Janice A. Mattson Dougherty- 1974
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990
A Salem, Mass. native, Janice Mattson first appeared on the Acadia campus during the ’70-’71 academic year. During her initial season as an Axette, Janice shared centre stage with Claudia Cronin, at that time one of the Atlantic Conference’s best-ever swimmers. Both performed excellently that season, enabling the Acadia’ women –for the first time ever –to qualify for the Canadian Intercollegiate Championship. At the Nationals, Janice gained a second-place finish.
The following season –with Mattson and Cronin again in the spotlight –saw the Axettes defeat Mt. Allison for the first time in many years. As a team, the women placed second at the AUAA meet. At the Nationals, Janice gained both a first and third place finish –while Acadia finished fourth as a team.
The ’72-’73 season was another outstanding one for Mattson and Company. In one meet, both the women and men’s teams were victorious over Memorial and UNB and at the AUAA championship held in Sackville, N.B., the men placed first and the women second. Janice established several records at this meet. At the Nationals, Janice had a first and third place finish and the Axettes again finished fourth as a team. At the annual Athletic Banquet, Janice –for the second successive year –was named Female Athlete of the Year .Another highlight of this brilliant young swimmer’s season was being named to represent Canada at a Canada vs. Russia meet.
In her senior year at Acadia, Janice was coached by Jack Scholz and she was again very prominent in the Axettes’ bid for Atlantic Conference supremacy. At the Nationals that year she swam brilliantly, finishing first in three individual events. For her tremendous efforts, she was named the Canadian Female Collegiate Swimmer of the Year and was again chosen as Acadia’s top female performer.
Overall, in her years at Acadia, Janice captured first place in eleven Atlantic Conference and five Canadian Intercollegiate Swim Championships.
It is indeed a privilege to welcome back to Acadia for induction to its Sports Hall of Fame, Janice Mattson, of the class of ’74.
