Winnipeg post Keylyn Filewich was named recipient of the Nan Copp Award as national player of the year. The 6-1 fifth-year post and graduate transfer from Winnipeg, Man, was the Canada West player of the year for the second consecutive campaign. She was also a first-team CanWest all-star. The former U.B.C. Thunderbird, pursuing her Master’s degree in business administration “has been a pleasure to coach. She’s low-maintenance, hard-working and 100 per cent committed,” Wesmen coach Tanya McKay said. “Everyone that we’ve played has defended us from the inside out. They’ve swarmed her, doubled her, they’ve paid a lot of attention to her and she still put up numbers.” In regular season Canada West play (16 games), Filewich hit 125-242 (.517) from the floor, 0-1 from the arc and 26-50 (.520) from the line, while garnering 168 boards, including 60 on the offensive glass and a 10.5 rpg, 35 fouls, 42 assists, 45 turnvoers, 18 blocks, 34 steals and 276 points, for a 17.3 ppg. The other Copp nominees were OUA player of the year Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu (uOttawa); RSEQ player of the year Amaiquen Siciliano (Bishop’s); and AUS player of the year Jayda Veinot (Acadia).
Cape Breton forward Kiyara Letlow was named recipient of the Kathy Shields Award as national rookie of the year. The 6-1 forward and arts major from Toronto, Ont. was the AUS rookie of the year and a first-team AUS all-star. Capers coach Fabian Mackenzie said “Kiyara has had an awe-inspiring performance on and off the court. An Academic All Canadian in the classroom, she has had the best first-year performance in the CBU Women’s Basketball program history. Kiyara devours game film and constantly looks for ways to improve her game. Coming to practice with an incredible desire to improve makes her a joy to coach. She used her athleticism and passion to finish 2nd in U Sports in scoring, and she led the country in rebounding. Kiyara has a very promising future within our program.” In regular season AUS play (15 games), Letlow hit 131-22 (.590) from the floor, 0-2 from the arc and 78-109 (.716) from the line, while garnering 235 boards, including 69 on the offensive glass and a 15.7 rpg, 41 fouls, 15 assists, 31 turnovers, 15 blocks, 10 steals and 340 points, for a 22.7 ppg. The other nominees were Canada West rookie of the year Jade Belmore (Regina); OUA West rookie of the year Madalyn Picton (Western); and RSEQ rookie of the year Victoria Gauna (Bishop’s).
Saskatchewan post Summer Masikewich was named the national defensive player of the year. The 6-2 fifth-year post and nursing student from Calgary, Alta., was again named the Canada West defensive player of the year and was a first-team Canada West all-star. Huskies coach Lisa Thomaidis said “Summer has been the foundation of our defence for her entire career. Her ability to switch screens, contain drives and help teammates all over the floor, has been a key reason why we were the top-rated defensive team in Canada West. Her combination of length, foot speed and personal pride in playing defence, has been an invaluable asset to our teams’ success.” In regular season Canada West play (16 games), Masikewich hit 108-219 (.493) from the floor, 0-2 from the arc and 67-98 (.684) from the line, while garnering 154 boards, including 58 on the offensive glass and a 9.6 rpg, 34 fouls, 32 assists, 47 turnovers, 26 blocks, 19 steals and 283 points, for a 17.7 ppg. The other nominees were OUA defensive player of the year Tatyanna Burke (Carleton); RSEQ defensive player of the year Jennifer Louis (Bishop’s); and AUS defensive player of the year Carolina Del Santo (Prince Edward Island).
Ryerson coach Carly Clarke was named recipient of the Peter Ennis Award as national coach of the year. The 10th-year coach steered the Rams to a 14-0 regular season, the OUA postseason title and a national title. The OUA coach of the year also served as assistant to the Canadian senior women’s team at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. The Rams allowed just 50.1 ppg, the lowest in the conference. The other nominees were Canada West coach of the year Al Tuchscherer (Fraser Valley); RSEQ coach of the year Tenica Gittens (Concordia); and AUS coach of the year Matt Gamblin (Prince Edward Island).
Joining Filewich on the All-Canadian first team were: Jayda Veinot (Acadia); Amaiquen Siciliano (Bishop’s); Myriam Leclerc (Concordia); and Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu (Ottawa). …………………………………………………… Veinot, a 6-0 fifth-year wing and science major from Port Williams, N.S., led the country in scoring and was the AUS player of the year and a first-team all-star. In regular season AUS play (15 games), Veinot hit 135-294 (.459) from the floor, 27-79 (.342) from the arc and 54-68 (.794) from the line, while garnering 115 boards, including 25 on the offensive glass and a 7.7 rpg, 35 fouls, 31 assists, 40 turnovers, 14 blocks, 19 steals and 351 points, for a 23.4 ppg. …………………………………………………… Siciliano, a 5-4 third-year guard and business major from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the RSEQ player of the year and a first-team all-star. In regular season RSEQ play (12 games), Siciliano hit 92-199 (.462) from the floor, 21-62 (.339) from the arc and 51-62 (.823) from the line, while garnering 47 boards, including 8 on the offensive glass and a 3.9 rpg, 23 fouls, 78 assists, 37 turnovers, 1 block, 22 steals and 256 points, for a 21.3 ppg. …………………………………………………… Leclerc, a 5-10 fourth-year, point guard and accounting major from St. Roch de Richelieu, Que., was a first-team RSEQ all-star. She was also the recipient of the Tracey MacLeod Award for overcoming adversity, having a completed a comeback from a torn ACL during the 2019-20 campaign. In regular season RSEQ play (12 games), Leclerc hit 61-163 (.374) from the floor, 23-58 (.397) from the arc and 47-49 (.959) from the line, while garnering 76 boards, including 14 on the offensive glass and a 6.3 rpg, 21 fouls, 62 assists, 24 turnovers, 3 blocks, 21 steals and 192 points, for a 16.0 ppg. …………………………………………………… Lefebvre-Okankwu, a 6-1 fourth-year forward and biomedical science major from Gatineau, Que., was the OUA East player of the year and first-team OUA East all-star, as well as a nominee for the national national Sylvia Sweeney Award for student-athlete community service. In regular season OUA play (14 games), Lefebvre-Okankwu hit 89-195 (.456) from the floor, 4-25 (.160) from the arc and 47-63 (.746) from the line, while garnering 136 boards, including 46 on the offensive glass and a 9.7 rpg, 21 fouls, 9 assists, 19 turnovers, 5 blocks, 25 steals and 229 points, for a 16.4 ppg.
