SMU Huskies staff scores once-in-a-lifetime FIFA opportunity

Mikayla Nassy-Wong

Attending a live World Cup soccer match is a dream come true for soccer fans everywhere. For Saint Mary University’s Mikayla Nassy-Wong, that dream didn’t just become a reality—it became a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the magic.

After a year-long process and a lot of hard work, Nassy-Wong, Marketing & Revenue Generation Coordinator with the SMU Huskies, was chosen to volunteer at the Toronto FIFA World Cup 26 this June, representing Saint Mary’s at one of the largest sporting events in the world.

The connection

Nassy-Wong applied through the Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN), which highlights professional development opportunities in the Canadian sports ecosystem for BIPOC athletes and sports professionals through its Emerging BIPOC Leaders Program.

“I got involved with the ICSN about two years ago when I attended one of their events,” she says. “I got to know quite a few of the members, and when an opportunity with FIFA emerged, they reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we remember you, and we know you have an interest in soccer, would you be interested in applying to volunteer with FIFA on our behalf?’”

Being a FIFA volunteer is a huge undertaking, and one that the organization takes very seriously. Nassy-Wong spent a year in the application and training process, learning a strict set of guidelines for the event. She was selected from a large pool of applicants to represent Canada and FIFA at the Toronto FIFA World Cup 26 volunteer centre.

A red wall of home supporters got behind Canada as they came back to draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina.Source: fifa.com

The experience

With 300,000 expected visitors to the city over the six matches taking place in Toronto Stadium, volunteers need to be prepared for anything—supporting travellers, athletes and other volunteers through all the demands of high-stakes live events. Nassy-Wong was given a logistics role helping to organize and distribute the “vibrant and unifying” official volunteer uniforms to other volunteers throughout the city.

Uniforms are a big deal at FIFA, and Nassy-Wong helped manage a multi-station setup for the city’s 3,000 volunteers and workers to pick up their uniforms and accreditation. With kits including t-shirts, pants, shoes, and special FIFA patches (unique to each host city), it was all hands on deck to make sure everyone was fully equipped and ready to go. Each shift meant a change in the station she handled, from fitting rooms to packing kits to handling checkout.

“This was the experience of a lifetime. If I ever get the opportunity to do it again, I will take that opportunity 100 percent.” - Mikayla Nassy-Wong

But the experience wasn’t all work and no play. Volunteers were given unique opportunities, from exclusive stadium access to attending the Toronto Fan Fest—FIFA's official, free public viewing and entertainment event for World Cup host cities. Fan Fest serves as the ultimate gathering spot for soccer fans to watch matches on massive screens and celebrate together as a global community.

“There are many memories I’ll take away from this experience, but a highlight for sure was getting to go to the Fan Fest. We got to see the Portugal game. That big victory for them in the group stage and being able to be there and celebrate with all the local and international Portugal fans was unbelievable.”

The impact

The sports world relies on volunteers—a reality that SMU’s Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health is researching with experts across Atlantic Canada. The FIFA World Cup is no exception, with volunteers chosen from around the world to help with all the events that make up World Cup season.

With energy rising as we hurtle towards the final rounds, the impact of the World Cup extends beyond the stadium to all the lives it touches, and for Nassy-Wong, that ability to bring people together is a key element of the game.

“Sport crosses political lines. It connects people from various cultures; it’s a place where everyone comes together to become a community.”

Armed with fresh international event experience and new connections from around the world, Nassy-Wong returns to Saint Mary’s University ready to channel that World Cup energy back into her work with the SMU Huskies.

Her journey stands as a powerful reminder of how passion, paired with the right advocacy networks, can bring talented professionals from local stadiums straight to the global stage.

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"Volunteers Needed": Saint Mary's sports research centre shines a light on recreational sports infrastructure

2023 Canada Winter Games volunteers

From a kid’s first T-ball season to a company’s Sunday night hockey league, sport and recreation programs across the country depend on regular people setting up, taking down, taking on administrative tasks, handling transportation and coaching players on their own time to keep activities running. 

It’s not a system of favours—it’s an expectation that parents, friends and neighbours will do what it takes to make sure the game goes on, and that expectation can put a lot of pressure on those who step up and take the lead.  

The Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health at SMU has partnered with Dr. Jackie Oncescu (Associate Professor of Kinesiology at UNB), and a team of researchers at All In Research & Innovation Inc. (All In) to shine a light on an often under-represented and under-researched demographic: volunteers.  

Good Idea, Better Timing  

The origins of this project started in New Brunswick, with Dr. Jackie Oncescu and research designer Dr. Jules Maitland (Founder of All In) co-leading the “Reimagining Access to Sport, Recreation and Leisure” project—a wide-ranging inquiry into equitable access and inclusion to sport, recreation and leisure in New Brunswick.  

2025 Canada Summer Games Volunteers with Team New Brunswick

As the original project came to a close, a growing curiosity emerged around the circumstances that contribute to access and inclusion in sport, and how that access (or lack thereof) can shape communities. This curiosity sparked ongoing conversations with Recreation New Brunswick and Sport New Brunswick—organizations that have a shared interest in examining volunteers and their role in the recreation space—and those conversations turned to the role of volunteers in community systems and how their experiences impact sport systems in New Brunswick.   

Meanwhile at Saint Mary’s, the team at the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health was studying the mental health and wellbeing of sports volunteers. Once the connection was made between these groups, the rest was history, and the “SERVE project” (Supporting and Enhancing Rewarding Volunteer Experiences in Sport and Recreation) began.  

“It was just one of those lovely moments of stars aligning,” says research designer Dr. Jules Maitland. “It just made sense to build on the momentum that had already been started in New Brunswick by working with the team at the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health.”

