(L-R) Justine Larson – Queens Indoor Track and Daniel Szucs – Kings Indoor Track. (RDP Athletics)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Athletes of the Week

Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics update

Feb 23, 2022 | 11:00 AM

Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics is proud to announce the RDP Athletes of the Week:

1. Justine Larson – Queens Indoor Track

Hometown – Strathmore, Alberta. Bachelor of Education Elementary (1st year)

First-year Justine Larson played a key role in helping the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Indoor Track team earn first place at Running Room Grand Prix #2 (52 points).

Larson, along with Kammy Park, Halle Reid and Lauren Pasiuk, comprised the Queens 4 x 200 m relay team (1:55.29) that captured top spot and set a new Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) record at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The four student-athletes were also members of the fastest women’s 4 x 400 m relay team (4:28.97).

ADAP and AISH

Red Deer city councillor brings forward notice of motion seeking pause on disability program

41m ago

EHS

Province extends deadline for City of Red Deer to decide future of ambulance services

2h ago

April 2025 Incident

One of two sentenced in central Alberta home invasion involving firearm

6h ago

The Bachelor of Education Elementary student also performed well individually which helped contribute to the Queens’ overall team points. Larson placed second in the women’s 1,500 m (5:30.63) and third in the women’s 1,000 m (3:20.25), less than a second behind second place Taylor Chamberlin (3:19.50) of Concordia.

Impressively, Strathmore’s Larson played for the Queens Basketball team Friday night, competed at Running Room Grand Prix #2 throughout Saturday and joined the basketball squad that evening for a 6 p.m. game.

Larson and the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Indoor Track will now prepare for the ACAC Indoor Track Championships from March 26-27.

2. Daniel Szucs – Kings Indoor Track

Hometown – Lacombe, Alberta. Bachelor of Business Administration General Management (3rd year)

Daniel Szucs was an important member of the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Indoor Track team this past Saturday at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The talented third-year runner helped his squad place first at ACAC Running Room Grand Prix #2 with 60 team points.

The Bachelor of Business Administration General Management student was a member of the Kings 4 x 400 m relay team (Devin Saunders, Kevin Edmondson and Ethan Duret) that finished with the fastest time (3:47.01).

Individually, Szucs captured top spot in the men’s 1,500 m (4:13.82) and 3,000 m finals (9:10.95). Each first place finish contributed 10 points to the Kings’ total.

Lacombe’s Szucs and the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Indoor Track team will now focus on the ACAC Indoor Track Championships from March 26-27.

This Week in Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

This week the Kings and Queens Basketball teams will tip-off against the Ambrose University Lions. The RDP Queens Hockey team will face-off against the SAIT Trojans in a home-and-home series and Kings Hockey will compete against the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings.

Tickets can be purchased online.

Here is a summary of what is happening this week:

Queens Hockey | Friday, February 25 | 7 pm | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The first place Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team (8-2-1) will host the fourth seed SAIT Trojans (1-10-0). The Queens have the top penalty kill (94.9%), lowest goals against average (0.99) and best save percentage (0.963) in the league.

The RDP Queens have qualified for the playoffs.

Queens Hockey | Saturday, February 26 | 7 pm | SAIT

The Queens will face-off against the Trojans in Calgary.

Kings Hockey | Friday, February 25 | 7:30 pm | University of Alberta Augustana

The third seed Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Hockey team (8-3-2-1) will battle the fifth place University of Alberta Augustana Vikings (4-7-2-0) in Camrose. The RDP Kings have the second best offence (four goals per game) and penalty kill (83.7%) in ACAC Men’s Hockey.

The Kings have sealed third place and home ice advantage in the upcoming best-of-three quarter-final.

Kings Hockey | Saturday, February 26 | 7 pm | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

In a rematch, the RDP Kings will host the Vikings at Red Deer Polytechnic to finish the regular season.

Queens Basketball | Friday, February 25 | 6 pm | Ambrose University

The fifth place Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Basketball team (6-8) will play the seventh seed Ambrose University Lions (3-11) in Calgary. The Queens have averaged 61.6 points per game. Amy Szymanek, a Bachelor of Education Middle School student, leads the offensive charge with 15.6 points per game.

The RDP Queens will compete in the postseason.

Queens Basketball | Saturday, February 26 | 6 pm | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens will wrap up regular season competition against the Lions at home.

Kings Basketball | Friday, February 25 | 8 pm | Ambrose University

The third place Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Basketball team (8-6) will play the sixth seed Ambrose University Lions (5-9). ACAC leading scorer Tyronn King has averaged 25.7 of the team’s 79.2 points per game.

The Kings have locked up a playoff spot.

Kings Basketball | Saturday, February 26 | 8 pm | Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

The Kings will face the Lions to complete the regular season.

For more information on Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, the student-athletes and teams, please visit: rdpolytechathletics.ca.