New Brunswick’s Jayda Veinot was named recipient of the Nan Copp Award as national player of the year. The 5th-year, 6-0 wing and applied health major from Port Williams, N.S. (Horton HS in Wolfville, N.S., and subsequently Acadia) was the AUS player of the year after leading the Varsity Reds to a 15-5 (2nd) record in the regular season standings. She also led them to the postseason conference tournament title bout. She was the first AUS player to have been chosen player of the year in the conference with two different teams, having won the award in 2021-22 with Acadia. She was a first-team AUS all-star and finished third in the country in scoring. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 35.5 mpg. She hit 159-320 (.497) from the floor, 45-107 (.421) from the arc and 63-69 (.913) from the line, while garnering 144 boards, including 29 on the offensive glass and a 7.2 rpg, 23 fouls, 81 assists, 40 turnovers, 25 blocks, 35 steals and 426 points, for a 21.3 ppg. The other Copp nominees were RSEQ player of the year Léa-Sophie Verret (Laval), OUA player of the year Madalyn Weinert (Brock), and Canada West player of the year Jade Belmore (Regina).
Toronto Metropolitan’s Catrina Garvey was named recipient of the Kathy Shields Award as national rookie of the year. A 5-7 guard and psychology major from Ottawa, Ont. (Capital Courts Academy) started all 21 regular season conference games she played, for an average 32.8 mpg. She hit 109-358 (.304) from the floor, 40-154 (.260) from the arc and 16-20 (.800) from the line, while garnering 55 boards, including 9 on the offensive glass and a 2.6 rpg, 19 fouls, 35 assists, 47 turnovers, 3 blocks, 23 steals and 274 points, for a 13.0 ppg. The other Shields nominees were Canada West rookie of year Makena Anderson (Victoria), RSEQ rookie of the year Eve Atchampone (Bishop’s), and AUS rookie of the year Kaitlyn Ferrier (Dalhousie).
Alberta post Claire Signatovich was named the national defensive player of the year for the second consecutive campaign. A 6-1 forward and 4th-year engineering major from Winnipeg, Man. (Oak Park HS), was the Canada West defensive player of the year and a third-team conference all-star. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 26.8 mpg. She hit 84-181 (.464) from the floor and 24-50 (.480) from the line, while garnering 182 boards, including 20 on the offensive glass and a 9.1 rpg, 41 assists, 55 turnovers, 30 steals, 37 blocks and 192 points, for a 9.6 ppg. The other national nominees were AUS defensive player of the year Clara Gascoigne (Saint Mary’s), RSEQ defensive player of the year Victoria Guanoa (Bishop’s), and OUA defensive player of the year Julia Chadwick (Queen’s).
Saskatchewan coach Lisa Thomaidis was named was named recipient of the Peter Ennis Award as national coach of the year. In her 25th year at the helm, it marked the 3rd time she was chosen the Ennis winner (also 2008 and 2009). She steered the Huskies to a share of the regular season Canada West title, the conference postseason crown, and a runner-up finish in the national championships. A 6-time Canada West Coach of the Year, Thomaidis led the Huskies to the 2015-16 and 20-19 national titles and 7 seven Canada West titles (2005-06, 2010-11, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2023-24). She became the senior national women’s team coach in 2013 and steered the team to a 7th place finish at the Rio Olympics in 2016, a Pan Am Gold Medal and the FIBA Americas Gold Medal in 2015, a 5th place finish at the 2018 FIBA World Championships in Turkey in 2014, a 7th place finish at the 2018 FIBA World Cup and a silver medal at the FIBA Americas in Mexico in 2013. She also led Canada to a sixth-place finished at the World University Games in China. Subsequent to being relieved of her national coaching duties, she has steered Germany to its first-ever Olympic berth (in Paris, France/2024) less than a year after being named to the helm of the German program. A graduate of McMaster and a 3-time OUA all-star, she played two seasons of professional basketball in Europe in the Greek 1st Division. The other Ennis nominees were AUS coach of the year Scott Munro (Saint Mary’s), RSEQ coach of the year Guillaume Giroux (Laval), and OUA coach of the year Dani Sinclair (Carleton).
