…A.U.A.A. champions and National record holders in Acadia’s first ever C.I.A.U. swim championship victory
The ’76-’77 women’s swim team ranked No.1 in the nation, certainly lived up to all expectations, winning the A.U.A.A. championship held in Moncton, New Brunswick and later the C.I.A.U. meet staged in Etobicoke, Ontario.
The women easily captured their third consecutive Conference title. The season accomplishments were a total team effort in sweeping almost every event in the A.U.A.A., a feat that has not been equalled to date in league competition. Team members Patricia Maybank, Janice Smith, Cathy Maxwell, Kathy Hall, and Captain Anne Harding contributed to this major accomplishment in the A.U.A.A. Conference. Jill Taylor, Holly LeReverend, Reenie Taylor, Penney Gaul, Roberta Thomson, Wendy Stevens and Margi MacLeod were particularly outstanding in Moncton.
In winning the title, several Conference records were set. Individually, for example, Holly LeReverend established six new times and was part of a record-breaking relay team. Jill Taylor established three individual and two relays best-ever marks, while Roberta Thomson and Wendy Stevens each had record-breaking times in a number of individual events and a single relay competition.
As a result of their stellar feats at the A.U.A.A. meet, Jill Taylor, Penney Gaul, Reenie Taylor, Colla MacDonald, Marjorie MacDonald, Wendy Stevens,. Cathy Kennedy, Judy Bailey ,0 Roberta Thomson, Holly LeReverend, Margi MacLeod and Helen Baird qualified for the Nationals held on March 5 and 6 in Etobicoke.
At this Canadian championship meet, the Jack Scholz-coached Axettes accumulated a total of 326 points to win the highly coveted C.I.A.U. championship. The University of Alberta and the University of Toronto with 239 and 228 points, finished second and third respectively.
On that historic occasion, Holly LeReverend, who subsequently was named Acadia’s Female Athlete of the Year, established a Canadian intercollegiate record in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:13.97. In the 400 medley relay, Holly, Jill Taylor, Wendy Stevens and Peonney Gaul set another best-ever time, finishing the, distance with a mark of 4:06.76.
In summary, during that memorable ’76-’77 season when Jack Scholz, destined to be named C.I.A.U. Coach of the Year in 19.78, and his sixteen talented swimmers captured national honours, a total often Acadia records were established.
This team laid the foundation for the women’s swim team of 1977-78 to repeat as A.U.A.A. and C.I.A.U. champions.
What an honour it is to welcome back to Acadia for induction to its Sports Hall of Fame, Coach Jack Scholz and members of that ’76-’77 women’s swim team.
