Rams soccer player Sian Rankin nets national student‑athlete award

For as long as she can remember, Sian Rankin has loved to score goals.

That passion for hitting the net has driven the 20-year-old Dalhousie Rams soccer player to new heights this season as she has been named a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadian — the highest student-athlete honour the organization bestows.

She was presented with the award, given to two players in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) after a vote of coaches from across the seven-team league, at the 2016 CCAA Women’s Soccer All-Canadian Banquet held on November 8  in conjunction with the National Championship Tournament.

“It’s really cool to know that the coaches thought of me as one of the strongest players in the league,” the Edmonton, Alta., native said. “It’s a really cool honour and I’m really excited about it.”

Almost as excited as she gets when she beats an opposing goalkeeper.

Rankin, a striker, pumped 15 goals into opposition nets in just 12 games this season. Her performance, which gave her a share of the league lead, helped the Rams to their best finish in years. Dalhousie AC posted a 5-7 record – after finishing 3-8-1 (W-L-T) a year ago – to slot fifth and miss a berth in the conference championship by just one point.

“She brings explosive speed and the ability to finish,” Rams coach Jackie Ryan said. “As a team, we really depend on her to lead the offence.”

Rankin’s numbers are even more impressive when you dig a little deeper. When Rankin is on she is nearly unstoppable, collecting those 15 tallies in just eight matches. As a team, the Rams scored 23 times, making her responsible for about two-thirds of their offensive output. She also added 19 assists for 34 points, also tops in the ACAA.

Rankin showed a glimpse of the future as a rookie last season, placing second in the conference with 12 goals and 24 points for the first of her two ACAA first team all-star honours.

“She is an exceptional soccer player,” said Judy Smith, Dalhousie AC athletic director. “She has the ability to take the ball at full speed, with control, beat defenders and take a calculated strike to score. She’s very deserving of the award.”

Although she admits she’s always had a knack for finding the back of the net since she started playing as a five-year-old, Rankin was quick to credit the Rams for providing her with an environment to succeed.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work in practice every day but my teammates and coaches are what helped me accomplish what I did this season,” she said.

The second-year bio-veterinary science student still has three more years of eligibility with the Rams and Rankin can’t wait to see what kind of damage they can do in the future.

“We definitely improved a lot this year and I’m really looking forward to the next couple of years.”