Joining Vienot on the All-Canadian first team were: Léa-Sophie Verret (Laval); Madalyn Weinert (Brock); Julia Chadwick (Queen’s); and Jade Belmore (Regina). …………………………………………………… Verret, a 3rd-year, 5-3 guard and dentistry major from Quebec City (CEGEP Sainte-Foy) was the RSEQ player of the year and a first-team RSEQ all-star. She started all 16 regular season conference games, playing an average 30.9 mpg. She hit 77-236 (.326) from the floor, 27-100 from the arc and 55-73 (.753) from the line, while garnering 93 boards, including 13 on the offensive glass, 15 fouls, 59 assists, 34 turnovers, 1 block, 31 steals and 236 points, for a 14.8 ppg. …………………………………………………… Weinert, a 3rd-year, 5-3 wing and medical sciences major from St. Catharines, Ont. (Eden HS), was the OUA player of the year and a first-team conference all-star. She led the conference and the country in scoring. She also led the country in blocks and finished second in the OUA in assists. She started all 22 regular season conference games, playing an average 35.2 mpg. She hit 190-364 (.522) from the floor, 20-60 from the arc and 94-120 (.783) from the line, while garnering 211 boards, including 67 on the offensive glass and a 9.6 rpg, 55 fouls (fouling out once), 98 assists, 60 turnovers, 44 blocks, 54 steals and 494 points, for a 22.5 ppg. …………………………………………………… Chadwick, a 5th-year forward and arts & sciences major from Ottawa, Ont. (Henry Street HS in Whitby, Ont.) was the OUA defensive player of the year and a first-team OUA all-star. She started all 22 regular season conference games, playing an average 26.2 mpg. She hit 162-320 (.506) from the floor, 11-32 (.344) from the arc and 70-110 (.636) from the line, while garnering 249 boards, including 90 on the offensive glass and an 11.3 rpg, 48 fouls, 49 assists, 53 turnovers, 42 blocks, 33 steals and 405 points, for an 18.4 ppg. She led the OUA in rebounding and finished seconds in the league in blocks. …………………………………………………… Belmore, a 3rd-year, 5-10 wing and kinesiology & health sciences major from Regina, Sask (Dr. Martin LeBoldus HS) was a first-team Canada West all-star. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 30.6 mpg. She hit 122-289 (.422) from the floor, 28-86 (.326) from the arc and 94-116 (.810) from the line, while garnering 152 boards and a 7.6 rpg, 63 assists, 45 turnovers, 29 steals, 7 blocks and 366 points, for an 18.3 ppg.
The 2nd-team All-Canadians were Elizabeth Iseyemi (Acadia); Victoria Gauna (Bishop’s); Kali Pocrnic (Carleton); Maddy Gobeil (Fraser Valley); and Gage Grassick (Saskatchewan). …………………………………………………… Iseyemi, a 4th-year, 6-0 forward and chemistry major from Dartmouth, N.S. (St. Paul’s Academy) was a first-team AUS all-star. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 33.5 mpg. She hit 170-339 (.501) from the floor, 13-50 (.260) from the arc and 87-135 (.644) from the line, while garnering 226 boards, including 60 on the offensive glass and an 11.3 rpg, 56 fouls (fouling out 3 times), 61 assists, 51 turnovers, 12 blocks, 37 steals and 440 points, for a 22.0 ppg. …………………………………………………… Gauna, a 3rd-year, 6-1 forward and sports studies major from Mendoza, Argentina, was the RSEQ defensive player of the year and a 1st-team RSEQ all-star. She started all 15 regular season conference games she played, for an average 29.8 mpg. She hit 87-224 (.388) from the floor, 14-70 (.200) from the arc and 52-62 (.839) from the line, while garnering 148 boards, including 30 on the offensive glass and a 9.9 rpg, 36 fouls (fouling out once), 34 assists, 47 turnovers, 10 blocks, 17 steals and 240 points, for a 16.0 