Joining Masikewich and Letlow on the All-Canadian second team were: Samantha Keltos (Brock); Sarah Gates (McMaster); and Mikaela Dodig (Ryerson). …………………………………………………… Keltos, a 6-2 fifth-year forward and biological sciences major from St. Catharines, Ont., was the OUA West player of the year and a first-team OUA West all-star. In regular season OUA play (12 games), Keltos hit 78-170 (.459) from the floor, 26-59 (.441) from the arc nd 12-19 (.632) from the line, while garnering 111 boards, including 30 on the offensive glass and a 9.3 rpg, 24 fouls, 18 assists, 29 turnovers, 23 blocks, 23 steals and 194 points, for a 16.2 ppg. …………………………………………………… Gates, a 5-10 fourth-year guard and kinesiology major from Newmarket, Ont., was an OUA West first team all-star. In regular season OUA play (12 games), Gates hit 91-185 (.492) from the floor, 27-72 (.375 from the arc and 50-72 (.694) from the line, while garnering 82 boards, including 22 on the offensive glass and a 6.8 rpg, 31 fouls, 20 assists, 26 turnovers, 3 blocks, 18 steals and 259 points, for a 21.6 ppg. …………………………………………………… Dodig, a 5-5 fifth-year guard and master’s in science management student from Bolton, Ont., was a OUA East first-team all-star. Dodig was a transfer from the University of New Brunswick, where she was a two-time AUS all-star. In regular season OUA play (14 games), Dodig hit 61-144 (.424) from the floor, 22-55 (.400) from the arc and 10-14 (.714) from the line, while garnering 71 boards, including 19 on the offensive glass and a 5.1 rpg, 30 fouls, 52 assists, 23 turnovers, 2 blocks, 32 steals and 154 points, for an 11.0 ppg.
Joining Letlow on the all-Canadian Rookie team were: Rebecka Ekstrom (Memorial); Victoria Gauna (Bishop’s); Madalyn Picton (Western); and Jade Belmore (Regina). …………………………………………………… Eckstrom, a 5-8 guard from Taby, Sweden, was an AUS all-rookie selection. In regular season AUS play (16 games), Eckstrom hit 79-215 (.367) from the floor, 40-122 (.328) from the arc and 29-33 (.879) from the line, while garnering 39 boards, including 11 on the offensive glass and a 2.4 rpg, 9 fouls, 31 assists, 27 turnovers, 3 blocks, 14 steals and 227 points, for a 14.2 ppg. …………………………………………………… Guana, a 6-1 forward and sports studies major from Mendoza, Argentian, was the RSEQ rookie of the year and a second-team RSEQ all-star. In regular season RSEQ play (12 games), Guana hit 59-158 (.373) from the floor, 15-58 (.259) from the arc and 27-41 (.659) from the line, while garnering 97 boards, including 26 on the offensive glass and an 8.1 rpg, 35 fouls, 30 assists, 10 blocks, 28 steals and 160 points, for a 13.3 ppg. …………………………………………………… Picton, a 5-6 guard and kinesiology major from Welland, Ont., was the OUA West rookie of the year and an OUA West second-team all-star. In regular season OUA play (12 games), Picton hit 48-140 (.343) from the floor, 19-70 (.271) from the arc and 34-43 (.791) from the line, while garnering 37 boards, including 5 on the offensive glass and a 3.1 rpg, 23 fouls, 31 assists, 44 turnovers, 1 block, 18 steals and 149 points, for a 12.4 ppg. …………………………………………………… Belmore, a 5-10 wing and kinesiology and health studies major from Regina, Sask., was the Canada West rookie of the year. In regular season Canada West play (16 games), Belmore hit 90-193 (.466) from the floor, 8-31 (.258) from the arc and 48-71 (.676) from the line, while garnering 139 boards, including 47 on the offensive glass and an 8.7 rpg, 32 fouls, 61 assists, 36 turnovers, 10 blocks, 24 steals and 236 points, for a 14.8 ppg. Cougars coach Dave Taylor said “Jade had a phenomenal year. Being among the league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists shows how well-rounded her game was. Aside from the production in games, Jade also brought energy and joy every day to practice. As the year went along, I gave Jade new challenges each weekend. She always rose to these and elevated our team. Jade is a foundational piece for our team.”