May 26, 2022

CCAA Hall of Fame Inductee: Jason Carlson

Jason Carlson, a standout student-athlete with the Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics Men’s Basketball team from 2006-09, was inducted into the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Hall of Fame in the Athlete Category.

Carlson led the Mystics to three straight Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) conference titles and consecutive appearances at Nationals, earning a silver medal at the 2008 CCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship in Saint-Lambert, QC.

“Jason was a strong-student-athlete and during his time at the Mount, he enjoyed three trips to CCAA Nationals,” said June Lumsden, Director, Athletics & Recreation at MSVU. “He still plays basketball and is a wonderful alumnus of the Mount.”

Carlson was named to the CCAA Championship Second All-Star team in 2007. In 2009, his final season with the Mystics, Carlson was named the ACAA Player of the Year and he earned a CCAA All-Canadian nod as well as the CCAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award, becoming the first student-athlete from the ACAA to ever receive the honour.

Earning National recognition to finish his career was a thrill for Carlson, and he credits his success to his former coach – and fellow 2022 CCAA Hall of Fame inductee, Rick Plato.

“It helped with Coach Plato being, in my mind, the best coach in the country pushing me every day to get better,” said Carlson. “Every practice was a battle and that is where players get better – he made sure to keep us on our toes and compete to be a starter each game.”

MSVU went on a six-year run as ACAA champions from 2006-11, mainly due to how Plato built the program and got his student-athletes ready every day, according to Carlson.

Another fond memory for Carlson is the team trips to the Hagen Tournament at Dawson College in Montreal. The 13-hour bus rides were a great opportunity for team bonding and the high-quality competition at the tournament really helped the Mystics prepare for the upcoming season.

“Every year we would look forward to that tournament before the season started to kind of gauge how we were as a team,” said Carlson. “And winning it in my final year was, I believe, the first time ever for MSVU.”

While his time in the ACAA and CCAA was short, it did play an important role in Carlson’s career. He learned important life lessons along the way – many that he still uses today such as being a hard worker and a leader.

That experience has helped him become a top seller in the biggest auto group in Atlantic Canada; and Carlson continues to learn and grow each day.

“I think back to the many life lessons I have learned at MSVU, and I cannot thank the ACAA and CCAA enough for the opportunity to compete as well as everyone at MSVU (coaches, teammates and staff) for all the wonderful memories I have,” he said.

The 2022 CCAA Hall of Fame Banquet will take place on Tuesday, June 14 in Halifax, NS.