Blain named AUS Rookie of the Year

The five-foot striker from Sudbury, Ont. scored 13 goals in her freshman season to lead all first-year players in Canada and tie for third overall in Canadian Interuniversity Sport scoring.

Blain, who started in all 13 of CBU’s regular season games this year, found the back of the net in eight of those contests, including five two-goal outings. Blain leads the AUS in shots with 51, and was also named a first team AUS all-star during an awards banquet in Fredericton, N.B., on Thursday.

Blain is the second Capers player in as many years to win rookie of the year and the sixth CBU player to earn the honour since 1990.

“Karolyne has been our best performer this year,” said CBU women’s soccer head coach Ness Timmons. “She is able to use her speed and tenacity to score, but equally important is her ability to open up defences, allowing others to score. We have had some great goal scorers over the past number of years at CBU, but none of those players have produced like Karolyne, and this is her rookie season.”

Other AUS major award winners announced during the awards banquet hosted by the University of New Brunswick were Saint Mary’s Huskies player Kelly Burgess of Halifax who was named most valuable player; Acadia’s Cathleen Bleakney of Port Williams, N.S., who received the student-athlete community service award; and Saint Mary’s Huskies head coach Mark Sweetapple, who was chosen coach of the year.