The spotlight shone on two of Canada’s best volleyball players and three of
its top varsity teams at UBC’s 78th annual Big Block Club Reunion and Awards
Banquet held last week.
Chosen as the university’s female and male athlete of the year were volleyball
standouts Joanne Ross and Mike Dalziel. Three UBC teams — women’s field hockey
and women’s and men’s swimming, which all won Canadian Interuniversity Athletic
Union (CIAU) national championships — share the du Vivier Team of the Year
award.
Highlights of the banquet included the induction of 121 Block members (second-year
athletes, coaches and trainers) a season-in-review video as well as the presentation
of UBC’s major athletic awards.
“It was a banner year – in fact a three-banner year,” says Kim Gordon, UBC’s
intercollegiate co-ordinator.
“UBC earned three conference championships in addition to three national titles,”
adds Athletics and Recreation director Bob Philip. “There were many outstanding
individual performances. UBC athletes are also competing internationally —
keep an eye on our swimmers and others at the Sydney Olympics.”
Joanne Ross competed with the Canadian National Team and joined the T-Birds
halfway through the season. She earned All-Star and Outstanding Player honours
on the way to helping UBC win a second consecutive Canada West championship.
One of the nation’s best-ever players, Ross is graduating in Science this
year. She won the Marilyn Pomfret Trophy for top female athlete.
Mike Dalziel, who will graduate with honours in Mechanical Engineering this
year, has been an Academic All-Canadian with an average of at least 80 per cent
in each of his four years at UBC.
He led the CIAU in service aces and earned UBC’s Bobby Gaul Memorial Trophy,
awarded each year to the graduating male athlete who displays outstanding leadership
and sportsmanship.
The Thunderbird women’s field hockey team kicked off the 1998/99 season with
UBC’s 41st national championship. UBC’s Hash Kanjee was named CIAU Coach of
the Year after leading his team to victory over the UVIC Vikes in the championship
final.
UBC’s swim teams successfully defended their CIAU national titles and coach
Tom Johnson was named CIAU Women’s and Men’s Coach of the Year for the second
straight season.
The low point of the season was the recent resignation of football coach Dave
Johnson after a physical confrontation.
Last year, the football team and university community lost head coach Casey
Smith to cancer. Smith was posthumously given the Arthur W. Delamont award for
freshman spirit. It was accepted by his widow Karen Smith at the banquet.
