Joan Aalund. a 1967 Acadia graduate who excelled in volleyball, field hockey and basketball was certainly one of the University’s finest all-round athletes of the 60s. In volleyball, for example, she was a member of the ’64-65 Elaine Ross-coached Axettes that posted a 4-2 record in the Maritime Intercollegiate championship round. In this exciting tournament won by UNB, Aalund performed excellently in the company of the round’s MVP Ann Coldwell, Carole Doucet, Heather Fiske and all.
During the 1966-67 campaign she starred for the Elizabeth Vermeulen-directed team that battled valiantly in the championship tournament. In the midst of such capable performers as Pam Rice, Debbie Upton and Linda Schurman, Aalund as Captain displayed plenty of skill and leadership ability as the team was again swept aside by the powerful University of New Brunswick squad –that era’s perennial Tri-Province champions.
In field hockey, Joan Aalund was equally adept, being a fine defensive performer and leader for competitive Axette squads that challenged for league honors. During the ’63-64 season she performed creditably in the midst of offensive standouts Janet Armstrong, Ann Coldwell and Joy Veinot as the team posted victories over Edgehill, King’s College and Dalhousie, while dropping late-season l-0 and 3-0 decisions to Mt. Allison and UNB respectively.
Joan Aalund and her teammate Ann Coldwell attracted plenty of attention during the fall of ’64 as they were both selected for the Maritime Field Hockey Team whose ultimate destination was Vancouver.
Following a successful ’65-66 season in which the Elaine Ross-guided Axettes had posted a dramatic 1-0 victory over UNB in a regular season contest -representing that club’s second loss in five years -the ’66-67 Axettes, under new coach Elizabeth Vermeulen, registered five victories and a tie in ten appearances. Team captain Aalund. goalkeeper Judy Williams and such offensive luminaries as Cynthia Mann, Susan Roberts, Nancy Clarke and Debbie Upton starred as the Acadia team placed third in league standings behind UNB and Mt. Allison.
On the basketball court, Joan Aalund was undoubtedly one of the Maritime Intercollegiate League’s most outstanding performers of the mid-sixties.
During the ’63-64 basketball season, for example, she, as a teammate of such as Captain Janet Armstrong, Maryette Mar and Winnie King, was an outstanding contributor to the team’s success. In an early season 35-17 victory over Mount St. Bernard. she, Armstrong and Mar were the high scorers. Subsequently, in a 68-48 triumph over the same team, this versatile athlete netted a total of 25 points.
Concluding that season as participants in Nova Scotia Senior playoff action, Acadia, with Aalund and Janet Armstrong as the top scorers, won consolation honors with 54-12 and 38-12 victories over Shelburne and Truro respectively. During her senior year as a basketball Axette and concluding a memorable intercollegiate athletic career, Aalund was once more an offensive standout as the team posted 21- 11 and 34- 12 victories over Dalhousie and Mount Allison respectively. In an early season win over Mount St. Bernard, she and Debbie Upton received the plaudits from the press. In a subsequent 28 -27 triumph over the same team as Pat Caldwell netted the winner, she and Linda Schurman were the high scorers. In a 26 -20 loss to Dalhousie, she was selected as Acadia’ s top performer.
Fittingly, at that year’s closing sports banquet, this future educator in the Calgary school system was the recipient of awards in both field hockey and basketball and named the University’s athlete of the year.
What an honor it is to welcome for induction to Acadia’s Sports Hall of Fame, Joan Aalund, one of the Maritime Intercollegiate League’s premier athletes of the 1960s.