Understanding Volunteerism in Sport 

If you’ve ever participated in a recreational sport, you’ve likely witnessed the volunteer work that makes it happen—or you’ve been the volunteer yourself.  

Volunteers on the photography team at the 2025 Canada Summer Games

“This entire sector—especially when you're talking about community sports organizations and recreation organizations—really wouldn't exist without volunteers,” says Madeleine Whalen, Co-Lead on the SERVE project. “They're heavily volunteer-based all the way to the governance level. From coaches to board members, it's very rare that these positions are offered with a large salary.”  

There is a lot of work to keep an athletics program running, and most of it happens before and after the game. Oftentimes, both former and current athletes use their off time to support these programs. Parents and guardians of children who are involved in sports regularly take on extra work, adding more responsibility to their everyday lives.  

When the entire system depends on participants going above and beyond to keep programs running, the longevity of those programs—and the well-being of those who run them—starts to become precarious. 

Supporting the Supporters 

This collaboration involves a 2025 literature review completed by former research assistant Ashley Penney for the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health

Dr. Oncescu and the All In team is now working with the centre to dig deeper into the state of volunteerism in sport and develop scalable, innovative solutions to ensure that these programs, and the volunteers that make them possible, are able to thrive. 

Using human-centred design to map patterns from interviews with current and former sports volunteers, this collaborative team is gearing up to answer some key questions on how we can make sport better. 

“One of our priorities is making sure the needs of both volunteers and the organizations are met, ensuring that those experiences are satisfying and sustainable. So, we’re drawing from literature on workplace burnout as a framework,” says Strategic Designer Molly Balcom Raleigh.

“When you have a lack of benefits or an extreme work overload, a lack of a sense of autonomy or are missing some key capacity and skills, things start to go out of balance, and it leads to poor outcomes for the well-being of those participating in that work.”        

Frameworks for discussing burnout are a helpful way to map patterns in the sports world, as volunteers take on more without adequate resources and, on occasion, find themselves in situations they lack the training to address or the resources to support.  

"Critically, it's in this gap where the demands of funders and regulators are high and volunteer skill, resources, and time are low that the greatest risk and damage emerge,” said Dr. Augie Westhaver, Academic Director at the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health. “The sport system is effectively a para-health sector—where mental and physical health are key resources for all involved—and without adequate support, volunteers suffer burnout or worse, undermining the safety of the sport system."

The Impact to Come 

The SERVE project is in its early stages, having just launched in April 2026, but the future impact of this work is profound, as understanding the volunteer infrastructure of Canadian sport will pave the way to healthier volunteers, increasing recruitment and retention for the organizations that rely on them.  

This work also lays the foundation for an actionable toolkit for sporting organizations, ensuring volunteers have the resources, training and support they need to do their best work. A healthy sports and recreation infrastructure leads to stronger, healthier, and more connected communities; and Saint Mary’s is primed to be involved in the initial stages of a very necessary exploration.  

Stay tuned to the centre’s social media for live updates as the project unfolds. 

Meet the Saint Mary’s athletes crossing the stage in 2026

Convocation is a special time of year as students of all backgrounds prepare to celebrate the incredible milestone of completing their degree. Student-athletes carry a unique set of responsibilities throughout their university careers, balancing their studies with training and performance goals season after season. Some student-athletes go above and beyond even that great achievement.  

From starting businesses while still in school to pouring their time into their communities and being recognized with scholarships and awards—these are the student-athletes walking the stage this season who are leaving legacies here at Saint Mary’s.  

Abigail MacKenzie 

Hailing from Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Abigail came to Saint Mary’s to pursue an education in the Faculty of Science. Bringing experience from her time with the Northern Subway Selects of the Maritime Major Under-18 (18U) Female Hockey League, Abigail joined the SMU Huskies Women’s Hockey team and is finishing her career with the Huskies as an “offensive defender” who made her mark on the ice.   

Boasting an impressive record, MacKenzie was recognized as a 2025-26 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, is a four-time Academic All-Canadian, and has been recognized as a three-time Atlantic University Sports (AUS) All-Star. Abigail also represented Team Canada at the 2023 FISU University Games, helping lead the team to a silver medal.  

She walks the stage with a BSc in Psychology.   

Jayrell Diggs 

The student-athlete entrepreneur from East Preston, Nova Scotia made waves on and off the court during his Huskies Basketball Career, making history as the All-Time leader in AUS men’s basketball three-pointers made. 

A two-time AUS All-Star and Academic All-Canadian, Jayrell was named 2023-24 Saint Mary’s Male Athlete of the Year, as well as a 2021-22 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team member during his time with the Huskies.   

He’s also the founder of laundry service company SudDrop, and has received numerous entrepreneurship awards and scholarships in addition to working with the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre to make his idea a lucrative reality. 

Jayrell is graduating with a BComm in General Business Studies.  

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Emilia Mikanovich 

Hailing from an extremely athletic family in Belarus, Emilia’s journey to Saint Mary’s was anything but ordinary. With a father that coaches for teams like the Belarus Men's National Volleyball Team and a mother who, most recently, worked as an Assistant Chief Judge at the 2026 IWWF European Waterski Championships, it's no wonder that Emilia was a top player for her age group by the time she was 14 years old.  

She played three seasons of professional volleyball in Europe before deciding to pursue her education, and after a series of delays, she and fellow teammate Alena Piatukhova travelled together to begin their journey at SMU.  

Emilia ends her time with the Huskies as a two-time U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, AUS Most Valuable Player, AUS Championship Most Valuable Player, and a four-time Academic All-Canadian.  

Emilia is also the 2025-2026 Saint Mary's Female Athlete of the Year and the 2025-26 AUS Female Athlete of the Year and is nominated for the 2026 Lois and Doug Mitchell Award as U SPORTS Athlete of the Year. 

