Erica Rieder – a fifth-year defeneman of the women’s hockey team – and Byron Spriggs – a fifth-year goaltender from the Bison men’s program – were both presented as the inaugural dual recipients of the R.A. Sam Fabro Scholarship in conjunction with the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame at the Wayne Fleming Arena roughly one year following Fabro’s passing. 

The $1,500 scholarship was handed out to Rieder and Spriggs by current Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame President Don Kuryk. As was the case this past November, coaches from both the mens and womens teams will continue to select the recipients from their respective rosters in the future, as this MHHOF award will continue to be awarded down the road. 

Rieder, 22, is finishing up her fifth season of hockey with the Bisons, and currently has three goals and nine points through 16 games in 2018-19. For her career, the Regina, SK. native has 25 goals and 57 points in 123 CIS/U-Sports outings. Rieder served a huge role in Manitoba’s national championship in 2017-18. She was named team captain this year. 

Spriggs, 25, currently holds a 2-8-0 record in 11 starts for the seventh-place U of M Bisons. He owns a 4.32 goals against average and a .887 save percentage. Spriggs also served as an emergency backup for the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers and the Manitoba Moose in two separate occasions in the 2017-18 season.