2021-22 ACAC Curlers of the Year
Edmonton, AB (March 11, 2022)
Men's Curler of The Year:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Ben Helston of the SAIT Trojans has been selected as the 2021-22 ACAC Men’s Curling Player of the Year.
Helston skipped his team to a 3-1 record throughout the first two bonspiels of the season despite having a short-handed squad. At the ACAC Championship in Camrose, Alta., his team came up just short of a medal, losing the bronze medal game to the NAIT Ooks. Helston played second for the SAIT men’s team that captured gold in the 2019-20 season, and took on the role of skip this year.
“As the only remaining team member left from 2019-20 that won ACAC gold, Ben stepped up this year and led his team to an impressive season,” said Wade Kolmel, Director of Athletics at SAIT. “He works very hard at his craft, and we count ourselves fortunate to have him as a major contributor to the re-building of our curling program.”
Helston is a second-year Business Administration student from Calgary, Alta.
This prestigious award was recognized at the 2022 ACAC Curling Championships hosted by U of A Augustana in Camrose, Alberta.
Women's Curler of The Year:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Hollie Vincent of the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens has been selected as the 2021/2022 ACAC Women’s Curling Player of the Year.
Hollie Vincent has been an instrumental leader for the RDP Queens. After a solid 3-1 bonspiel record in January, the Queens ranked (4-0) first in the women’s standings at the ACAC Curling Championships, going undefeated over four draws and earning a berth in the finals.
Then in the gold medal game, Vincent and the Queens put forth a solid effort, but the host University of Alberta Augustana Vikings Women’s team captured a 7-4 decision with an accurate final shot. The Queens picked up silver.
“This recognition is a reflection of Hollie’s elite talent and commitment to her team and the Red Deer Polytechnic Curling program,” said Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics and Student Life. “With guidance from Curling Head Coach Brad Hamilton, Queens Coach Eldon Raab, and assistant Andrew Jones, Hollie has been able to skip the Queens to a silver medal among a very talented pool of ACAC Women’s Curling teams.”
Vincent was also named the ACAC Women’s Curling All-Conference skip.
This prestigious award was recognized at the 2022 ACAC Curling Championships hosted by U of A Augustana in Camrose, Alberta.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, ACAC
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Wade Kolmel, SAIT
Director of Athletics & Recreation
403-284-8363
wade.kolmel@sait.ca
Randy Stewart, Red Deer Polytechnic
Manager of Athletics & Student Life
403-314-2457
randy.stewart@rdpolytech.ca
Twitter: @acac_sport / #ACACVB2022
Instagram: @acac_sport / #ACACVB2022
Facebook: AlbertaCollegesAthleticConference