She’s leaving SMU with a profound athletic legacy and a BSc in Biology.   

Taylor Lougheed 

Calgary, Alberta-born Taylor came to the Huskies Women’s Volleyball team in 2022 after being named to the 2021 17U Provincial Team and a competition streak with the 18U Lions High Performance Volleyball Club. 

Serving as a setter on the Huskies team, Taylor is wrapping up her time at Saint Mary’s with a very full trophy shelf, having captained the Huskies to back-to-back AUS Championships in 2025-26 and 2024-25. A four-time Academic All-Canadian, Taylor was also named to the 2022-23 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team and was recognized as a 2022-23 AUS All-Star. She was also a 2022 Sobey National Innovator Award recipient.  

In the 2025-26 season, she was a Saint Mary’s Female President’s Award Nominee and received the AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award. She was also a featured Athletics Ambassador with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, and received the prestigious 2025 Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies. 

Taylor crosses the stage this year with a BComm in Accounting.  

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Reid Valade 

Born in Caledon, Ontario, Reid joined the Huskies after a “after a very productive junior career in Kitchener,” where he scored 163 points in 240 regular season games with the Kitchener Rangers. Serving as Assistant Captain for his last two years with that team, he came to Saint Mary’s with a record of success and demonstrated leadership experience on the ice.  

Thriving as a forward and assistant captain with the Huskies Men’s Hockey Team, Reid was named a 2025-26 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian after leading the country in scoring and helping the Huskies to a U SPORTS Silver Medal. He is also a two-time Academic All-Canadian and AUS All-Star. 

Reid is graduating this year with a BComm in Finance.  

Deana Symes 

Born and raised in Sackville, Nova Scotia, Deana Symes BSc’24 is wrapping up her Huskies career as a centre on the Women’s Rugby Team. 

A five-time Academic All-Canadian, Deana is the 2026 recipient of the Student Leadership Recognition Award at Saint Mary’s in addition to receiving the 2025-26 Saint Mary’s Female President’s Award for Academic and Athletic Achievement and boasts a long career of community volunteerism at SMU.  

Working as a Community Food Room volunteer, a Medical Campus Response Team volunteer and a Research Ethics Board member in addition to her varsity commitments, her goals of pursuing a career in the medical field are supported by years of hard work and dedication to her team and to the university at large.   

Deana is graduating with a Masters of Applied Science in Inorganic Chemistry.  

First cohort of Sports Business students prepare to launch their careers

Matthew Lloyd is one of the first students to graduate with the Saint Mary’s Certificate in Sports Business

At Saint Mary’s, preparing students to thrive in agile, competitive careers is a top priority for us—and the Sobey School of Business is one of the faculties leading the charge with innovative programming designed for lucrative, high-demand industries.

Working in tandem with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, the recently unveiled Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Business major was launched last year as part of the Sobey School’s program offerings, with students like Van Bernard coming to SMU specifically for the program. As the only sports business program currently available in Atlantic Canada, we’re committed to developing talent right here at home—giving students the opportunity to build an education that supports their goals.  

The BComm in Sports Business didn’t launch overnight. It started as a Certificate in Sports Business in 2024. It’s still available as a certificate option for students interested in adding it to an existing major, and we’ve heard firsthand from students that it’s a fantastic pairing with other Sobey School programming.

Marketing major Matthew Lloyd is one of the first students set to graduate with the certificate in sports business, and he felt passionate enough about his experience in the program to write a profile of it in the SMU Student Journal.

“I had the option to go out of province for a sports business program, but I wanted to stay in the Maritimes. It aligned perfectly—with the sports business certificate, I was able to get sport-specific education while finishing my degree at Saint Mary’s.”

“The courses required for the certificate—like sports marketing and sports data analytics—have given me extremely relevant experience and allowed me to practice applying my marketing education in sports-specific contexts. ”

— Matthew Lloyd

A longtime fan, Matthew is passionate about every aspect of sports. He played basketball in his youth, and he follows hockey and basketball closely. His dream job would be a marketing role with a team like the Toronto Raptors, and he took full advantage of our sports-related programming, taking that first step toward turning his passion into a lifelong career.  

“Marketing and sports business go hand-in-hand, as sports marketing is a key part of the industry. Between sponsorships, event promotions and broadcast opportunities, having sports-related education under your belt when you graduate gives you a competitive advantage when getting your foot in the door in sports marketing.”  

You don’t have to be planning a career in sports to benefit from taking these courses, Matthew says. Each of the sports business courses—Human Resources in Sports and Sports & Sustainability—give students ample opportunity to apply the learning they do to real-world examples through case studies in the sports industry.

“I feel a lot better entering the job market because of my education at Saint Mary’s than I would otherwise. In addition to the education I received, I’m graduating with work experience. With the co-op program I participated in, I have 12 months of experience across three different organizations, so I have projects I can point to on my resume that give me an advantage in a competitive market.”

Matthew will cross the stage with his cohort of Sobey School of Business graduates on May 27 during Spring Convocation. Soon after, he’ll begin his new role with Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax.

With Sports Business now offered at Saint Mary’s, students who want a clear path to a career in the sports industry are able to set themselves up for success. Whether you’re looking to double major, minor, or add a certificate to your education, Saint Mary’s offers flexible opportunities to prepare students like Matthew for a successful start in their chosen field.

Leading with connection: student-athlete champions mental health at SMU

May 4-10 marks Mental Health Week in Canada and this year the Canadian Mental Health Association is inviting people across the country to “Come Together.” The message is simple but powerful: stronger connections lead to better mental health. 

