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Thursday, March 9, 2006
Saskatchewan’s Crooks claims player of the year award
CIS
Forward Sarah Crooks of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies is the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women’s basketball player of the year for the 2005-06 season.
Crooks of Fife Lake, Sask. is the first Huskie to receive the Nan Copp Award as season MVP, and keeps the trophy in the Canada West conference for the ninth consecutive year.
Other major award winners announced on Thursday night during the All-Canadian Awards Banquet held at the Fredericton Inn were McMaster University’s Chiara Rocca of Sarnia, Ont., who was named defensive player of the year, Western Ontario University’s Amanda Anderson of Chatham, Ont., who earned top-rookie honours, Cape Breton University’s Fabian McKenzie of Glace Bay, N.S., named coach of the year for the first time in his career, University of Alberta’s Michelle Smith of Magrath, Alta., who received the Sylvia Sweeney Award recognizing her excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement, and Simon Fraser University’s Devon Campbell of Langley, B.C., the recipient of the Tracy MacLeod Award presented annually to the individual who best demonstrates exceptional courage in overcoming adversity.
Crooks, a 6-foot-2, fourth-year forward led the CIS in rebounding in the regular season averaging 13.4 per game, and was second in the nation in scoring with 23.6 points per outing, recording 17 double-doubles in 20 conference games. The 22-year-old led the Huskies to their best-ever season with a 17-3 conference record, first-ever Canada West title, and first berth to the CIS nationals since 1982, where Saskatchewan will be seeded number one. During the course of the campaign, Crooks became both the Huskies all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She earns a third consecutive selection as an all-Canadian, her second straight as a member of the first team, and was also the Canada West defensive player of the year.
Crooks only started playing competitive basketball in grade 10. She comes from a family of 12 children, larger than this year’s ten-player Huskie squad. Studying in the College of Arts & Science, Crooks is a CIS Academic all-Canadian. She has been a member of the Canadian national team for the last two summers, helping the team to its first world championship berth in 10 years this past fall.
“Sarah has continued to raise the level of her game each and every year through tireless effort and dedication to her sport,” said Saskatchewan head coach Lisa Thomaidis. “I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach Sarah. She truly is the type of student-athlete that only comes along once in a coach’s career.”
Rocca, a 6-foot-1, third-year forward helped anchor a stingy McMaster defense that allowed the second lowest number of points in the nation (50.2 per game) in 2005-06, and kept the opposition to a CIS-low 31.4 field goal percentage. The 21-year-old geography student was fourth in the country in blocked shots with 33 (1.5 bpg) and fifth in rebounding with 8.82 boards per game, leading the Marauders to a 17-5 conference record and the OUA championship.
Anderson stepped right in as a starter for Western logging in 30.9 minutes per game, and leading the Mustangs in scoring with 11.7 points per outing over 22 conference contests. The 5-foot-8 guard showed tremendous poise at the free-throw line as a freshman finishing third in the OUA and sixth in the nation with an 85.5 percent success rate.
“Amanda is an example of what very talented Canadian high school players are capable of immediately if they stay in Canada,” commented Western Ontario head coach Mike Milne. “Amanda was consistently our best offensive player all season long, and her work ethic and passion for the game sets her apart from her peers.”
In his seventh season at the helm, McKenzie led Cape Breton to first place in the Maritimes with a 16-4 regular-season record, and a second AUS title in three years following a 68-56 win over Saint Mary’s in the conference final. He has guided the Capers to a stellar 68-12 conference mark over the past four campaigns.
Smith, a fourth-year guard and Alberta team captain was second on the Pandas in scoring this season with 10.3 points per game. Now in her second year in the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Studies, the three-time Academic all-Canadian maintained a 3.30 GPA last year and has earned a 3.20 GPA on a 4.00 scale thus far in 2005-06. Prior to entering into Pharmacy, Smith spent two years in the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics earning a 3.60 GPA from 2002-2004. She is involved with the University Athletics Board visiting the Stollery Children’s Hospital, and delivers speeches for the Pharmacy department to the community.
A two-time CIS national champion with the Clan, Campbell has been sidelined twice in her career with as many serious knee injuries, forcing her to miss the latter half of the 2002-03 season and the complete ‘03-04 campaign. The 5-foot-10, 23-year-old guard has come all the way back to average 33.40 minutes per game and start in all 38 games overall for SFU in her senior season, finishing second on the team in conference play with 13.6 points per outing.
“Devon has overcome a great deal of adversity during her university career to get to this point,” said Simon Fraser head coach Bruce Langford. “She plays solid defense usually against the other team’s best player, and is one of the best one-on-one players in the country.”
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Thursday.
Joining Crooks on the first CIS squad are Bishop’s guard Emilie Crofton of San Jose, Calif., Laurentian forward Cassandra Carpenter of Kanata, Ont., UNB post Carolyn Plummer of Fredericton, as well as Simon Fraser post Julia Wilson of Mission, B.C.
