. On April 3, the 51st Night of the Dino took place at the Red and White Club in McMahon Stadium to celebrate the relationships, successes and goofs the Dinos shared throughout the 2017–18 season.
During the even
t, the Gauntlet presents the annual ‘Extra Effort Award’ to a male and female athlete for their exceptional work ethic and community engagement. This year, we awarded women’s hockey goaltender Kelsey Roberts and men’s swimming team member Sterling King.
Despite the women’s hockey team falling short of the playoffs, Roberts had an incredible season and anchored the team. She demonstrated great athleticism throughout the season with six shutout wins and a 0.948 save percentage. Roberts was particularly striking during the annual Crowchild Classic, when she deflected all 28 shots directed at her. Her energy set the tone for a forceful night of hockey that resulted in 1–0 and 6–5 wins for the women’s and men’s teams, respectively.
Women’s hockey head coach Danielle Goyette credits Roberts for boosting the team during the season.
“When you have a goalie like [Roberts] making big saves, it makes you, as a player, feel more accountable and work harder. You want to give back,” Goyette said. “She gave confidence to the players.”
Roberts’s resiliency and skill gave Dinos women’s hockey an even sharper edge this season, making her The Gauntlet’s choice for the female recipient of the Extra Effort Award.
During his time as a Dino, King contributed to the success of the men’s swimming team and community enrichment. Sweeping the Canada West Championships with 19 medals was a standout moment for the swimming team during the 2017–18 season. King played a significant role in this by securing gold and silver medals in the men’s 100- and 400-metre frees and the 800-metre relay.
Outside of the pool, King volunteers in a diverse range of organizations on and off campus. He’s held leadership roles in the Japanese Conversation and Culture Club, the U of C Swim Club, the U of C campus church and adaptive physical activity programs for children with disabilities, illustrating his well-rounded lifestyle. King’s investment in both student athletics and community engagement merits his Extra Effort Award.
Overall, the Dinos had an impressive season, with Canada West Championship titles in women’s rugby, women’s volleyball, men’s football, men’s basketball, as well as the men’s basketball team’s first ever U Sports championship win. The evening’s atmosphere was positive, which invited current athletes, alumni, coaches, U of C administration and other members of the athletic department to linger and mingle long after the ceremony concluded.