Schedule

Date: March 8, 2025

Time: 1 p.m.

Location: K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre Auditorium, Wolfville

1:00 p.m. -  Registration

1:15 p.m. – Welcome

1:17 p.m. -  Introduction of Keynote speaker

1:20 p.m. – Keynote Address: Dr. Tina Atkinson (’91); followed by a Q. and A.

2:30 p.m. – Nutrition break

2:45 p.m. – Panel presentation with Q. and A. with Dr. Wendy Bedingfield; Ann MacVicar (’61, ’62); Mary Sullivan-Surette (’79); Dr. Heidi Stanish (’92); Erika Berry (’10, ’11); Emily MacLeod (’17); Ebe Otoikhine (’25)

4:00 p.m. – Closing Remarks with Becky Dorsey (’23)

4:30 p.m. – Wine and cheese reception

The event is full, however, if you are interested in attending, please use this link to be added to a wait list: https://aualumni.info/41H4b9X

Note: In an attempt to fill in the history of women in sport at Acadia, if you have pictures or content from milestone moments from your time at Acadia in athletics, either club or varsity, please consider sending them to us for public use during and after the event even if you are unable to attend. Please send your material to Ella Campbell at ella.campbell03@outlook.com.

Opening Keynote: Dr. Tina Atkinson (’91)

Dr. Tina Atkinson is a sport and exercise medicine physician in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and has 23 years of experience as lead physician for more than 20 national and international events. She grew up in Shelburne, Nova Scotia and attended Acadia, playing club rugby and graduating with a BSc in biology in 1991.

She is a wife and mom of three sons, all of whom played on different Nova Scotia provincial teams in rugby, baseball, flag football and athletics. She is currently the Chief Medical Officer of the Canadian Sports Institute Atlantic and the Chief Medical Officer of Canoe Kayak Canada, recently supporting them in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Dr. Atkinson was the primary care sport medicine team physician with the Halifax Mooseheads for 13 seasons. She has been a team physician with Hockey Canada’s Women’s teams since 2016 and was fortunate to be the Olympic team doctor in Beijing 2022, supporting them in winning gold.

In 2023, she was named the first Chief Medical Officer of the PWHL, the professional women’s hockey league. She has a special interest in concussion management and education and is very proud that she has been able to live and work in Nova Scotia and contribute to the provincial sporting community.

Panelists:

Wendy Bedingfield, PhD

Dr. Wendy Bedingfield grew up in Newfoundland and Labrador and graduated from Memorial University. She taught and coached high school for two years before completing a Master’s degree and then taught and coached volleyball and basketball at Acadia for three years, from 1970 to 1973. Wendy then completed a PhD in biomechanics and spent 10 years as a faculty member at the University of Alberta.

After returning to Acadia, Dr. Bedingfield served as Director of the School of Kinesiology, Dean of the Faculty of Professional Studies, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and President of the Acadia University Faculty Association. Dr. Bedingfield was a founding member of Canadian Women and Sport (then CAAWS), President of USPORTS (then CIS) and has served on the Board of Directors of the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Soccer Association.

She motivated and inspired a generation of professionals in the sport and recreation field to be leaders and agents for change, working to improve access for all, especially girls and women. In 2015, Dr. Bedingfield was inducted into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. She is now happily retired!

Ann Lovitt (Mosher) MacVicar (’61, ’62)

Born in Yarmouth, Ann attended Central School and Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School before entering Acadia University in 1958, studying biology and chemistry. She graduated with a BSc in 1961 and a BEd in 1962. Ann played varsity field hockey, volleyball, and basketball in each of her years and was named Acadia University’s “Athlete of the Year” for 1961-62. She was “Head of the House” in both Seminary House and Tully.

Ann continued to play basketball on local teams and participated for Nova Scotia at the Canada Winter Games in both Quebec (1967) and Saskatoon (1971). She served as Chair of the Nova Scotia Women’s Basketball Association in the 1960s. Ann taught and coached at Sidney Stephen High School and Sackville High School. In 1973, she retired from teaching to stay at home and care for her growing family. She helped introduce Ringette to the area and was the first Chair of the Central Region Ringette Association. Ann was part of the group that started MeLBA (Metro Ladies' Basketball Association) and served as the league coordinator for several years.

In 1993, Ann was inducted into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame and in 2024 into the Yarmouth Town and County Heritage Hall of Fame.

Mary Sullivan-Surette ('79)

Mary, the fifth and youngest child in the Sullivan family, was born in Saint John, New Brunswick. Growing up, she was actively involved in many sports: softball, basketball, track, swim, field hockey, volleyball - basically any sport offered to a girl to play. She would say softball was her strongest sport, having represented New Brunswick twice at the national level, and her team was inducted into the Saint John Sports Hall of Fame.

Mary ventured to Wolville after graduating from St. Vincent's Girls High School and continued with her studies and love of sports, playing basketball at Acadia. In 1980, Mary married Roger Surette ('79) and they lived in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Kingston, Ontario and Sydney, Nova Scotia, all with McCain Foods. They settled in Dartmouth, opened their first of three golf shops, and were in the retail business for 25 years.

