McMaster recognizes scholar athletes

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/04marauderscholar_opt.jpg” caption=”Bursztyn, Quigley, Little “]McMaster presented the Marauder Scholar Awards to the top McMaster scholar-athletes at the eighth annual Marauder Scholar Brunch Sunday.

The Marauder Scholar Award is presented on an annual basis to student-athletes who have achieved a minimal sessional average of 9.5 (80 per cent) over 24 units while competing for a varsity or club team during the school year.

The recipient of the Dr. Mary Keyes award for the Top Female Marauder Scholar was Lulu Bursztyn, a fourth-year chemical engineering student and member of the McMaster women's wrestling team.

Burstyn is a four-time Marauder scholar and earned a 11.6 sessional average (97 per cent). Earlier this year, Bursztyn was awarded the Chancellors Gold Medal. The medal is awarded to an undergraduate student in his or her final year who ranks highest in scholarship, leadership and influence.

Bursztyn was recently chosen the Top Ontario Female Academic All-Canadian and will be honoured at the eleventh annual Academic All-Canadian Celebration taking place Thursday, June 10, 2004 at the Chateau Mont Ste-Anne in Quebec. This is the second year in a row that a McMaster female student-athlete was the Top Scholar Athlete in Ontario. Alison Mills, a kinesiology major, and member of the McMaster women's volleyball team was the Top Scholar Athlete in Ontario in 2003.

The winner of the Dr. Jack Kennedy award for the Top Male Marauder Scholar was Jonathan Little, a third-year kinesiology student and co-captain of the McMaster cross country and middle distance track team.

Little, a three-time Marauder scholar earned a 11.9 (99 per cent) sessional average. He is the recipient of the Hawkrigg family scholarship for kinesiology.

McMaster presented 218 Marauder scholar awards, the greatest number in the history of the event. Thirty three per cent of McMaster student-athletes achieved Marauder scholar grade point averages (80 per cent).

Mary Keyes was a key figure in the development of women's sports at McMaster. During her early years on the McMaster faculty, Keyes coached both the women's swim team and the women's basketball teams. From 1981-1987, Keyes was the director of the School of Physical Education and Athletics; 1992-1997 assistant provost student affairs; and 1998-2002 associate vice-president student affairs. Keyes passed away in February of 2002.

Jack Kennedy was associate professor of physical education from 1965-87. He was also the head football coach from 1966-72, guiding his team to the Atlantic Bowl Championship and College Bowl final in 1967. Kennedy was director of athletics from 1969-74 and head coach of the Lady Mac ice hockey team from 1976-83 leading the team to O.W.I.A.A. and North American Championships in 1978. Kennedy retired in 1987 after an impressive 34 years of coaching. Kennedy passed away in 1999.

(Photo caption: Lulu Bursztyn and Jonathan Little pose with Therese Quigley, director of athletics and recreation.