For Saint Mary’s student Marisa McClocklin, that sense of connection is at the heart of everything she does. From witnessing the impact of mental health challenges among friends and family growing up to recognizing how those challenges often go unspoken in varsity athletics, McClocklin has been driven to create greater access to mental health support for those around her. 

Marisa McClocklin

“Creating spaces where people feel safe, included and understood can shift mental health from something people struggle with privately to something communities address together,” she explains. 

A leader, advocate and varsity athlete, McClocklin has been named this year’s recipient of the David G. Smith Memorial Award. Named in memory of David G. Smith, the award recognizes students whose experiences and endeavours help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness through advocacy, support, lived experience or by uplifting others. 

One of McClocklin’s most significant contributions has been founding the Cam’s Kids Society at Saint Mary’s – a campus chapter connected to Kids Help Phone. What began as a two-person initiative has grown into a network of nearly 30 student ambassadors working to make mental health conversations more visible and approachable. 

“Connection has been one of the most powerful tools I’ve seen in reducing stigma and supporting mental well-being,” she says. “When people feel connected to others, they are more likely to open up, seek support and realize they are not alone.” 

Marisa-McClocklin playing for the SMU Varsity Women’s Hockey Team

Through outreach events, awareness campaigns and peer-led initiatives, the society has created low-pressure, welcoming spaces for students to engage in conversations about mental health. That sense of connection has also extended into the varsity community. As a member of the Saint Mary’s women’s hockey team, McClocklin has seen firsthand how team environments can both challenge and support mental well-being. 

“Having that support system has been a huge factor in helping me expand my advocacy roles,” she says. “It’s also provided a unique space to support my teammates and create a culture where people feel comfortable opening up.” 

Her involvement doesn’t stop there. As a member of the Varsity Athletic Council and an Athletics Ambassador with the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI) and the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, McClocklin works alongside fellow student-athletes to promote education, bystander intervention and overall well-being across the athletics community.

McClocklin credits her experience at Saint Mary’s with helping her turn passion into action. 

“SMU is a place where students are genuinely supported when they want to lead or start something new,” she says. “There is a culture of openness where student ideas are taken seriously, which creates space for students to turn their interests into real initiatives.” 

Marisa McClocklin presenting her honours thesis

Preparing to enter her final year, McClocklin will step into the role of Captain of the Saint Mary’s women’s hockey team in the 2026–27 season. She notes how her experiences across athletics, leadership and advocacy have also shaped her academic and career path. Her Honours thesis in Psychology, “Retired at 22: Surviving Inequity, Imbalance, and Identity Loss in Varsity Athletics,” explores how student-athletes navigate the transition out of sport and the impacts on identity and well-being.  

“This work has strongly influenced my future goals,” McClocklin says, reflecting on the opportunities that set her on this path. “I want to continue supporting individuals, especially athletes, in navigating mental health challenges, performance pressures, and identity, while also working at a systems level to improve access to support.” 

At Saint Mary’s, there are a wide range of health and wellness resources available, along with opportunities for students to get involved in peer support, advocacy and leadership, from The Counselling Centre to the Sexual Violence Support Centre to  student-led societies and individual initiatives. 

“You don’t need a formal role or a perfect plan to make a difference,” McClocklin says. “Mental health advocacy can start in really small, everyday ways through conversations, listening and showing up for others.”

Huskies host top teams for Men’s Hockey University Cup

Photo by Mona Ghiz

SMU Huskies kick off Team Halifax U SPORTS bid

Maritimers have a reputation for hospitality. Hosting visitors is a point of pride for us—from shows, to competitions, to expos and more, we like to create unforgettable experiences for audiences, performers, and teams alike.  

Halifax has hosted major national and international events, including city-wide efforts like the 2024 Junos, the 2018 Pan American Canoe Sprint Championships and the 2015 Canadian Country Music Week & Awards, just to name a few. Every year, we welcome people from around the globe for once-in-a-lifetime experiences made uniquely possible by our vibrant city.  

University sports are no exception to this legacy of excellence, with Halifax being a major player in the university sports world, hosting various varsity championships over the last 50 years.  

With the U SPORTS Men’s Hockey Championships set to take place at Scotiabank Centre March 19-22, Saint Mary’s leads Team Halifax in the first of a multi-year lineup of U SPORTS championships that are set to make waves.  

So, what makes this year unique?  

A brief history of hosting 

In university sports, schools bid to host championships, taking on the task of hosting competing teams and spectators at their facilities while working with local hotels and restaurants to ensure visitors get a taste of the host city.   

Bidding on regional or national championships not only gives student-athletes a professional competition experience, but also involves all areas of athletics in planning, organizing and executing a major sports event—a fantastic opportunity for those looking to make a career in sports business.  

Scott Gray at the U SPORTS press conference in 2024

“For a 20-year span, Halifax played host to the men’s Final 8 basketball tournament here at the Scotiabank Centre, when it was called the Metro Centre. And before that, tournaments were hosted at the Halifax Forum,” says Scott Gray, Director of Athletics & Recreation at Saint Mary’s.

“Halifax has set attendance records in university men’s hockey over the course of the tournament, with upwards of 40,000 attendees across all games. Men’s basketball tournaments have seen similar numbers—in part due to our access to a professional sporting venue like the Scotiabank Centre.”  

This time, instead of a single school taking on the host duties, the Maritimes are doing things a little differently.  

A new era in university sports 

Saint Mary’s University is partnering with Acadia University, Dalhousie University and St. Francis Xavier University to host U SPORTS championships in Halifax for the next three years. SMU is kicking off this Team Halifax approach with this year’s Men’s Hockey University Cup, with each university stepping up as the host team in subsequent years in a collaborative effort to leverage all that the city has to offer.  

