VICTORIA - It was a summer of success for UVic Vikes athletes, recruits and alumni as they competed on the national and international circuits in an array of sporting competitions.
Below are some of the highlights from a summer's worth of competition and training for the Vikes:
• Women's basketball centre Kayla Dysktra, men's soccer forward Cole McFarlane, and women's soccer striker Kendra Flock represented Canada at the FISU World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.
• Men's golfer Mitchell Evanecz made his mark on the Canadian amateur circuit this summer, capturing tournament victories at the Alberta Amatuer and Pengrowth Glencoe Invitational. The two-time NAIA All-American also placed 20th at the Canadian Amateur Championship in early August.
• Former Vikes swimmer Stephanie Dixon broke her world record in the S9 50-metre backstroke at the 2009 Speedo CAN AM Para Swimming Championships. The three-time Paralympian clocked 33.93 seconds to eclipse her previous mark by a mere one-hundredths of a second.
• Canada's rowing eight, with three former members of the Vikes men's rowing team, finished second at the World Rowing Championships. Vikes alumni James Dunaway, Gabe Bergen and Doug Csima were part of the new-look eight that trains out of Elk Lake.
• Six men's soccer players suited up for the Victoria Highlanders inaugural season in the PDL. Reigning Canada West MVP Cole McFarlane was joined in the lineup by Miguel Romeo, Dan Kilpatrick, Patrick Nelson, Craig Robertson and Corey Sanford.
• Women's golfer and UVic Law graduate Christina Spence-Proteau not only passed the Bar, but also achieved tournament victories on the links in the BC Championship and the Mid-Amateur Championship.
• Five members of the men's rugby team competed at the Junior World Championship in Japan. The Vikes delegation included Evan Mallory, Jamal Allen, Pat Fraser, Toni Wodzicki and 2009 UVic Robert T. Wallace Rookie of the Year Brett Beaukeboom.
• Vikes women's rowers Sarah Mitchell and Megan Keilty won the senior lightweight women's double at the 127th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
• Women's field hockey forward Natalie Wise made her international debut this summer with Canada's national field hockey team. The former All-Canadian took part in an eight-team tournament in Russia and earned nine caps.
• Men's rugby player Andrew Tiedemann picked up his first cap this summer with the National team and helped Canada win their doubleheader qualifier for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
