BELLEVILLE, Ont. (May 5, 2015) - Tonight at the Sports Centre in Belleville, Ontario Gaels men's hockey goaltender Kevin Bailie (Belleville, Ont.) will be named the recipient of the Robinson-Kelleher Memorial Award as Belleville's Athlete of the Year for 2014.

The presentation is part of the city's annual Honours and Awards Night, with individuals and teams from the city of Belleville receiving recognition for outstanding athletic achievement on the provincial, national and/or international stage in 2014.

"I remember seeing the award when I was younger at the Honours and Awards Night," said Bailie in an article with the Belleville Intelligencer's Paul Svoboda. "Winning it was always a goal of mine and I was nominated for it a couple of times before. To win it now is a great honour.

"I'm really happy about it."

 

Bailie backstopped the Gaels to an impressive 17-6-5 record in 2013-14 tying the franchise mark for wins in a season and cracking into the CIS Top 10 rankings for the first time since 1983. Bailie finished with a 1.98 GAA and 0.934 save percentage finishing with an 11-4-5 record on the season and taking Queen's to the OUA East semifinals in the playoffs.

Bailie was honoured with multiple awards including being the CIS Rookie of the Year and first Gael to receive the Clare Drake Award. At the conference level Bailie took home the East MVP, Top Goalie, Top Rookie and was named a first team all-star and to the all-rookie team. For his efforts he was named the Queen's recipient of the Alfie Pierce award for top male varsity teams athlete.

The Gaels netminder has made as big of a difference off the ice at Queen's and in the community as well, he was a CIS Academic All-Star in his first year of school and was the 2014-15 University Council on Athletics & Recreation Interuniversity rep. He, along with his teammates, have supported a number of charitable causes inclduing a Puck Cancer initiative, the Doef Strong movement and Mental Health Awareness Committee.

Bailie is the 30th recipient of the Robinson-Kelleher Memorial Award since its reinstatement in 1985 by the late Al Kelleher.

Bailie also becomes the second hockey goaltender to receive the city's highest athletic honour. Former Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins netminder Andrew Raycroft was Belleville's Athlete of the Year in 2000.

The last Gael to receive the honour was football star Jimmy Allin in 2007.

Winners of the Robinson-Kelleher Memorial Award as Belleville's Athlete of the Year are chosen by a selection committee panel composed of members of the Belleville sports media and the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame executive.

• PAST WINNERS:

2013 — Hanna Bunton, hockey.
2012 — Jackie Jarrell, inline hockey.
2011 — Ryan Barbeau, basketball.
2010 — Andrew Shaw, hockey/ball hockey.
2009 — Paula Stephanson, swimming.
2008 — Brian Price, rowing.
2007 — Jimmy Allin, football.
2006 — Diana Boultbee, track and field.
2005 — Ryan Pyear, football.
2004 — Ryan Pyear, football.
2003 — Brian Price, rowing.
2002 — Kyle Pyear, football.
2001 — Leah Ketcheson, rowing.
2000 — Andrew Raycroft, hockey.
1999 — Drew Ross, waterskiing.
1998 — Liam Revel, track and field.
1997 — Todd Boys, volleyball.
1996 — Paula Stephanson, swimming.
1995 — Kristen MacLaren, golf.
1994 — Jennifer Lee, karate.
1993 — Ian Carswell, track and field.
1992 — Jennifer Lee, karate.
1991 — Cory Walt, weightlifting.
1990 — Chris .Galbraith, boat racing.
1989 — Jason Zielski, rowing.
1988 — Tammy Staple, track and field.
1987 — Glenn Fortin, figure skating.
1986 — Brian McCluney, motorcycle racing.
1985 — Michelle Foley, track and field.

- With files from Belleville Intelligencer
See the Intelligencer feature here.