Partners at the Team Halifax U SPORTS partnership announcement in 2024: Chris Larsen, President, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic ; Brian Finnis, Acadia, Director of Athletics & Recreation; Cindy Tye, Dalhousie, Athletic Director; Pierre Arseneault, U SPORTS CEO; Scott Gray, Saint Mary's Director of Athletics & Recreation; Leo MacPherson, STFX, Director of Athletics & Recreation. usports.ca

Working together allows Maritime universities to make use of professional venues like the Scotiabank Centre and brings big business to local hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations as participating student-athletes come from across the country to go toe-to-toe in downtown Halifax.  

“This is a professional arena,” says Gray. “It's hosted everything from The Brier and The Scotties to the World Junior Hockey Championships and Professional Women’s Hockey League games this year. This is elevating the university game in a professional setting, for both student-athletes and spectators.” 

Beyond our university partners, SMU will work with the Halifax Regional Municipality, Events Nova Scotia, Events East Group, Discover Halifax and Sports & Entertainment Atlantic for a full-scale sporting experience that offers something for everyone across the city.  

“This joint effort with municipal government, provincial government, professional organizations and our fellow universities is a true example of collaboration. Working with each other to provide a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our athletes is a point of pride, and although we our teams may compete with each other on the court, on the field, or on the ice—we work together in the true spirit of sport to make these experiences great. ”

— Scott Gray

What this means for SMU 

SMU isn’t the only university set to host under this model, but it is the first one up to the plate. Bringing multiple sectors together isn’t for the faint of heart, and whether you’re a diehard fan or haven’t attended a game, there’s no better time to bring your Husky pride to the arena.

“It's an opportunity to be part of something unique,” says Gray. “A National Championship happens once a year, and it’s not always going to be here in Halifax. It’s an experience—seeing a high-level event that you may get to see once in your university career.”  

With the championship rapidly approaching, weekend passes and single-game tickets are on sale now. Saint Mary’s will play their quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m. 

““It’s not about the hockey. It’s about Saint Mary’s.””

— Scott Gray

SMU earned bronze at the 2016 University Cup

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Pre-Game event hosted by SMU Alumni

Thursday, March 19
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Durty Nelly’s, 1645 Argyle St., Halifax

To kick off the U SPORTS Championships, Saint Mary's is taking over Durty Nelly’s ahead of the 7 p.m. puck drop at the Scotiabank Centre. Expect good vibes, giveaways, exclusive prizes, and pub specials before the big game.

Whether you're an alum, a student, a faculty member, a staff member, a family member, or a friend of the SMU community, everyone's welcome to come celebrate. Let's pack the pub and show our Husky spirit.

Single Game Tickets are on sale NOW! Faculty, staff and students receive 20% off all SMU games here. Be sure to click "unlock" and enter code: STDNT20.

Alumni receive 20% off with Promo Code ALUMNI here.

Register for the Alumni Huskies Pre-Game.

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Paralympian Katie Pegg talks student-athlete mental health

Katie Pegg competes in the Women’s Shot Put F46 Final at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France on September 4, 2024. Paralympic.ca

Most students worry about juggling school, work and exams. For Saint Mary’s track and field athlete Katie Pegg, life is similar: managing school, exams and her varsity athletics each term.  

The only difference is, Pegg is a Paralympian, and her schedule also includes high-performance training to compete on the world stage.  

Now in her fourth year as a biology major, Pegg finished seventh in the world in Paris in 2024—her first Paralympic Games. Pegg, who was born with a missing radial bone in her right arm, has been a vocal advocate for young athletes to get into parasports. Her decision to compete under this designation earned her a bronze medal at the 2025 World Para Athletic Championships in New Delhi, India.  

Featured in our lineup of SMU’s Olympians, Pegg adds to our rich history of athletic excellence here at Saint Mary’s, and she refers to her international experience as a “dream come true” for her goals as an athlete.  

So, how does a student-athlete handle the responsibilities that come with balancing a heavy competition schedule with student life? Coming off the heels of Huskies Mental Health week, Pegg gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the reality behind the podium.  

A mental game: training for the world stage 

Pegg’s involvement in shot put at SMU happened quickly—almost by fate; she talked to the right person at the right time to try out. She followed a similar path when she found out she qualified for the Paralympic Games.  

Going from “getting back into shot put” to qualifying for the Paralympics in a matter of months is a big adjustment, especially for someone still in school. Although physical training was a priority for Pegg—especially strength and conditioning—preparation was as much a mental game as a physical one.  

“Preparing for the Paralympics was surreal. Because of how fast my path was through the high-performance environment, we were really dialled in on how best to support my mental preparation for the games.” 

Pegg relied on a myriad of on-campus resources to support her through this career-making athletic opportunity, leaning on her academic advisors, coaches, professors and athletic directors to ensure she could achieve her goals in sport while still succeeding in her education. “It’s nice to know that there are people here at SMU who are ready to support you through every step of the student-athlete journey,” she says. “Even to this very day, they check in with me to tell me I can reach out to them for support with anything I need.” 

With supports in place for her academics and training, Pegg worked hard at creating strategies to manage the pressure that comes with international competition. Reframing her self-talk to honour the process, and not just the win, was key to her pre-game strategy.  

“Early on, I felt like I need to prove myself to others. Now, I focus on showing myself what I can do—and that was a big mindset shift we made as I prepared for international competitions.”

“One of the biggest takeaways going into the world championships was to remove some of the weight I was carrying mentally going into it. ‘It’s just another circle; it’s just another ball.’  I had to keep in mind that it’s another competition and your moments in these events don’t take away the hard work and training you put in ahead of that competition.”

Back to reality: adjusting to life off the pitch  

The high of making the podium at her first Paralympics wore off quickly, and getting back to reality after the games came with its own set of challenges. “Everyone talks about the post-game blues,” says Pegg, “and part of me thought it wouldn’t impact me that badly, but it really did.”  

