Women's Basketball Main news

Nail-biter ends in 87-84 loss to CIS#1 Regina

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:42:00 -0300

CALGARY, AB - The Axewomen will finish their first CIS Final 8 with a lot of positives despite losing both games including a nail-biter against the CIS #1 seeded Regina Cougars. In a 87-84 loss the Cougars, Acadia will complete their debut at the CIS championship with a 0-2 record.

Out to a quick 14-3 lead after just over four minutes of play, the Axewomen allowed Regina to tie the game at 16 after a 13-2 run by the Cougars with just over a minute remaining the first quarter. Capping their run, the Cougars captured a first quarter 18-16 win.

A confident Axewomen squad did not waiver from their game plan and put together a second quarter 27-18 to take a 43-36 half time lead. Acadia opened up the second quarter with two three-pointers to push out to a 24-20 lead that they held onto for the first half.

Kristy Moore, who showed great guts to play despite an injured wrist from the loss to Windsor, drained 14 points including two from the distant arc to lead Acadia in the first half. Seniors Emma Duinker and Jasmine Parent netted 12 and 11 point respectively in the first half.

Tied at 58 with three minutes in the third quarter, the game became much closer as All-Canadian guard Joanna Zalesiak kept the Cougars in the game with her aggressive play. Regina finally took their first lead of the second half off of three of four foul shots made to give them a 61-58 lead in the closing minutes of the third frame.

Out-scoring Acadia 25-15 in the third quarter, Regina would be overtaken with just under a minute into the final frame on a Jasmine Parent jumper to lead by 63-61. But the lead in the fourth and final frame would change six times before the end of the game with the Axewomen holding the short end of the stick, falling 87-84 to the undefeated regular season Canada West Cougars.

Lindsay Ledingham of Regina had a team-high 19 points as part of a double-double for the Cougars. Brittany Read, also from Regina, had a double-double. Canada West MVP Joanna Zalesiak of Poland was named player of the game for the winners after she tallied 17 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Shad Bay, N.S. native Kristy Moore was the top scorer for the Axewomen with 19 points. Fifth-year player Emma Duinker had 17 points in her final university outing and earned game-MVP honours for Acadia. Jasmine Parent and Stef Chapman, in their last games as Acadia seniors, had 17 and 14 points respectively.

The Cougars out-rebounded the Axewomen 60-41 and maintained a 37.5 field goal percentage, while Acadia went 39.5.

The Axewomen, playing in their first-ever CIS Final 8 tournament, had trouble adjusting to the stage, said head coach Ben Greenlaw.

“Our kids were little over awed by the situation and since it was our first time winning AUS, I was worried we might not show up,” said the fourth-year Acadia bench boss. “But we did today and showed everyone that we can play basketball.”

A historic season ends with the Axewomen completing the season with an overall record, including exhibition and the playoffs, of 30-6 that included a 2-2 post season record at the AUS and CIS championships.

Lancers hand Axewomen 94-46 defeat in first appearance

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 01:29:00 -0300

CALGARY, ON - The defending CIS Champion Windsor Lancers handed the Axewomen basketball their first defeat at a CIS Championship Final 8 tournament. The 94-46 loss was also Acadia's first Final 8 appearance in the history of the women's basketball program.

The Lancers' win marked the fourth straight semi-final appearance, who captured the first Bronze Baby Trophy in program history a year ago after claiming a silver in 2010.

For its part, Acadia is making its first-ever appearance at the Nationals after claiming the first AUS banner in school history last weekend. The Axewomen will face #1 seeded Regina Cougars on the consolation side of the draw Sunday at 2 p.m. (MT) after an upset loss to the host Calgary Dinos following the Lancer-Axewomen matchup.

Out-rebounding the Axewomen 55-31, the Lancers' control of the boards proved to be too much for the first-timers. Acadia struggled with their perimeter game, failing to net a single three point shot after a season where the Axewomen averaged 7.3 three pointers per game.

The Lancers were led by OUA MVP and All-Canadian Jessica Clemençon from France, who poured in 18 points to go along with eight rebounds, while Bojana Kovacevic chipped in a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Kovacevic, who hails from Windsor, was named game MVP for the winners.

The newly-minted CIS defensive player of the year, Miah-Marie Langlois, also a Windsor native, was excellent in all categories as well, scoring six points to go along with six rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.

The Axewomen were led by Stefanie Chapman of St. Margaret’s Bay, N.S., and Jasmine Parent of Aylesford, N.S., who each netted 10 points, with Parent grabbing five rebounds to aid the cause. Chapman earned Acadia game-MVP honours.

