Welsh wins U SPORTS Dr. Randy Gregg Award for Student-Athlete Community Service

Saint Mary's Huskies goaltender Matt Welsh has been named the winner of the 2023 Dr. Randy Gregg Award for Student-Athlete Community Service in U SPORTS Men's Hockey.

The announcement was made on Wednesday night at the All-Canadian Awards Ceremony in Charlottetown, PEI, host city of the 2023 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup.

This season, Welsh started 14 games for the Huskies, finishing with a .904 save percentage. In January, Welsh was selected to represent his country at the 2023 FISU Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, NY, where he brought home a gold medal as a member of Team Canada.

A commerce student from Halifax, N.S., Welsh is pursuing an MBA degree from the Saint Mary's Sobey School of Business. The 24-year-old has been named to the Dean's list and is a two-time Academic All-Canadian. He also won the 2021-22 Saint Mary's University Male President's Trophy for Academic and Athletic Achievement.

Welsh is a player-ambassador for Hockey Gives Blood, an organization that promotes the need for blood, plasma and stem cell donation in partnership with Canadian Blood Services. As part of this volunteer role, Welsh has been involved in organizing blood drives and promoting the organization on social media.

Welsh, who spent five years with the Charlottetown Islanders, was awarded the Dayna Brons Honourary Award in 2020 for an individual in the hockey community who exhibits outstanding dedication towards patients who rely on blood and stem cell products in Canada.

Welsh was nominated for the Dr. Randy Gregg Award by winning the AUS Godfrey Award for the second straight season, becoming only the fourth player in conference history to receive the honour twice. Other nominees for the national award were: Duncan Campbell (Queen's) and Connor Black (Mount Royal)

Welsh becomes the third Saint Mary's Huskies player to win the Dr. Randy Gregg Award, joining David Chant (2006) and Steven Gallace (2001).