RDC Queens forward Avery Lajeunnesse

From RDC Athletics 

Red Deer College Athletics is proud to announce the Bedford Food Company Athletes of the Week

1. Avery Lajeunnesse – Queens Hockey

Hometown – Red Deer, AB

Open Studies (1^st year)

Avery Lajeunnesse had a remarkable weekend on the ice for the Queens. The first-year forward played a key role helping the RDC Queens earn three of a possible four points against the NAIT Ooks. Both teams entered the two game series tied for second place in the league, but after a 3-2 victory on Friday and a close 5-4 shootout setback, the Queens (10-4-2-0) jumped one point over the Ooks (10-5-1-0) in the standings, for sole possession of second. While Lajeunnesse worked hard and played well on Friday, she really shone in Saturday’s rematch. The Open Studies student used her speed and scored a hat trick, leading both squads. Her first two goals came within 37 seconds of each other in the opening frame. The third marker was recorded late in the second period. For her dominant performance, Lajeunnesse was named the Queens Player-of-the-Game. In 16 games, she has six goals and six assists which is impressive, especially for a first-year player.

2. Cody White – Kings Basketball

Hometown – Red Deer, AB

Kinesiology Fitness-Health (4^th year)

Six-foot-two guard Cody White was very effective and efficient in Saturday’s 88-75 victory over the Broncos in Olds. Cody, who is a Kinesiology Fitness-Health student, led RDC with 20 points. He added a pair of offensive rebounds. The rate that the fourth-year scored was especially impressive considering he only played 19 minutes. Cody’s shooting accuracy made it difficult on the Broncos’ defenders and allowed him to score at a pace of over a point per minute. He hit five out of eight from beyond the three-point arc and three-of-four from the free-throw line. The talented student-athlete from Red Deer is an important veteran member of the Kings and brings a hard-working, positive attitude to practices and games. With the road win, the Kings remain in the playoff conversation. The RDC Kings (6-5) and Briercrest College Clippers (6-5) share third spot in the competitive Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men’s Basketball South Division.

Make Some Time and Make Some Noise

Everyone is subjected to potential stress from school, work, finances and relationships, which is why

RDC is encouraging students, staff and faculty to start a dialogue about mental health and engage in activities through Make Some Time, which started January 20.

Participants can join the conversation by attending a variety of wellness activities on campus. At these events they can enter a draw for the chance to win a tuition credit, equivalent to $380.25. The draw will take place after the second set of the Kings Volleyball game on Friday, January 24. The winner does not have to be in attendance.

The Red Deer College campaign, Make Some Time, will lead into the RBC sponsored ACAC initiative, Make Some Noise for Mental Health, on January 24. RBC representatives will be on site and there will be a variety of prizes, including pizza and prepaid Visa cards.

Make Some Noise | January 24

6:00 pm | Queens Volleyball, Kings to follow | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

7:00 pm | Kings Hockey | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

Make Some Noise for Mental Health is also endorsed by Canadian Mental Health Association that encourages empathy, understanding and open mindedness for those experiencing mental illness and those who are impacted.  

RBC has been a long-time supporter of the College. They have provided significant funding to the College’s Student Ambassadors Program. In addition to their ongoing support for Make Some Noise, they’ve assisted with RDC scholarships and the Student Emergency Bursary.

This Week in Red Deer College Athletics

In a battle between the top two teams in ACAC Men’s Hockey, the RDC Kings will play the NAIT Ooks in a home-and-home series. The Hockey Queens and Olds College Broncos will hit the ice in a pair of games. Both volleyball squads will face the Ambrose University Lions. The Red Deer College Indoor Track team will compete at Running Room Grand Prix #1 in Edmonton. The RDC Curling team will participate in the Winter Regional. Both basketball teams will travel south and challenge the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.

Here is a summary of what is happening this week:

Queens Hockey | Thursday, Jan. 23 | 7:00 pm | Olds College

The second place Red Deer College Queens (10-4-2-0) will compete against the Broncos (3-11-2-0) in Olds. Camryn Wallan and Avery Lajeunnesse share the team lead in points with 12. After her hat trick against NAIT, Lajeunnesse took over the Queens’ goal scoring lead with six. Eight student-athletes have four goals each.

Queens Hockey | Saturday, Jan. 25 | 7:00 pm | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Queens will tangle with the Broncos at home.

Kings Hockey | Friday, Jan. 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The second place Hockey Kings (13-3-2-0) will face-off against the top seed NAIT Ooks (16-2-0-0).

The Kings trail the Ooks by four points entering the weekend series.

RDC’s power play has been very effective, scoring 22 times with the man-advantage and clicking at 25.9 per cent. Austin Hunter leads the way with five power play markers.

Kings Hockey | Saturday, Jan. 25 | 6:00 p.m. | NAIT

The Kings will meet the Ooks in the second half of the home-and-home series.

Queens Volleyball | Friday, Jan. 24 | 6:00 p.m. | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The second place Queens (12-2) will play the third seed Ambrose University Lions (10-6) at home. The RDC Queens have been playing a solid brand of volleyball.

Red Deer’s Emma Holmes is one of the Queens’ most efficient and effective offensive weapons. She sits fourth in the league with 3.14 kills per set and 0.364 hitting percentage.

Queens Volleyball | Saturday, Jan. 25 | 6:00 p.m. | Ambrose University

The Lions will host the Queens in Calgary.

Kings Volleyball | Friday, Jan. 24 | 8:00 p.m. | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The RDC Kings (10-4) will entertain the Lions (1-15). The Kings share third in the south with the Briercrest College Clippers (10-6), but have also played two fewer matches. RDC has only participated in 14 matches. Ambrose University, Olds College, Medicine Hat College, Briercrest College and Lethbridge College have played in 16 matches. SAIT has hit the court the most (18) in the south.

Setter Thomas Wass sits at the top of the ACAC with 8.86 assists per set.

Kings Volleyball | Saturday, Jan. 25 | 8:00 p.m. | Ambrose University

The Kings will contend with the Lions on the road.

Perhaps no one has had more success promoting RDC Athletics than Keith Hansen.   As head coach of the Red Deer College Kings Volleyball team, Hansen’s teams won an incredible 9 National Championships in 12 years.  Hansen also served as RDC Athletic Director for 8 years (2007 to 2015).  Hansen’s passion for all things Kings… and Queens remains a big part of his life.   

From Keith Hansen, Former RDC Athletic Director and Head Coach of RDC Kings Volleyball Team

I hope you will considering sharing this and adding your name to the petition.

As an alumni athlete, former coach and former Athletic Director at RDC, I understand what it means to be a King or Queen. Honor, integrity, hard work and family are the key terms that come to mind as I think about our Kings and Queens legacy. These names are titles of honor and not derogatory in anyway. As a coach at RDC in the mid 1990’s we started the tag line “Once a King Always a King” … I have this engraved on a number of my national championships rings. This tag line was later adopted by the entire RDC athletics department because we understood that being a King or Queen is a lifelong honor. This decision is gut wrenching for me and I thank the many alumni and supporters of our programs for steeping forward in an effort to keep the Kings and Queens name. Keith

Petition on Change.org