Carpenter, the CIS rookie of the year in 2003-04, is the only returning member on the first CIS team along with Crooks.
Heading the second elite squad is fourth-year Winnipeg guard Uzo Asagwara of Winnipeg, who led the nation in scoring this season with 24.5 points per game.
The 2006 CIS women’s basketball championship, hosted by the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, gets under way on Friday, March 10 with the quarter-final match-ups. The reigning national champion and third-seeded Simon Fraser Clan and the No. 6 McMaster Marauders will take the court first at 1 p.m. Atlantic Time. The championship final is scheduled for Sunday at 7:30 p.m. AT.
Championship web site: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_basketball/2006
TISSOT - PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Nan Copp Award): Sarah Crooks, University of Saskatchewan Huskies
Sarah Crooks of Fife Lake, Sask. becomes the first member of the Saskatchewan Huskies to capture the Nan Copp Award as CIS women’s basketball player of the year. It marks the ninth consecutive season that a player from the Canada West conference claims MVP honours, representing six different teams.
The 6-foot-2, fourth-year forward led the CIS in rebounding in the regular season averaging 13.4 per game, and was second in the nation in scoring with 23.6 points per outing, recording 17 double-doubles in 20 conference games. The 22-year-old led the Huskies to their best-ever season with a 17-3 conference record, first-ever Canada West title, and first berth to the CIS nationals since 1982, where Saskatchewan will be seeded number one. During the course of the campaign, Crooks became both the Huskies all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She also upped her performance as the Huskies all-time leader in single-season conference points with 472. Crooks earns a third consecutive selection as an all-Canadian, her second straight as a member of the first team, and was also the Canada West defensive player of the year.
From the small town of Fife Lake, Crooks only started playing competitive basketball in grade 10. She comes from a family of 12 children, larger than this year’s ten-player Huskie squad! Studying in the College of Arts & Science, Crooks is a CIS Academic all-Canadian. She has been a member of the Canadian national team for the last two summers, helping the team to its first world championship berth in 10 years this past fall.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chiara Rocca, McMaster University Marauders
Chiara Rocca of Sarnia, Ont. is the first McMaster Marauder to be named CIS defensive player of the year since the recent inception of the award, in 2001-02. She is the second player from the OUA to receive the honours, following Laurentian’s Clare Beatty who was one of two original co-recipients with SFU’s Teresa Kleindienst.
The 6-foot-1, third-year forward helped anchor a stingy McMaster defense that allowed the second lowest number of points in the nation (50.2 ppg) behind OUA rival York (49.7) in 2005-06, and kept the opposition to a CIS-low 31.4 field goal percentage. The 21-year-old geography student was fourth in the country in blocked shots with 33 (1.5 bpg), and fifth in rebounding with 8.82 boards per game. Named to the OUA West first all-star team, Rocca led the Marauders to a 17-5 conference record and the OUA championship.
TISSOT - ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (Kathy Shields Award): Amanda Anderson, University of Western Ontario Mustangs
Amanda Anderson of Chatham, Ont. is the first Western Ontario Mustang to claim the Kathy Shields award as CIS rookie of the year since the inception of the trophy in 1989-90. Anderson is the third player from the OUA in as many years to win the award, following York’s Laura MacCallum a year ago, and Laurentian’s Cassandra Carpenter in 2003-04.
The 5-foot-8 guard stepped right in as a starter for the Mustangs and logged in 30.9 minutes per game, second on the team only to fifth-year guard Julie Lamparski. Anderson went on to lead Western in scoring averaging 11.7 points per outing over 22 conference games, and was second on the Mustangs for three-point shooting percentage (35%) and assists (2.64 apg). She showed tremendous poise at the free-throw line as a freshman finishing third in the OUA and sixth in the nation with an 85.5 percent success rate. Andeson’s strong play earned her a nomination on the OUA West first all-star team, and helped Western keep a 14-8 record in the regular season, good for fourth place in the OUA West and a playoff berth.
COACH OF THE YEAR (Peter Ennis Award): Fabian McKenzie, Cape Breton University Capers
Fabian McKenzie of Glace Bay, N.S. becomes the second Cape Breton bench boss to receive the Peter Ennis Award as CIS coach of the year. He joins Ron Carew, who was honoured in 1995-96. This year marks the second time McKenzie was honoured at the AUS level (2001-02).
In his seventh season at the helm of the Capers, McKenzie led his troops to first place in the Maritimes with a 16-4 regular-season record (26-6 overall), and a second AUS title in three years following a 68-56 win over Saint Mary’s in the conference final.