ppg. …………………………………………………… Pocrnic, a 4th-year, 5-3 guard and psychology major from Oakville, Ont. (St. Ignatius of Loyola Secondary) was a first-team OUA all-star. She led Carleton to its second consecutive national title and was again chosen MVP of the national tournament. She started all 22 regular season conference games, playing an average 26.2 mpg. She hit 114-310 (.368) from the floor, 37-118 (.314) from the arc and 67-92 (.728) from the line, while garnering 50 boards, including 20 on the offensive glass and a 2.3 rpg, 25 fouls, 76 assists, 43 turnovers, 3 blocks, 30 steals and 332 points, for a 15.1 ppg. …………………………………………………… Gobeil, a 4th-year, 5-8 guard and kinesiology major from Kamloops, B.C. (South Kamloops HS) was a first-team Canada West all-star. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 28.9 mpg. She hit 120-249 (.482) from the floor, 27-82 (.329) from the arc and 87-112 (.777) from the line, while garnering 116 boards, for a5.8 rpg, 66 assists, 62 turnovers, 66 steals, 2 blocks and 354 points, for a 17.7 ppg. …………………………………………………… Grassick, a 3rd-year, 5-8 guard and kinesiology major from Prince Albert, Sask. (Carlton Comprehensive) was a first-team Canada West all-star. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 29.9 mpg. She hit 96-236 (.407), 21-78 (.269) from the arc and 47-63 (.746) from the line, while garnering 99 boards, including 24 on the offensive glass and a 5.0 rpg, 80 assists, 38 turnovers, 58 steals, 7 blocks and 260 points, for a 13.0 ppg.
Joining Garvey on the All-Rookie team were: Kaitlyn Ferrier (Dalhousie); Eve Atchampone (Bishop’s); Makena Anderson (Victoria); and Ella Rees (Alberta). …………………………………………………… Ferrier, a 5-8 guard and arts major from Calgary, Alta (Western Canada HS) was the AUS rookie of the year. She started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 34.8 mpg. She hit 134-412 (.325) from the floor, 19-88 (.216) from the arc and 87-137 (.635) from the line, while garnering 108 boards, including 23 on the offensive glass and a 5.4 rpg, 45 fouls (fouling out once), 36 assists, 65 turnovers, 25 steals and 374 points, for an 18.7 ppg. …………………………………………………… Atchampone, a 5-6 guard and psychology major from Trois-Rivieres, Que. (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu CEGEP) was the RSEQ rookie of the year and a 1st-team RSEQ all-star. She started 15 of 16 regular season conference games, playing an average 32.1 mpg. She hit 75-148 (.507) from the floor, 7-25 (.280) from the arc and 37-42 (.881) from the line, while garnering 74 boards, including 27 on the offensive glass and a 4.6 rpg, 35 fouls (fouling out once), 37 assists, 56 turnovers, 1 block, 27 steals and 194 points, for a 12.1 ppg. …………………………………………………… Anderson, a 6-0 forward and social sciences major from Victoria, B.C. (St. Michael’s University School) started 16 of 20 regular season conference games, for an average 24.0 mpg. She hit 67-211 (.318) from the floor, 25-89 (.281) from the arc and 21-30 (.700) from the line, while garnering 110 boards, including 41 on the offensive glass and a 5.5 rpg, 29 assists, 64 turnovers, 37 steals, 7 blocks and 180 points, for a 9.0 ppg. …………………………………………………… Rees, a 5-9guard and science major from Bracebridge, Ont. (Bill Brothers Secondary in Unionville, Ont.) started all 20 regular season conference games, playing an average 15.8 mpg. She hit 53-130 (.408) from the floor, 35-77 (.455) from the arc and 14-17 (.824) from the line, while garnering 42 boards, including 12 on the offensive glass and a 2.1 rpg, 19 assists, 35 turnovers, 26 steals, 9 blocks and 155 points, for a 7.8 ppg.