PEI Newsmakers – January 2025

Jan. 4 – Brett Gallant wins gold at Mixed Doubles Curling Nationals; will represent Canada at 2025 World Championships in Fredericton.
Jan. 4 – Billy Bridges named to Hockey Canada National Team Athlete Committee.
Jan. 9 – Jenna Larter named to Canada’s speed skating team for the ISU World Cup to be held in Calgary; first PEI athlete to represent Canada at a senior World Cup speed-skating event
Jan. 9-11 – PEI wrestlers competed in Ontario tournaments in Brampton, Etobicoke, and London. Results:
- Zander O’Meara – gold (x3), silver
- Keely MacGrath – gold (x3)
- Udan Pamunuwe – gold (x3)
- Alexsa Matheson – gold (x2), bronze (x2)
- Molly Brown – gold (x2), bronze
- Ben Reid – gold (x2)
- Willow VanIderstine – gold, silver (x2)
- Bryce Chapman – gold, bronze
Jan. 12 – Mental Performance coach Jackson Slauenwhite and Strength & Conditioning coach Shannon MacAulay win gold medal with Team Canada at IIHF U18 Women’s Hockey Championships in Vantaa, Finland.
Jan. 12 – Vanessa Keefe wins gold medal (Women’s 68kg) at the Brock Open wrestling tournament.
Jan. 12 – Eastern Dukes win U16 East Coast Ice Jam in East Hants, Nova Scotia. Forward Logan Rinco named MVP and goaltender Matthew Rooney named first-team all-star.
Jan. 14 – Will Murphy of Cape Breton Eagles projected as sixth-round pick in 2025 NHL Entry draft by NHL Central Scouting in their mid-term rankings.
Jan. 15 – Vanessa Keefe named U Sports female wrestling Athlete of the Week.
Jan. 15 – Isabel Bernard named to Suburban U15s (Nova Scotia) soccer team competing at Disney Showcase in Florida.
Jan. 17 – Sam Dowling named to Lacrosse Canada U15 Development Program – Team East.
Jan. 18 – Vanessa Keefe wins 68-kg gold at Guelph Wrestling Open; named Brock University Athlete of the Week
Jan. 21 – Claire Keough & Jamie-Lynn Mosher named as participants in Baseball Canada’s 2025 Women in Coaching program.
Jan. 22 – UPEI players Kaleb Pearson & Kurtis Henry and head coach Forbes MacPherson win gold medal in hockey at FISU World Games in Torino, Italy as part of Team Canada.
Jan. 25 – Island Wrestling Academy wins women’s club championship at Roar on the River Festival. Alexsa Matheson named Most Outstanding Women’s Wrestler and wins gold (56kg). Zander ‘OMeara (48kg) and Brooke-Lyn Winchester (62kg) win gold; Molly Brown (50kg) earns silver.
Jan. 25-26 – Blake Kingston of UNB Reds swim team wins gold in 100-metre and 50-metre breaststroke at the Dal Invitational.
Jan. 26 – Rowing PEI president Nancy Russell named Rowing Canada’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year.
Jan 26 – Peyton Burke (49kg), Emma McAree (U15 46kg), Zander O’Meara (Cadet 48kg), Alexsa Matheson (Cadet 57kg & 61 kg, Junior 55 kg & 62 kg) win gold at Eastern Canadian Wrestling Championships. Jemma Smith, Darrah Ward, Molly Brown, Madelyn Downie (x2), and Brooke-Lyn Winchester earn silver medals and Kayleigh Saunders wins bronze.
Jan. 26 – Maritime Hockey League announces rosters for All-Star Showcase on February 11 with 4 PEI athletes making the Senior roster and 9 making the Young Guns roster.
Senior (18-20 year olds):
- D Issac Vos, Summerside
- F Brett Arsenault, Summerside
- F Brennan Murphy, Summerside
- F Keefe Marshall, Yarmouth
Young guns (16-17 year olds):
- G George Gallant, Summerside
- D Andrew Thompson, Summerside
- F Ethan Dickson, Summerside
- F Thatcher Hughes, Miramichi
- F Matthew MacDonald, Pictou County
- F Isaac Arsenault, Truro
- F Caleb MacDonald, Valley
- D Aiden Diamond, West Kent
- F Michael Arsenault, West Kent
Jan. 30 – Joelle Bader named to Canada Soccer’s U17 women’s national team that will compete at the MIMA Cup in Spain beginning in February. Team will play England, Scotland, & Sweden.
Jan. 30 – Mark Arendz wins gold in 7.5 km race at the World Cup Para-Biathlon event in Val Di Fiemme, Italy.