Mary would say her greatest pleasures and accomplishments were raising their three children. She coached minor basketball and high school basketball for years and also some high school golf. Mary was a Director on the Alumni Board for a few years and was on the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame selection committee for many years.

Heidi Stanish, PhD (’92)

Dr. Heidi Stanish is a Professor of Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Boston, specializing in adapted physical activity. Her research focuses on promoting physical activity and fitness among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She has authored numerous papers and book chapters in scientific journals and serves as a fitness advisor for Special Olympics International. Heidi actively contributes to the field through leadership roles on various boards and committees, including the Healthy Weight Research Network for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities, Adaptive Sports New England, and the US Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth Research. She also serves on three editorial boards.

Heidi earned her undergraduate degree in Physical Education from Acadia, followed by a Master’s degree from Dalhousie University and a PhD from Oregon State University. Before joining UMass Boston in 2004, she spent five years as a faculty member at St. Francis Xavier University. A former varsity soccer player, Heidi was part of Acadia’s 1990 CIS national championship team, which was recently inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. She is also a two-time inductee into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame.

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia remains her beloved home.

Erika (Berry) Traikov (’10, ’11)

Erika (Berry) Traikov grew up in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and pursued both academic and athletic excellence at Acadia University from 2006 to 2011. During her time there, she earned a BSc in biology and mathematics as well as a Bachelor of Education. As a student-athlete, Erika excelled both on the court and in the classroom. She played three years of varsity volleyball before transitioning to varsity basketball for her final two years. Throughout her five-year varsity career, she was recognized as an Academic All-Canadian all five years and received Acadia’s Coaches Award in both 2008 and 2011.

Today, as the Vice-Principal at Sunny Brae Middle School, Erika is committed to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaging learning environment. Her passion for diversity and inclusion ensures that every student feels valued and has the opportunity to succeed. Prior to her current role, Erika was seconded to the Department of Education to lead the Positive Behaviour Intervention Support (PBIS) plan, where she developed proactive strategies to enhance both academic and social outcomes.

Erika’s athletic career remains vibrant. Most recently, she returned to the court with the Moncton Mystic, a semi-professional team in the Maritime Women's Basketball Association, demonstrating that her competitive spirit and love for the game endures.

Emily MacLeod (’17)

Emily graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian Studies in 2017. She was a member of the Acadia women’s basketball team from 2013-2017. After graduation, Emily attended the University of New Brunswick and obtained a Juris Doctor in law in 2021. While studying at UNB, Emily played her final year of eligibility with the UNB women’s basketball team.

Emily was called to the New Brunswick bar in June 2022 and practices Family Law, Real Estate Law and Wills and Estates Law at Ashford Law and Dispute Resolution in Fredericton. During her time at Acadia, Emily was a two-time Academic All-Canadian Athlete, a volunteer with the Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) program, a volunteer with the Junior Axewomen basketball program, and the student-athlete representative for Acadia’s Athletic Department for the Student-Athlete Mental Health Initiative (SAMHI). Emily played in the inaugural season of the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association (MWBA) with the Fredericton Freeze in 2022.

She is the President of the York Sunbury Law Society, a member of the Acadia Alumni Association Board of Directors, and is a member of the MidWinter committee associated with the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Bar Association.

Ebe Otoikhine (’25)

Ebe Otoikhine is a recent graduate of Acadia University’s kinesiology program and a former varsity rugby player, where she spent four years competing at the highest level and helped lead her team to a conference championship in her final season. Her dedication to both academics and athletics earned her the prestigious Academic All-Canadian honour for all four years, along with consistent recognition on the Dean’s List.

Beyond the field, Ebe has been a dedicated strength and conditioning coach for Acadia’s varsity teams, helping student-athletes optimize their performance. Her passion for research led her to receive the highly competitive CIHR Black Undergraduate Student Research Award, Acadia’s only recipient, where she explored barriers to pulmonary rehabilitation. She continues this work as a research assistant, contributing to ongoing pulmonary rehabilitation studies while also coaching members of the general population in strength and conditioning.

Committed to giving back, Ebe volunteers as a rugby coach in the summer, mentoring the next generation of athletes. In 2024, she became a published author, further solidifying her contributions to the field of kinesiology. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a career as a physician assistant while continuing to coach and empower young athletes.

Closing Remarks: Becky Dorsey (’23)

Becky Dorsey graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology with Honours from Acadia in 2023, where she also played for the women’s volleyball team for five years. She completed her honours thesis, Female Athletes' Voices: How Safe an Environment University Sport is for Student-Athletes within USPORTS. She is currently in her first year of law school at the University of Windsor, where she is an assistant coach for the Lancers Women’s Volleyball Team.

Becky continues her advocacy work for athletes as she sits on the board of Athlete Zone, an organization focused on addressing maltreatment issues in sport. With her background in coaching, advocacy, and research, Becky is dedicated to creating safer and more supportive environments for women in sport.