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Mixed team wins ACAC title for third time in four years

(March 2, 2010 – Vermilion, Alberta) Neil Bratrud wrapped up his golden collegiate curling career with one more gold medal.

Competing in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championships in Camrose on the weekend, Bratrud skipped Lakeland College’s mixed rink of Alicia Barker, Reid Johnston, Adelle Clark and alternate Dexter Lethbridge to the title. The team defeated Concordia University College of Alberta 6-5 in an extra end to claim the championship Sunday.

For Bratrud, a bachelor of commerce student at the Lloydminster campus, the win marked his second consecutive mixed title. He previously won two men’s championships with Lakeland and one with NAIT. This was the final year of ACAC eligibility for Bratrud who is from Bawlf, Alta.

The team went into the finals ranked third out of the four mixed teams participating but coach Peter Wilkinson said he believed Lakeland’s lone entry at the championships would be tough to beat. “We went 2-4 in the fall regional and then we made a few player changes. The team went 5-1 in the winter regional and then undefeated at the championships. They just kept getting stronger. They made the shots they had to make,” he said.

This is the third mixed championship in four years for Lakeland. Bratrud and Barker of Makwa, Sask. were named skip and third respectively on the mixed all-star team. Barker is a professional accounting student. Johnston of Fort St. John, BC is an environmental conservation and reclamation student, Clark of Westlock, Alta., is a first year business administration student, and Lethbridge of Limerick, Sask., is in the first year of the agribusiness program.

Lindsay Makichuk, a member of Lakeland’s women’s rink and a bachelor of commerce student, received the Charles (Chuck) Mortar Award. Voted on by the ACAC curling coaches, the award is presented to a player who exemplifies sportsmanship, dedication, passion and promotion of the sport of curling. Makichuk also won the award in 2008. Last month Makichuk of Lloydminster competed in the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“Lindsay is really well liked in the sport. She’s so friendly and such a talent. She’s been a pleasure to coach,” said Wilkinson.