VICTORIA - University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball head coach #
Craig Beaucamp# was recently named the 2011-12 Canada West Coach of the Year, for the third time in his career. Fifth-year veteran and Vikes leading scorer,
Ryan MacKinnon (Comox, BC), was the sole UVic member to make the Canada West all-star list, earning first-team honours.
CANADA WEST FULL RELEASE
Beaucamp, a previous Canada West Coach of the Year recipient in 2003-04 and 2004-05, led the Vikes to a first-place finish in the Pacific Division, moving up two spots from the 2010-11 season. Nationally ranked all season, his off-season effort in recruiting five transfers and two freshmen to play with the program paid dividends.
Entering the 2011-12 Canada West playoffs, Beaucamp had an all-time conference record of 129-60. In 2011-12, the Vikes boasted the third-best team defence (70.6 ppg) and third-best scoring margin (+10.5). The Vikes also led the conference in three-point shooting percentage (.402) and rebounding defence (29.1 per game).
Beaucamp, born in Burnaby, B.C., is also an active coach in the community, helping to run the Vikes TLC Camps for kids in Victoria and helping to establish the Vikes Basketball Academy. He also served as an Assistant Coach with Canada's men's Pan-American Games team that competed in October 2011 in Guadaljara, Mexico.
“Coming off a season in which four graduating seniors had to be replaced, Craig has done an outstanding job blending in a talented recruiting class with returning veterans to deliver strong regular season results,” said #
Clint Hamilton#, Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Victoria. "As reflected by his increased international experience with an assistant coaching role at the 2011 Pan-Am Games in Mexico and this (Canada West) recognition, Craig is standing out amongst his peers."
Senior guard MacKinnon has been a starter in all 21 regular season and playoff games to date and has led the Vikes in scoring in 16 of those games. MacKinnon finished his final season of CIS ball in the Top 15 in seven statistical categories (3rd 3PT/GM – 3.5/gm / 7th PPG – 19.9 PPG / 9th 3PT Made – 55 Made / 12th in Steals – 40 / 14th in 3PT% - 45.8 / 14th in Points – 358 / 15th in FG/G – 6.5/gm) despite playing fewer games than most other leaders.
MacKinnon was clutch in the Vikes' Pacific Division title capture over the UBC Thunderbirds when his late trey put the Vikes on route to their 90-83 victory in front of a roaring home crowd. He then went on to net a career- and season-high 33 points in Game 3 of the Canada West quarter-finals against the Calgary Dinos last weekend, Feb. 26. After a buzzer-beater for the 90-88 win, the Vikes qualified for the Canada West semifinals and MacKinnon would end the night tallying six three-pointers.
The Education student led the Canada West in three-pointers made in 2011-12 (55) and was third in the Canada West and seventh in the CIS in scoring (19.9 PPG). The strong two-way guard was also fifth in the Canada West in free-throw percentage (.831), fourth in steals per game (2.2 per game), and second in three-point percentage (.458).
CANADA WEST AWARDS
MVP: Jamelle Barrett, Saskatchewan
Rookie of the Year: Ilarion Bonhomme, Brandon
Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Lieffers, Saskatchewan
Ken Shields Award nominee: Calvin Westbrook, Trinity Western
Coach of the Year: #Craig Beaucamp#, Victoria
ALL-STARS (alphabetical by surname)
First Team
Jordan Baker, Alberta
Jamelle Barett, Saskatchewan
Joel Friesen, Fraser Valley,
#Ryan MacKinnon#, Victoria
Nathan Yu, UBC
Second Team
Dominyc Coward, Lethbridge
Daniel Ferguson, Alberta
Tyler Fidler, Calgary
Justin King, Thompson Rivers
Michael Lieffers, Saskatchewan
Each award recipient moves on as a finalist for the annual Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) awards, with winners to be announced in Halifax before the eight-team national tournament, March 9-11.
This Friday and Saturday, the Canada West Final Four will be played in Saskatoon, with the host Saskatchewan Huskies battling the Alberta Golden Bears in one semifinal, and the Fraser Valley Cascades and Vikes meeting in the other. Semifinal winners will qualify for the CIS national Final 8 tournament and tip-off on Saturday night for conference supremacy. All game can be seen live on
www.canadawest.tv.