Post-game blues can take many forms, including playing back and overanalyzing a performance. For Pegg, it manifested as extra pressure on herself to keep performing at that level after the international competitions ended. The aftermath of the season can be just as much of a mental battle as the training period that comes before it.  

“I am still working on how best to manage these stressors and pressures, especially going from the Paralympic Games to going back to our indoor season. I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep performing at that same level, and it was almost as if I didn’t keep performing at that level, people might question how I got to the games in the first place.”  

Pegg has since leaned on her supporters and other resources to develop better strategies for navigating life before, during, and after the games. Managing such a wide variety of stressors requires an agile support system—and she’s found that right here on campus.  

“I found after my second world competition that I was better able to transition back to my normal routine—it was a lot easier on my mental health. I have worked on developing a more robust support group and had better strategies in place for managing that post-competition transition.”  

“It’s really important to develop those relationships with on-campus supports early in your career as a student-athlete. It can feel intimidating to reach out at first but building that relationship early has helped us work together to make sure my education works for me and supports my goals and responsibilities.”

Katie and Assistant Coach Jodi Langley at the AUS Championships in February 2026

That support system paid off at the 2026 Atlantic University Sport Track & Field Championships, where Pegg threw a new personal best of 12.78m, winning a bronze medal and breaking a 43-year-old Saint Mary’s school record.  

Looking ahead to next year, Pegg says she’s found what works for her to manage her health, wellness, and responsibilities. Among other things, she makes sure she has a dedicated schedule and relies on structure to keep everything going while making time for herself. She also crochets in her spare time—a hobby she finds relaxing and restorative in her time away from sport.  

Pegg will now compete at the U SPORTS Track & Field Championships, March 5-7 in Winnipeg, MB. 

Supporting student-athlete mental health

Athlete mental health isn’t just an afterthought here at SMU; it’s at the forefront of our programming and our resources. The Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health is working with student-athletes to build a network of peer-driven resources that follow the mental wellness model that helped Pegg succeed.   

“We believe high performance is mostly a result of individual effort,” says the centre’s managing director, Jacob Glover. “But that effort is most healthy, most manifest, and most sustainable when it is supported by a large network of people who care about the athlete— and in which that athlete can trust. Our work is not about building that network for student-athletes, but about creating the conditions for them to build it themselves.” 

For more about athlete wellness at SMU, follow the centre’s social channels to stay up to date on their Athletics Ambassador’s program, or check out the SMU Huskies website to keep an eye on initiatives like Mental Health Week games. Saint Mary’s students also have access to additional supports, including the Counselling Centre.

Students tackle solutions for gender inequity in pro sports

Dr. Ann Pegoraro, Lang Chair in Sport Management and Full Professor at University of Guelph 

Maura Martina, Facilitator at Canadian Women & Sport

Dr. Annika Voltan, Assistant Professor of Management at SMU

Students from across faculties participated in a case competition tackling gender disparity in professional and collegiate coaching

The Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health hosted its inaugural case competition last fall, bringing industry experts together to let student-athletes pave the way for a new generation of professional coaches.  

Systemic barriers for women in coaching positions still exist, and according to a 2023 report by Women’s Sports Foundation, “women in head coaching positions at the collegiate level had fallen from 90% to 41% since the implementation of Title IX [in the United States].”  

This competition was born out of a clear and necessary mission: to give students and student-athletes a dedicated space to tackle ongoing gender disparity in professional and collegiate coaching. This wasn’t just an academic exercise; it was a chance for the next generation of leaders to make a direct, tangible impact on the industry they love. 

The competition 

Dr. Annika Voltan of Saint Mary’s University, Dr. Ann Pegoraro from the University of Guelph and Maura Martina of Canadian Women & Sport briefed students on the case and provided the foundational insights needed to navigate the complex realities of gender inequality in professional coaching.  

This thorough brief ensured that when the competition day arrived, the solutions presented were grounded in real-world knowledge and experience.  

Taking the top spot with their pitch was "The Five R's," composed of Sophie Scully, Jill Duggan, Ashley Penney, Kara MacLean, Keyara Nelson and Leslie McLean.  

“We propose that the AUS help address systemic barriers affecting the underrepresentation of women in coaching and leadership roles by creating an AUS-wide assistant coach apprenticeship that prioritizes the recruitment of varsity women and alumnae seeking to further their education.

In this program, we envision collaborative work between the faculty of graduate studies at AUS schools and their athletic departments to provide cohorts of 10-12 graduating student athletes the opportunity to be mentored as assistant coaches while completing a master’s degree at their respective schools. Our mission aligns directly with the AUS mission: creating extraordinary, personal, and memorable student-athlete experiences – the kind that build belonging.”

“We envision a future where young women watching the bench can look at the staff and finally see themselves there too, not by exception but by expectation.”

— The Five R's team

Team The Five R’s took first place in the pitch competition

They were followed by "HERizon" in second place, featuring Charlie DaFonseca, Reid Valade, William Thompson, Mathew MacDougall and Josh Wainman, who created a solution that brought support pieces such as childcare stipends, scholarships and paid work experience into the fold.  

“Our two-year program combines rotational coaching experience, mentorship, NCCP training and access to a regional Women in Coaching Network.” 

Third place went to the team "LeadHER Atlantic", represented by Taylor Lougheed, Marisa McClocklin, Mackenzie Beggs, Jacquline Moore and Lianne Rogers. 

“Our team proposed a coaching certification and leadership advancement pathway designed to elevate women in sport. Within five years, the program aims for all women student-athletes to graduate with entry-level coaching certification in their respective sports, while each female varsity team is paired with a community woman mentor.” 

