Dalhousie's Daniel You wins 2012 James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - At a special presentation during the 58th Annual Dalhousie University Black & Gold Athletic Banquet this evening, Atlantic University Sport announced that Dalhousie men's volleyball player Daniel You is the 2012 recipient of the 26th annual James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award presented by Pepsi Beverages Company.

Marg Bayer, wife of the late James Bayer, and Mr. Phil Currie, executive director of Atlantic University Sport were on hand to make the presentation.

"Daniel is a student-athlete who exemplifies all the outstanding qualities that James Bayer lived his life by," commented Currie, a member of the three-person selection committee. "His commitment and dedication to excellence - academically, in the community and on the volleyball court, make him the ideal recipient of Atlantic University Sport's most prestigious award. This award embodies those principles and values and Daniel is a very deserving recipient."

You, a 6-foot-7 middle blocker in his fourth year of eligibility, ranked second in AUS blocking this season with 1.10 per game. He also finished in the top 10 in AUS scoring (2.29 points per game), kills (1.55 per game) and was selected by the coaches as a conference all-star for the first time in his career.

Daniel, a native of Calgary, Alta., was also named the 2011-12 recipient of the AUS men's volleyball student-athlete community service award and was nominated for the CIS Dale Iwanoczko award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in volleyball, academics and community involvement.

You, who was also the 2010-11 Dalhousie nominee for the James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award, was recognized last year as the Atlantic conference's top Academic All-Canadian and was selected to represent the conference as a Top Eight CIS Academic All-Canadian.

A biology student planning to pursue a career in medicine, You has achieved a cumulative grade point average of 4.25 out of 4.3 since arriving on the Halifax campus including a perfect 4.3 in 2010-11. Already a three-time Academic All-Canadian and Dean's List member, he has earned a number of academic distinctions including the Biology Department Scholarship, the Dalhousie University President's Award and the Best Summer Student Scientific Abstract Award.

In the community, You volunteers weekly as a clinic assistant at the Halifax IWK Orthopedic Clinic, is a tutor for first year Dalhousie students through Students Offering Support (SOS), is a member of League of Volunteers Extraordinaire (LOVE) in Calgary and volunteered at various Kidsport events this past summer, also in his Alberta hometown. He also shares his passion for his sport as a coach with the Tigers Volleyball Club in Halifax and the Elite West Volleyball Club in Calgary, and is the men's volleyball representative on the Dalhousie Varsity Sport Council.

"Daniel exemplifies everything that we value in our program. He has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in all aspects of student-athlete life - academics, sport and being a leader in the community," said Dalhousie head coach Dan Ota. "I am most proud of how he has been able to find balance in all of those things, and he will be sorely missed when he graduates after this season."

Each year, the 11 AUS member schools nominate one student-athlete for this prestigious award. As this year's recipient, Daniel receives a $1,000 scholarship.

Also nominated were Acadia's Lindsay Harris, Cape Breton's Robbyn McNeill, Memorial's Victoria Ralph, Moncton's Sigourney Stott, Mount Allison's Stuart McAdam, UNB's Heather Ambery, UPEI's Sara Stewart, StFX's Zachary MacDonald, Neil Conway from Saint Mary's and Kayla Blackmore from St. Thomas University. Each of the nominees receive a $500 scholarship award.

The James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award was established in 1985 and is awarded annually to an outstanding student-athlete in Atlantic University Sport for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship.

James Bayer taught education and physical education at both high school and university levels. He served as supervisor and consultant for the Nova Scotia Department of Culture, Recreation and Fitness. At Acadia University, he served as dean of recreation and physical education and as director of athletics from 1978-1985. As an administrator in the AUAA and the CIAU, he was a key player in the establishment of intercollegiate athletic policy.

This memorial scholarship is the most prestigious award offered annually by Atlantic University Sport.

Previous recipients the James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award:

1987 - Greg Berry, StFX University, Soccer; Caroline Lulham, Mount Allison University, Volleyball
1988 - Gunnhildur Baldursson, Acadia University, Soccer
1989 - Jackie Wong, Mount Allison University, Volleyball / Soccer
1990 - Augy Jones, St. Francis Xavier University, Basketball
1991 - Heather Morrison, University of Prince Edward Island, Field Hockey
1992 - Keith Donovan, Dalhousie University, Basketball
1993 - David Sykes, Saint Mary's University, Football
1994 - Kathy McNally, University of Prince Edward Island, Field Hockey
1995 - Scott Bagnell, Dalhousie University, Volleyball
1996 - Carla Edwards, Mount Allison University, Volleyball
1997 - Chris Diamond, University of Prince Edward Island, Soccer
1998 - Peter Benoite, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Basketball
1999 - Jan Trojanowski, Acadia University, Basketball
2000 - Kristen Lewis, Dalhousie University, Cross Country
2001 - Jillian MacDonald, Dalhousie University, Basketball
2002 - Louis Poirier, Université de Moncton, Track & Field
2003 - Dan Tudin, Dalhousie University, Hockey
2004 - Eric Gillis, St. Francis Xavier University, Cross Country
2005 - Adrienne Power, Dalhousie University, Track & Field
2006 - David Chant, Saint Mary's University, Hockey
2007 - Colin Sinclair, University of New Brunswick, Hockey
2008 - Katherine Quackenbush, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Basketball
2009 - Isabelle Miles, University of New Brunswick, Soccer
2010 - Alex Legge, Dalhousie University, Basketball
2011 - Jacob Kilpatrick, University of New Brunswick, Volleyball
2012 - Daniel You, Dalhousie University, Volleyball