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MacEachern, Fanning named Rams athletes of the year

Many different ingredients go into the recipe of success.

Craig MacEachern and Samantha Fanning seem to have figured out the formula as the pair prepare to graduate this spring from the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture on the Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill. Not only will they be earning degrees in their respective fields of study, but they’ll also walk away with male and female athletes of the year honours tucked under their arms.

“It’s pretty awesome,” MacEachern, a 21-year-old Valley resident and member of the Rams soccer team said. “There are a lot of good athletes at the school so to be recognized among the top of them is certainly…I don’t know…just awesome.”

Both were recognized at the campus’ recent athletic awards banquet. Fanning, a 22-year-old Bible Hill resident was presented her award after another standout season with the Rams women’s volleyball squad, which narrowly missed the ACAA championship tournament with a 9-12 record.

Fanning led the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and was third in the nation with 326 digs in 77 sets this season, 15 more than teammate Thea McLachlin. The five-foot-nine left side’s 255 kills slotted her third in the eight-team conference with a 3.3 kills per set average. Camille Martinez of the Sainte Anne Dragons led the way at 3.6. Fanning was fifth nationally in that category.

In spite of her strong numbers, Fanning, who studies International Food Business, said she was still surprised to receive the honour.

“I really wasn’t expecting it,” she said. “I was screaming on the inside.”

MacEachern, a centre midfielder, captained the men’s soccer team to a 3-9 record. He was fourth in team scoring with a pair of goals in 12 matches. But his greatest contribution to his team couldn’t be measured in statistics.

“I just always gave 100 per cent and tried to encourage the younger guys,” MacEachern, who is about to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology in Applied Science, said. “I just tried to bring a good attitude and work ethic and lead by example.”

MacEachern and Fanning led a list of 18 Chignecto Central Regional School Board graduates who picked up hardware at the event. Overall, Rams teams featured the names of 43 CCRSB alumni in 2014-15, with 22 of those coming from Truro’s Cobequid Educational Centre. The numbers aren’t a surprise to either MacEachern or Fanning. Based on their own experience, the campus provided them an excellent opportunity to start their post secondary education while also allowing them to pursue their athletic passions. It also gave them a chance to ease into the waters of post secondary education while remaining close to home.

“A lot of people like it because there are a lot of options here,” Fanning said of the campus. “You can stay at home, save some money and get the same education as a bigger university. Then, if you want, you can transfer your courses to bigger schools. And there are a lot of options here athletically as well.”

MacEachern said both the school’s athletic and academic programs are set up to help students like him succeed. Small class sizes, he said, make professors more accessible while the school’s coaching staff has been busy trying to build its teams into contenders.

“It’s amazing the difference the small class sizes make,” MacEachern said. “I wouldn’t change anything if I had to do it over again.”