Team HERizon took second place

Team LeadHER Atlantic took third place

One of the Centre’s benefactors, Leslie McLean, was on-site to award the prizes. Key members from SMU’s Athletics & Recreation department, the Faculty of Arts, the Sobey School of Business, and local and provincial sport organizations participated on the adjudication panel.  

Looking ahead 

By inviting student-athletes into the conversation, the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health bridged the gap between those who play the game and those who will eventually manage it–demonstrating the importance of having a diverse range of voices at the table where industry-changing decisions are made.  

To get involved with sports-business initiatives that have a real impact on the world, connect with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health and check out our Sports Business program. 

Going for gold: Shining the spotlight on Saint Mary’s Olympians

Saint Mary’s has a history of excellence in athletics, and the accomplishments of our athletes extend far beyond Huskies stadium.  

Along with winning championships and producing Academic All-Canadians in spades, SMU students—past and present—have contributed heavily to Team Canada’s Olympic effort in a wide range of sports.  

As elite athletes gather for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, we compiled a list of our own impressive Huskies with Olympic ties. From athletes to coaches, broadcasters and more, we are proud to celebrate our alumni and students’ athletic achievements.

Photo: CBC

Steve Armitage BA’68 DCL’09

Armitage is a fundamental part of Canada’s sporting history. During his time at Saint Mary’s, he served as a quarterback for the Huskies Football team while commentating for the CBC Halifax late-night sports slot. His career included a 38-year stint with CBC Sports, where he covered 13 Olympic Games, and, among other accolades, was nominated for a Gemini Award in 1998 for his work covering speed skating at the Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. Armitage's last Olympic appearance was at the 2022 Beijing Games.  

He received an Honorary Doctorate from Saint Mary’s in 2009 to honour his longtime commitment to professional excellence.  

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Photo: CBC

Signa Butler BA’96 

An athlete-turned-sports-broadcaster, Signa Butler knew from an early age that she’d pursue a career in sports. Growing up as a multi-sport athlete in soccer, basketball, gymnastics and field hockey, she ended up playing for the Huskies Women’s Soccer team during her incredible five years at SMU. Butler joined the CBC in 2000 and has covered 12 Olympic Games as a play-by-play commentator. She is one of the only women broadcasters to cover nearly every sport on the network.  We’ll hear her again during the upcoming 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy.  

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Photo: Olympics.ca

Andrew Russell MBA’14 

Now Chief Growth Officer (CGO) at Made with Local, the Dartmouth, NS-born Russell was a member of the Canadian Team at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, where he competed in Canoe/Kayak racing. He achieved Canada's best-ever combined results in the C-2 1000m and 500m events, placing fifth and sixth , respectively.  

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Dylan Di Perna BComm’20 

After a stunning career with the SMU Men’s Hockey team, Ontario-born Di Perna is making his Olympic debut representing Team Italy in the upcoming 2026 Winter Games in Milan. This will be Italy's first return to Olympic hockey since 2006.

Photo: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Jamie Bone BComm’89 

A legendary wheelchair sprinter and Paralympian, Bone dominated the 1988 Seoul Paralympics, where he was the only Nova Scotian on the Canadian team. Winning three gold medals (100m, 200m, and 400m) and setting multiple world and Paralympic records, Bone’s Olympic record eventually led him to being inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1997.  

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Photo: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Jackie Barrett BComm’98 

A prolific powerlifter known as the "Newfoundland Moose," Barrett finished his career with 20 gold medals and 13 first-place finishes at the World Special Olympics. In his last year of competition, he set three Special Olympics records, lifting a combined 1,272.5 kg across the squat, deadlift, and triple combination events. He made history in 2021 as the first Special Olympics athlete inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. 

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Photo: Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press

Kori Cheverie BA’12  

An alumna of the SMU Huskies Women’s Hockey team, Kori Cheverie served as an assistant coach for Team Canada during its gold-medal run at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She returns with fellow alum Troy Ryan to coach Team Canada again in 2026, an achievement highlighted by SMU’s Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, which aims to support women in high-level coaching positions.

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Photo: CBC

Katie Pegg (Current student) 

Current biology major and Paralympian Katie Pegg stunned in her first Paralympic games, bringing home Bronze in shotput for Team Canada in Paris in 2024. Finishing seventh in the world, Pegg—who was born with a missing radial bone in her right arm—had an eight-year football career as a defensive lineman before getting back into shotput here at Saint Mary’s.  

SMU Huskies basketball alumna receives prestigious award in Ottawa

Clara Gascoigne BComm’23 MBA’25 leading the Huskies to greatness during her time on the court

Clara Gascoigne’s time at Saint Mary’s was anything but ordinary.

Breaking records in the classroom and on the court, the Sobey School of Business graduate made a name for herself as one of the most decorated players in U SPORTS women’s basketball, earning accolades like U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year and AUS Most Valuable Player, while leading the Huskies to three straight AUS Championships.

Academically, she’s just as talented, earning five U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian selections and several scholarships.

Her road to success was carved through years of hard work, exemplary leadership and grit, culminating in her being recognized as a Top 8 Academic All-Canadian last week in Ottawa, Ontario.

Putting the “student” in “student-athlete”

Student-athletes have a unique blend of responsibilities as they balance study schedules and exams with training and competition. Reaching the top in both categories is difficult, and U SPORTS Top 8 recognition is a mark of that incredible achievement.

The Top 8 distinction represents the highest individual academic honour bestowed by U SPORTS, as student-athletes must maintain an academic average of 80 per cent or higher while continuing to compete in their chosen sport. From that group of high-achieving, high-performing athletes, only eight are selected annually to represent this dual achievement. See the 2024-2025 cohort of Top 8 Academic All-Canadians here.

