Mark Jesney of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. January Athlete of the Month Award.

Jesney won the gold medal in the men’s 5000 metre Canada Cup 1 speed skating race in Calgary on Jan. 6. There were over 200 athletes from eight provinces and two countries and Jesney competed against 86 in his category. He was nominated by the Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association.

The 16-year-old speed skater from Regina earned gold medals in the women’s 100m, 500m and team pursuit at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, YK. Hudey competed against 28 athletes from eight provinces. She was nominated by the Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association.

The other nominees were: Shannon Phillips, Regina, taekwon-do; the Provincial Women’s Curling Champions; and Janine Polischuk, Regina, athletics.

Tiffany Dodds, 21, of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. March Athlete of the Month Award. She earned this distinction after helping her University of Alberta volleyball team capture the gold medal at the CIS Championships.

Her performance also earned her the CIS Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year, CIS Championship MVP, Canada West MVP, and CIS – VIR Female Athlete of the Week. The University of Alberta team was also named 1st Team All-Canadian out of eight teams. Dodds was nominated by the Saskatchewan Volleyball Association.

The other nominees were: Junior National Basketball Team; Daniel Olver, Saskatoon, wrestling; Neal Zaluski, Moose Jaw, speed skating; Janine Polischuk, Regina, athletics; Colette Bourgonje, Saskatoon, cross country skiing/biathlon; Jessica Guenther, Saskatoon, synchro; Justin Duong, Regina, Special Olympics; Jayd Lukenchuk, Saskatoon, gymnastics; Chelsea Stone, Regina, taekwondo; Brit Robson, Saskatoon, swimming; and David Mitchell, Moose Jaw, lacrosse.

The Prince Albert Mintos Hockey Club is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. April Athlete of the Month Award.

Led by head coach Tim Leonard, the Mintos won the Telus Cup as the top AAA midget team in the country. The team went undefeated through five playoff games before winning the semi-final and final games. This is the second consecutive championship for the team and the first time in history that a national midget team has won back-to-back titles in the league’s 29 year history. The Mintos were nominated by the Saskatchewan Hockey Association.

The other nominees were: Ringette Stingers; Nikole Todd, Regina, squash; and Mike and Fiona Vincent, Regina, canoe/kayak.

Jayd Lukenchuk of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. May Athlete of the Month Award.

Lukenchuk, 16, a member of the Junior National Team, recently competed in his 7th Canadian National Gymnastics Championships, where he won a gold, three silver and one bronze medals. He took first all around in rings, parallel bars, vault and high bar events. During the competition, he competed against 18 athletes from seven provinces. His strong performances have earned him a spot at the Senior Men’s Event Finals and the Pan American Games that will take place in Brazil this July. Lukenchuk was nominated by Gymnastics Saskatchewan.

The other nominee was Kris Odegard, Saskatoon, racquetball.

Ilana Duff of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. May Athlete of the Month Award.

A member of the Saskatoon Cyclones Road and Track Club, Duff, 21, achieved two International Paralympic Committee qualifying times for the Beijing Paralympics in the 100 metre and the 400 metre. Her accomplishments took place at the European Wheelchair Championships Swiss Selection Meet World Series in Prattein and Oensingen, Switzerland. She won the 100m, was sixth in the 400m and was second in the 200m. She also set a Canadian record in the 400m. Due to these accomplishments, Duff will compete at the Boiling Point Wheelchair Track Classic, followed by the National Development Camp and the Canadian Track and Field Championships. She was nominated by the Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association.

The other nominee was Andrew Knorr, Saskatoon, rowing.

Brianne Theisen

Brianne Theisen of Humboldt is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. July Athlete of the Month Award.

Theisen, 19, captured gold in the Heptathlon event at the Pan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil. During the competition, she set a Saskatchewan Native/Open record, which was also her personal best time. At the end of July, Theisen competed at the Canadian Junior Championships in Abbotsford, BC where she won her second consecutive gold medal in the Heptathlon event with a score of 5,167 points.

The other nominees were: Alicia Larken and Kiera West, baton twirling; Kia Byers, canoe/kayak; Kendra Chernoff, swim; Alexandra Wrubleski, cycling; John Haver, rowing;

Jacqueline Rennebohm

Jacqueline Rennebohm of Regina is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. August Athlete of the Month Award.

Rennebohm, 18, won a gold medal in the 400 m freestyle and a silver medal in the 200 m individual medley at the Para Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She also finished fifth in the 50 m freestyle. Rennebohm was nominated by Swim Saskatchewan.

The other nominees were: Sundown Optimist Buffalo Gals, baton twirling; Lindsay Kinnear, Lumsden, Special Olympics; Team Saskatchewan Under 15 Basketball Team; Rachael Edwards, Saskatoon, triathlon; Mitch Novlan, Paradise Hill; water ski; and Andrea Bunnin, Saskatoon, cycling.

Carol Lafayette-Boyd

Carol Lafayette-Boyd, 65, of Regina is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. September Athlete of the Month Award.

At the World Master Track and Field Championships in Riccione, Italy, Lafayette-Boyd won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and long jump and a bronze in the 4 x 100m relay. She set new provincial records in the 100m, 200m and long jump and a world record in the 200m. Lafayette-Boyd was nominated by Saskatchewan Athletics.

The other nominees were: Alexandra Wrubleski, Regina, cycling; and Shannon Comerford, Saskatoon, fencing.

Michael Qing

Michael Qing, 15, of Regina is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. October Athlete of the Month Award.

At the Special Olympic World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, Qing won three silver medals in the 400m free, 200m individual medley, and 200m breaststroke. The Games brought together over 7500 athletes from more than 150 countries.

Qing is currently training to compete at the upcoming CanAm Disability Championships taking place in Victoria, BC. He was nominated by Special Olympics Saskatchewan Inc. and Swim Saskatchewan Inc.

The other nominee was Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swieger, Kennedy, figure skating.

Saskatoon Hilltop Football Club

After finishing second in the six-team Prairie Football Conference (PFC), the Saskatoon Hilltop Football Club defeated the Regina Thunder in the PFC Semi-Final. The Hilltops then defeated the Edmonton Wildcats to capture the PFC title. At the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) Canadian Bowl Championship, the Hilltops defeated the St. Leonard Cougars to win their 13th national championship. The Hilltops were nominated by Football Saskatchewan.

The other nominee was Melanie Brockman, 25, Saskatoon, nominated by Ringette Saskatchewan. Brockman is the only Saskatchewan athlete to make Team Canada’s ringette playing roster.

Andrew Makosiej

At the 2007 Scotia Bank Prairie Winter International in Winnipeg, Makosiej, 14, won gold in the 200 Free, the 1,500 Free, the 200 IM and the 400 IM. He also won three silver medals in the 400 Free and the 100 and 200 Fly, and placed fourth in the 100 Back. Makosiej set a Meet Record and a provincial record in the 13 and 14 Male 400 Free. In all eight events, Makosiej set a personal best. Fifty athletes participated in Makosiej's level at the competition. Makosiej's results qualify him to compete at the 2008 Western Canadian Championships in Victoria. He was nominated by Swim Saskatchewan Inc.

The other nominees were: Lucas Makowsky, Regina, speed skating; and Kendra Schaaf, Craven, athletics.