Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics Recap

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Queens Basketball teams split their weekend series with the Ambrose University Lions. The RDP Queens Hockey team earned three of a possible four points against the SAIT Trojans. Kings Hockey recorded a win and a loss against the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings.

Here is a summary of what happened this week:

Queens Hockey | Friday, February 25 | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team outshot the SAIT Trojans 54-17, but dropped the game 2-1 in a shootout. Brenna Reid, a first-year Bachelor of Kinesiology student, scored the Queens’ lone goal. For more details on this game, please read the recap online.

Queens Hockey | Saturday, February 26 | SAIT

The first place Queens (9-2-2) defeated the Trojans 6-1 in Calgary. Natalie Buttle, Mary Hirsch, Alli Soyko and Madison Sansom scored singles. Wainwright’s Monica Bowtell added two goals for RDP. Queens goalie Madison Fox turned aside 12 shots for the win in net. The game recap can be found online.

Kings Hockey | Friday, February 25 | University of Alberta Augustana

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Hockey team defeated the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings 5-4 in double-overtime. RDP’s Tucker Scantlebury and Chance Longjohn scored. Jacob Kendall, a first-year Bachelor of Education Elementary student, added a pair of goals in regulation time. Hayden Clayton sealed
the win in the extra frame. Kings goaltender Kristian Lyon made 41 saves, earning the win. Please refer to the online recap for more details about this contest.

Kings Hockey | Saturday, February 26 | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The RDP Kings were edged 4-3 by the Vikings. Clayton, Scantlebury and Mathieu Lapointe struck for the Polytechnic. Kendall finished the regular season as the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) scoring leader with 21 points.

The third place Kings (9-4-2-1) will host the sixth seed Briercrest College Clippers (3-12-1-0) in the best-of-three quarter-final series, beginning March 4. For more information, please read the game recap.

Queens Basketball | Friday, February 25 | Ambrose University

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Basketball team was downed 69-62 by the Ambrose University Lions in Calgary. Queens Player of the Game Sophie Melin scored 19 points. Amy Szymanek added nine points and eight rebounds for the Queens. The game recap can be located online.

Queens Basketball | Saturday, February 26 | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens wrapped up regular season competition with an 83-74 victory against the Lions at home. United Kingdom’s Lauren France scored a game high 25 points. The first-year RDP Bachelor of Arts Psychology student went seven-for-17 from three-point range.

The fifth seed RDP Queens (7-9) will play the fourth place Rattlers (8-8) in Medicine Hat in a division quarter-final on March 4. Please refer to the online game recap for more details about this home contest.

Kings Basketball | Friday, February 25 | Ambrose University

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Basketball team fell 87-81 to the Ambrose University Lions. Fifth-year Tyronn King dropped 23 points. Stauffer’s Kevin Szymanek recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. For more details, please read the online recap.

Kings Basketball | Saturday, February 26 | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Kings had a great home performance and defeated the Lions 95-78. Eduardo Crespo led the Kings with 20 points. Graduating student-athletes King (13 points) and Cody White (15 points) made significant contributions in the victory. RDP’s King led the league throughout the season with 24.6 points per game.
On March 4, the third place Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (9-7) will host the sixth seed Briercrest College Clippers (5-11) in a division quarter-final. The recap can be found online.

For more information on Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, the student-athletes and teams, please visit: rdpolytechathletics.ca.

Providing advocacy and leadership for all students 

Student leadership and commitment are being celebrated at Red Deer  College, as Brittany Lausen is announced as the RDC Foundation Outstanding Student Award  recipient for 2021. 

The annual award recognizes a student whose actions have significantly enhanced RDC, whether  through governance, membership on committees or other meaningful contributions. Lausen was  nominated by her peers to receive the honour again this year due to her immense contributions to  student leadership at RDC and far beyond. 