Gascoigne represented Atlantic Canada over two days of recognition and celebration, earning private tours of the Senate and the House of Commons, as well as a Parliament Reception and a meeting with the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. She also met with Shannon Miedema, Member of Parliament for Halifax.

“I got the call that I had won just before Christmas. I feel very honoured and humbled to have been chosen.”

— Clara Gascoigne on being chosen as a Top 8 Academic All-Canadian

A group of Top 8 Academic All-Canadians were recognized at an event in Ottawa in January 2025. Credit: Michael P. Hall

Clara Gascoigne accepts her Top 8 Academic All-Canadian award. Credit: Michael P. Hall

Top 8 student-athletes were invited to the Senate and House of Commons. Credit: Michael P. Hall.

This experience isn’t just another feather in Gascoigne’s cap: it represents a journey of growth and evolution unique to the student-athlete experience she had at SMU.  

Journey to the top

Gascoigne’s road to academic success started during the first year of her Bachelor of Commerce – but not how you’d expect.

“The first couple of weeks can be slow, and you’re really enjoying the university experience – so it kind of lulls you into a more relaxed rhythm that changes very, very quickly once you get to midterm season,” she says. Between adapting to the increased time-management needs of university, adjusting to life outside of high school, and juggling training and game schedules on top of that, she was in for a shock when that first mid-term season came around.

“I remember I didn’t get the grades I wanted in that first set of mid-terms, and I immediately recognized that was completely self-inflicted.”

Gascoigne leaned on the resources available to her at SMU and took great advice from her coaches, classmates and teammates to get back on track academically.

“I feel like this is an experience a lot of people can relate to in their first year, and as a student-athlete, that experience was amplified by my training schedule and game commitments.”

“Time management was a very necessary skill to balance my academics with my athletics, and I felt very strongly about leading by example. I wanted to set a standard for our team and put an emphasis on the ‘student’ in ‘student-athlete’ – which is something I think SMU does really well.”

Learning to manage her time and energy was essential to her success. As she grew into her role as Team Captain, she made a point of modelling those systems for her teammates – a trait that has stayed with her after completing her Master of Business Administration in May 2025.  

Life after sport

Although Gascoigne hasn’t touched a basketball since graduation, she continues to draw on her student-athlete experience in her work with Doane Grant Thornton Halifax, a job she secured in part through her robust education with the Sobey School of Business.

“Being a team player and understanding how to work collaboratively towards a common goal is a great skill to bring to the job market – and it’s a skill you build in spades as a student-athlete.”

With her BComm and MBA behind her, her eye is already on her next prize as she works towards her official designation as a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Once she’s made a name for herself in the workforce, she intends to return to sports as a coach — leading the next generation of athletes to follow in her footsteps.

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Related:

• 2024-25 Huskies Athletic Awards Night: Gascoigne, Gentile named Athletes of the Year

• Clara Gascoigne earns 2025 James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award

• Clara Gascoigne named U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Canadian

• Clara Gascoigne named AUS Women's Basketball MVP & DPOY

• Women's Athletics leading the pack at SMU

Watch: U SPORTS 2025 Women’s Defensive Player of the Year: Clara Gascoigne

SMU Huskies continue campus tradition with upcoming Red Tape hockey games

SMU Huskies players put red tape on their hockey sticks as a visual statement against racism in sport.

Saint Mary’s University has a deep connection with the Red Tape movement.  

The movement began in 2019, when former SMU student Logan Prosper—of We'koqma'q First Nation—was on the receiving end of racial abuse during a minor hockey game in Cape Breton (Unama’ki). Logan, and his father Phillip Prosper, started what is now an internationally recognized statement against racism, wherein hockey players wrap their sticks with red tape as a sign of solidarity with athletes in all levels of hockey.  

The movement picked up quickly, as athletes across Canada spoke out about their experiences with racism in the sport, noting the generational impact of the issue and the effect it continues to have—especially on Indigenous youth.  

SMU Huskies were early adopters of the movement, launching their first Red Tape game in January 2020 in support of the Prospers’ vision. Five years later, Saint Mary’s continues to host Red Tape games in solidarity with athletes across Canada and the world, and this year is no different.  

Former SMU Husky Erin Denny BSc’25 hits the ice at one of last year’s Red Tape games.

This year, Ryan Francis (Saint Mary’s first Indigenous Visiting Fellow) is once again working together with Athletics & Recreation and the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health to organize the Red Tape events on Saturday, November 22.  

Francis grew up in Cole Harbour—an area known for its hockey history—and is from Wasoqopa'q First Nation. He’s had his own experiences with racism during his time in hockey, and he has done exemplary work to address systemic barriers in the sport, including launching the Indigenous Girls Hockey Program, a program that sees him working closely with former SMU Husky Erin Denny BSc’25. 

Francis also founded the Genevieve Francis Memorial Fund, an organization that “[provides financial support] to communities, and charities in Atlantic Canada who lead initiatives that create opportunities for Indigenous women and girls to experience sport, recreation, and physical activity in a meaningful way.” 

This Saturday, November 22, Saint Mary’s will host two games – one with the women’s hockey team and one with the men’s hockey team – to raise awareness of the movement. The Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health will also be hosting a draw for six copies of Beyond the Rink to encourage attendees to examine the “complicated role of sports in residential school histories.”  

“What makes this matter is the ongoing commitment and recognition of this cause,” says Francis. “Showing up every year and saying that this matters and that this is a priority for the athletic community is a key part of how the university creates [more inclusive space for Indigenous athletes.]”  

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To support the movement by attending our Red Tape Games, see the Huskies website here: Saint Mary's Huskies - Universe  

For more about the Genevieve Francis Memorial Fund, see the website at Home | GFMF.