McKenzie inherited a Capers team that went 2-18 in 1998-99. Since going 1-19 in his first season behind the bench, he has guided Cape Breton to a conference record of 84-56, including a stellar 68-12 mark over the past four campaigns. McKenzie, who attended both Cape Breton University and the University of New Brunswick, has been involved with university basketball since 1993.
SYLVIA SWEENEY AWARD: Michelle Smith, University of Alberta Pandas
Fourth-year senior Michelle Smith of Magrath, Alta. is the 2005-06 recipient of the Sylvia Sweeney Award for outstanding achievement in basketball, academics and community involvement. Smith is the third Alberta Panda to receive the award since its inception in 1993-94, after Rania Burns in 1998-99 and Nadine Fennig in 1996-97.
On the court, the 5-foot-8 guard and team captain led the Pandas to the Canada West playoffs, finishing first on the team in three-pointers with 28 and second in scoring with 10.3 points per game. She scored a season-high 21 points in a heartbreaking, 66-65 loss to Calgary in game one of the Central Division semi-finals. Smith’s on-court and classroom success have led her to be named a three-time University of Alberta Sports Wall of Fame award recipient and a winner of the 2005 Arnold Henderson Memorial Award.
Now in her second year in the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Studies, the three-time Academic all-Canadian maintained a 3.30 GPA last year and has earned a 3.20 GPA on a 4.00 scale thus far in 2005-06. Prior to entering into Pharmacy, Smith spent two years in the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics working towards her BSc in the department of Agricultural, Nutritional and Food Sciences, and earning a 3.60 GPA from 2002-2004. She has received numerous Undergraduate Academic Scholarships including the Chancellor’s Citation - awarded annually to students entering an undergraduate degree program at the University of Alberta from high school on the basis of superior academic achievement (minimum award average of 95%) in Grades 10, 11, and 12. Smith received the award in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Smith is involved with the University Athletics Board visiting the Stollery Children’s Hospital, delivers speeches for the Pharmacy department to the community, and is active through her church. At the U of A, Michelle is following in her sister Diane’s footsteps as a leader both on the court and in the classroom.
TRACY MacLEOD AWARD: Devon Campbell, Simon Fraser University Clan
Devon Campbell of the Simon Fraser University Clan is the 2005-06 recipient of the Tracy MacLeod Award presented annually to the individual who best demonstrates exceptional courage in overcoming adversity.
A two-time CIS national champion with the Clan, Campbell has been sidelined twice in her career with as many serious knee injuries, forcing her to miss the latter half of the 2002-03 season and the complete ‘03-04 campaign. Described as one of the most intense players in the CIS, the 5-foot-10 guard trained like a “possessed demon” to return to the court and has come all the way to average 33.40 minutes per game, the fifth highest total in Canada West, and start in all 38 games overall for SFU in her senior season. The 23-year-old was second on the team in conference play with 13.6 points per outing, leading the Clan to first place in the Canada West overall standings with a 19-1 record, and to their fifth straight appearance at the CIS tournament.
A native of Langley, B.C. Campbell is an English major at SFU, and recently received her Irish citizenship in hopes of pursuing a professional basketball career abroad after her final year with the Clan.
2005-06 CIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CANADIANS
First Team
Position Athlete University Year Hometown Faculty
Forward Sarah Crooks Saskatchewan 4 Fife Lake, Sask. Arts & Science
Guard Emilie Crofton Bishop’s 3 San Jose, Calif. Humanities
Forward Cassandra Carpenter Laurentian 3 Kanata, Ont. SPED
Post Carolyn Plummer UNB 5 Fredericton, N.B. BRSS
Post Julia Wilson Simon Fraser 4 Mission, B.C. BA Communication
Second Team
Guard Uzoma Asagwara Winnipeg 4 Winnipeg, Man. Science
Guard Meaghan Mcgrath Laurier 4 Toronto, Ont. Kinesiology / Phys. Ed.
Post Mireille Karangwa UQAM 5 Burundi Kinesiology
Forward Kelsey Blair UBC 4 North Vancouver, B.C. Arts
Forward Ryan McKay Dalhousie 4 Fredericton, N.B. Kinesiology
All-Rookie Team
Guard Amanda Anderson Western 1 Chatham, Ont. Social Sciences
Forward Catherine Parent McGill 1 Sept-Iles, Que. Physical Education
Guard Kelsey Daley Saint Mary’s 1 Fredericton, N.B. Science
Guard / Forw. Laura Craig Trinity Western 1 Delta, B.C. UNDC
Guard Alaine Hutton Toronto 1 Hamilton, Ont. Arts & Science
-CIS-
Randy McKeen
Media Relations
CIS women’s basketball championship
Ph: (506) 452-2316
Fax: (506) 452-2374
rmckeen@radioatl.ca
Michel Bélanger
Communications manager
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Ph: (613) 562-5670 ext. 25
Cell: (613) 447-6334
belanger@universitysport.ca
www.universitysport.ca
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