“It’s very humbling to receive this award, and I am truly grateful for all the opportunities that being a  part of the Students’ Association and Red Deer College have provided, allowing me to be as involved  as I have been,” Lausen says. “I’m also very grateful to the amazing student leaders who I have  gotten to work with over the past six years, since I first became involved with the Education  Undergrad Society.” 

Lausen’s leadership has evolved and grown during her time at RDC, as she has played a key role on  the Students’ Association Executive Team, serving as the VP Community & Wellness in 2018/2019  and as President for the past two years. She has also been on RDC’s Academic Council for three  years and has served as a student representative on RDC’s Board of Governors since 2019, in  addition to myriad other volunteering, committees and initiatives at the College. 

“Red Deer College is fortunate to have Brittany as one of our students, and the RDC Foundation is  pleased to provide her with the outstanding student award for 2021,” says Kevin Beattie, RDC  Foundation Board Chair. “Her continuing dedication and commitment to her fellow students and to the  College exemplifies why she is so deserving of the award. Brittany’s selfless hard work in representing and advocating on behalf of her peers and also the College benefits the entire RDC  community. We can think of no better candidate to receive the RDC Foundation Outstanding Student  Award.” 

In addition to Lausen’s work and leadership at RDC, she has also dedicated time to representing  students across the province. Through her role with the Students’ Association, she became part of  the Alberta Students’ Executive Council (ASEC), where – as the longest serving student leader in the  province – she was unanimously elected to be Chair in June 2020.  

For Lausen, it is important to engage in governance at the provincial level to influence policies and  affect change for future students. “It’s about what you, as a student leader, can do to make sure that  the students who come after you have the best time possible in post-secondary,” she says. “To me, it  is so meaningful knowing that the advocacy you do today will potentially impact the lives of future  students for years to come.” 

Through her province-wide perspective, Lausen also recognized a need for Western Canadian  students to be better represented at the federal level. As part of her work with ASEC, she was elected  to sit as one of the founding members of the Federal Student Advocacy Alliance. This Alliance, representing ASEC, BC Federation of Students and Sask Polytechnic Students’ Association, allows  students from the three western provinces to have a greater voice in advocacy issues at the national  level.  

From national to local issues, Lausen has tirelessly worked to benefit the student experience. During  her most recent term as Students’ Association President, she takes great pride in how the SA  Executive and Council advocated for degrees, ensuring that the students of RDC and the people of  central Alberta’s voices were heard. Lausen, herself, also had the opportunity to be part of Alberta  2030, the post-secondary review led by the Government of Alberta. She represented students from  across Alberta and was able to bring the RDC students’ perspective to the province’s new post secondary strategic direction.  

“Brittany has continually demonstrated strong leadership in representing post-secondary students at  all levels,” says Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC President. “In her two years on RDC’s Board of Governors  and through her work with the Students’ Association, I have gained a great appreciation for her  collaborative approach and also her determination to do what is best for students at RDC and for  post-secondary students across the province. During her time at RDC, she gained a strong understanding of governance and student needs, and that has served RDC’s students well for many  years.”  

Now, as Lausen looks to the future, she is excited to graduate in April 2022 with her Bachelor of  Business Administration in General Management, with minors in Finance and Economics, from  RDC’s collaborative degree with Mount Royal University. She is currently interning with Amazon and  hopes to accept a position with the company pending completion of her degree. She is also looking to  continue her educational journey by attaining a Master’s degree, either in Public Policy or Public  Administration, which would build on her extensive experience in leadership and governance. 

When she reflects on her time at RDC, she is thankful for the privilege to serve students. “I am so  grateful to the students of Red Deer College for trusting me for the past three years to be one of their  elected representatives,” she says. “It has truly made my time at post-secondary, and it is something I  will miss dearly.”  

About the RDC Foundation Outstanding Student Award: This scholarship is given to a student  who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment through participation in and  contribution to Red Deer College. The student may have participated in governance and/or College  committees, social or athletic activities while on campus. The scholarship is donated by the Red Deer  College Foundation.