At the U SPORTS Awards Gala, as part of the 40th Annual Meeting and 2017 conference, in Toronto on Wednesday, June 7, former Bison Sports Athletic Director and women's basketball head coach Coleen Dufresne was named as 2017 Austin-Matthews Award winner by U SPORTS.
Dufresne merited the Austin-Matthews Award, presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to interuniversity sport, as demonstrated by long-term commitment and leadership as a coach, director, chairperson and/or executive committee member at the local, provincial and/or national levels.
Dufresne is only the second person from the University of Manitoba (Joyce Fromson in 2002) to receive the Austin-Matthews award since it started to be handed out in 1981.
"I am honored to be among many Austin-Matthews award winners I have admired over my 40 years in the CIAU/CIS/U SPORTS as an athlete, coach and athletic director," stated Dufresne. "Joyce Fromson, who hired me at the U of Manitoba, received the award posthumously in 2002 which makes this even more special to me."
Dufresne retired in August 2016, after serving as athletic director for the Manitoba Bisons since 2001. Prior to her executive role, she was head coach of the women's basketball team at Manitoba (1984-2001) and UNB (1980-84), winning three U SPORTS championships with the Bisons in 1988, 1996 and 1997 and earning national Coach of the Year honours in 1983, 1988 and 1998. Dufresne has also attended six Universiades, a pair of World University Championships and has served on the FISU Executive Committee as well as the U SPORTS Board of Directors.
"Everyone involved with Bison Sports at the University of Manitoba over the past few decades recognizes the name Coleen Dufresne, and knows how integral she has been to the success of the Bisons," said Manitoba associate athletic director Curt Warkentin. "I am so pleased that Coleen is being recognized at the national level for her leadership and success as a basketball coach and sport leader. The 2017 Austin-Matthews award is a fitting honour to recognize Coleen's outstanding career in Canadian university sport."
ALL-TIME U SPORTS ANNUAL AWARD RECIPIENTS
AUSTIN-MATTHEWS AWARD:
2017 Coleen Dufresne (University of Manitoba)
2016 Gilles D'Amboise (University of Laval)
2015 Jack Neumann (University of Calgary)
2014 Dale Schulha (University of Alberta)
2013 Bob Philip (University of British Columbia)
2012 Patricia Murray (York University)
2011 Major William John 'Danny' McLeod (Royal Military College)
2010 Francis Clayton (Lakehead University)
2009 Robert Dubeau (McGill University)
2008 Ross Wilson (University of Saskatchewan)
2007 Barb Mullaly (University of Prince Edward Island)
2006 Lyle Sanderson (University of Saskatchewan)
2005 Aubrey Ferris (University of Winnipeg)
2004
Not awarded
2003 Val Schneider (University of Saskatchewan)
2002 Joyce Fromson (University of Manitoba)
2001 Darwin Semotiuk (University of Western Ontario)
2000 Jean-François Grenier (University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières)
1999
Not awarded
1998 Don Wells (Acadia University)
1997 Rich Newbrough (Wilfrid Laurier University)
1996 Keith Harris (Carleton University)
1995 Ken & Donna Fultz (Atlantic Universities Athletic Association)
1994 Mary Lyons (York University)
1993 Robert Hindmarch (University of British Columbia)
1992
Not awarded
1991
Not awarded
1990
Not awarded
1989 Carl Totzke (Wilfrid Laurier University)
1988
Not awarded
1987 Robert Descheneaux (Laval University)
1986 Marilyn Pomfret (University of British Columbia)
1985 Ed Zemrau (University of Alberta)
1984 Vance Toner (Université de Moncton)
1983 Gladys Bean (McGill University)
1982 Elizabeth Chard (Saint Mary's University)
1981 Robert Pugh (McGill University & CIAU)
Bison Notes: In addition to Dufresne winning the Austin-Matthews award, other U SPORTS award recipient for 2017 were Olga Hrycak for the Jean-Marie De Koninck Coaching Excellence Award; Cleve Dheensaw as the Fred Sgambati Media Award winner and Adam Zimmerman with the L.B. "Mike" Pearson Award.
