Calgary’s Leighann Doan won the Dinosaur’s fifth Nan Copp award. The 4th-year 5-11 forward from Halkirk, Alberta, led the nation in scoring with a 24.5 ppg, was second in the CIAU in field goal percentage (.615), third in rebounding (10.1 rpg), and sixth in free throw percentage (.615). Doan led Canada West in every statistical category except three-point shooting and was the unanimous selection as league MVP. The elementary education student became the Dinosaurs second all-time leading scorer, averaging 20.7 ppg over four years, despite missing six games in 1998-99 with a knee injury. Doan led the Dinnies to the third seed in the national tourney. “She’s a phenomenal player and person,” said teammate Cathy Payne. “She plays for simple reasons – she loves the sport, and she’s good at it. She’s not out for awards. She’s not out for recognition. She’s such a fantastic leader because she’s modest and she wants the focus on the team. And this year, she’s been absolutely unstoppable. She’s good and she believes it. She’s not holding herself back any more.” Forward Alison McGinn added that “you can’t help but pass the ball to her when she wants it. The biggest part, now, is she completely believes in herself.” It was Doan’s third selection as a first-team All-Canadian. “I started the year with a whole new outlook,” said Doan. “I put down a goal of being player of the year and never really gave much thought to it but as the year went on, I realized it was more realistic than I thought. But I can’t say enough how much the team is a part of this award. I couldn’t have won it without this season the team has had, also. The team has grown around me, and I’m just supported by so many awesome players.” Doan added that “I see my time ending in a year and I feel that urgency: ‘this is it. Do-or-die’. You get through your third year thinking, I’ve got a couple more years of this. But I’m starting to realize that it’s almost over.” Coach Shawnee Harle said the Nan Copp decision was a no-brainer. “My personal opinion on that, I would say that it’s the easiest decision that the committee has had to make in a couple of years. I don’t think there was anybody who was a close second. She used to have one or two moves. Now she’s got four or five or six. She can play back to the basket. She can play facing the basket. She’ll kill you from the free throw line. She rebounds like a demon. And we’re glad she’s on our team.”
Laval’s Linda Marquis was named recipient of the Ennis. Two years after being named an All-Canadian at McGill, the Martlets assistant coach took over the reins at Laval in 1985. In her 15 years at the helm, she’s won three conference titles. She was named Quebec coach of the year in 1989. The Ste-Foy native was an assistant for Team Quebec 1996 and a coach with Team Canada at FISU in 1997. She guided Laval to a 16-4 season, a Quebec title and their first national tourney berth since 1996.
St. Mary’s Julie Galipeau was selected the Shields winner. Galipeau was second in the CIAU in rebounding with 10.7 rpg. The Halifax Queen Elizabeth product was the only rookie selected to the AUAA all-star game. She averaged 15.4 ppg, fourth in the AUAA, ranked eighth in field goal percentage and tenth in free throw shooting. She registered 16 double-doubles on the season, during which the Huskies finished 5-15.
Joining Doan as 1st-team All-Canadians were: Lindsay Brooke (Victoria); Jessica Mills (U.B.C.); Erin Soroko (Winnipeg); and Stephanie Harrison (Laurentian). …………………………………………………… Brooke, a 5-3 dynamo, was a defensive pest. “Usually All-Canadians are all about scoring and big stats,” said Vikes coach Kathy Shields. “If you look at Lindsay’s stats you go, `Oh, just an average player.’ For her to get the recognition, it shows the respect she has nationally from the coaches, who see someone who doesn’t score a lot, who is so vital to our success.” What Brooke does so well, as she stands at the point, bouncing the ball with one hand and waving teammates into position with the other, is analyze the situation and decide on a course of action. Shields said she used to call out the plays in Brooke’s first couple of years, but now her fourth-year player with “a brilliant mind, on and off the court,” runs the Vikes’ complex offence pretty well on her own. “I have a certain gift for being able to read certain situations, and knowing what plays to run and who to give the ball to. That’s definitely one of my strengths,” said Brooke, who has been a point guard her whole career, winning a provincial high school championship with Spectrum. “I’m the link between Kathy and what’s going on out on the floor.” “She’s a quiet player until it’s time. She’s unselfish to a fault,” said Shields, who is often after Brooke to take more shots herself. “She’s very happy to distribute the ball, and not draw any attention to herself until we need her to. Then she just goes to work.” Starting with a determined glint in her eye, Brooke will charge underneath and draw a foul, make a key pass, or sink a three- pointer. Against Calgary last weekend in the Canada West final, the Vikes seemed to be down and beaten, unable to get anything started on offence. “She just took it on her little shoulders, and went to the basket,” Shields said. “One time she sliced between (CIAU most valuable player) Leighann Doan, and their big post player, and somehow got a lay-up and got to the foul line. And those players are a foot taller.”
The 2nd-team All-Canadians were: Jackie Simon (Alberta); Angelia Crealock (Dalhousie); Cindy Scott (Western); Carol-Anne Tull (Concordia); and Andrea Gottselig (Regina). …………………………………………………… Crealock was named MVP of the AUAA after averaging 23.5 ppg in leading the Tigers to an 18-2 regular season title. The 5-4 guard from Sussex, New Brunswick led the nation in free throw shooting (.913) and finished second in the AUAA in assists and steals. …………………………………………………… Gottselig, who also won the Sylvia Sweeney TSN Award for athletics, academics and community service, led the Cougars in steals, blocks and rebounds (fourth in the nation). The former CIAU rookie of the year is from Findlater, Saskatchewan.
Joining Galipeau on the all-rookie unit were: Cymone Bouchard (Regina); Lindsay Kennedy (Western); Kelly Vernelli (York); and Sally Kaznica (Winnipeg).