Windsor jumped to an early lead, stretching an 8-0 run into a 20-7 advantage by the end of the first quarter. The Lancers held Acadia without a field goal for the entire first frame, with the Axewomen grabbing points only from free throws.

Acadia finally found two points from the floor at the 9:04 mark of the second courtesy of a Stefanie Chapman jump shot, and was immediately answered by Kovacevic’s second three point shot of the night. Windsor parlayed that Kovacevic shot into a 14-0 run to balloon their lead to 36-10.

The Axewomen, however, regained composure to string together a 9-2 run of their own, sparked by six more points from Chapman to get the difference to 42-25 heading into halftime and a 20-18 second quarter deficit.

The second half began much like the first, with the Lancers exploding for 10 points in the first minute and 22 seconds of the third, eventually stretching their lead to 56-26.

However it only got worse from there for Acadia, as the Lancers used another run to start (14-2) and finish (9-2) the fourth quarter to solidify the 94-46 victory.

The Axewomen will hope to regroup against a shattered Regina Cougars who were soundly defeated in the final of four quarterfinal games by the host Calgary Dinos. Acadia will play the Cougars at 2pm in the second of two consolation semi-finals. The Saskatchewa Huskies will play at noon against the McGill Martlets.

CIS passes out hardware in Calgary

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 02:31:00 -0300

CALGARY, AB – Acadia's Emma Duinker becomes the second women's basketball player named to an CIS All-Canadian team. The Cambridge, NS native was honoured tonight as an second team All-Canadian after a season where she led the Axewomen in scoring and became Acadia's all-time leader in career scoring with 1328 points over her five year collegiate career at Acadia. Emma is Acadia's first basketball All-Canadian who spent all her seasons at Acadia. Transfer Alise Brown, who spent four seasons at Saint Mary's, was named as an All-Canadian three seasons ago as she attended Acadia for her Education degree.

Hannah Sunley-Paisley, a fifth-year post from the University of Ottawa, was named the CIS player of the year in women’s basketball, Friday night.

The native of Toronto received the Nan Copp Award, making her the first player in Gee-Gees history to claim a CIS major award in women’s hoops.

Other winners announced during the All-Canadian Gala held at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire in downtown Calgary were Windsor point guard Miah-Marie Langlois, who was named the defensive player of the year; St. Francis Xavier point guard Vanessa Pickard, who captured the Kathy Shields Award as the nation’s top freshman; Regina head coach Dave Taylor, who received the Peter Ennis Award, presented by Coaches of Canada; Lakehead forward Lindsay Druery, honoured with the Sylvia Sweeney Award which recognizes excellence in basketball, academics and community service; as well as Windsor guard Laura Mullins, who merited the Tracy MacLeod Award for her determination and perseverance.

The CIS Final 8 gets under way on Saturday at the University of Calgary’s Jack Simpson Gym and culminates on Monday evening with the gold medal final, live on Shaw TV at 7 p.m. Mountain. Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada will also carry the two Sunday semifinals live, while SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 contests, including the main and consolation brackets.

NAN COPP AWARD (player of the year): Hannah Sunley-Paisley, Ottawa

Sunley-Paisley is the first player from the OUA East division to claim the Nan Copp Award since Toronto’s Justine Ellison in 1996.

In her fifth and final season with uOttawa, the six-foot-one senior led the OUA and finished fifth in the country in scoring with an average of 18.5 points per game. She was equally dominant under the boards, placing seventh in the nation with 9.5 rebounds per contest, including a CIS-best 4.3 at the offensive end of the court. The arts student also finished in the CIS top 10 in blocks (1.2 per game) and field goal percentage (50.1), recorded 12 double-doubles in 22 league games, and guided the Gee-Gees to first place in the OUA East standings thanks to a stellar 19-3 record.

Sunley-Paisley was voted to the first all-Canadian squad for the first time in her career, following second-team nods each of the past two campaigns. The three-time OUA East MVP is the all-time uOttawa leader in scoring and rebounding. At the OUA level, she ranks second for career rebounds and sixth in points.

“Hannah is an outstanding athlete who is able to control a game on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor,” said Ottawa head coach Andy Sparks. “She has brought a tremendous amount to the program at the University of Ottawa and was instrumental in the success of the team over the past five years.”

The other finalists for the Nan Copp Award were guards Cassie Cooke of Cape Breton, Kaylah Barrett of Concordia and Joanna Zalesiak of Regina.

DEFENSIVE MVP: Miah-Marie Langlois, Windsor

Langlois is the first Windsor player to receive defensive-MVP honours since the award debuted in 2001.

The Windsor native took her game to another level this season, after being named MVP of the CIS championship a year ago when the Lancers captured the first national title in program history. The five-foot-eight junior was voted to the second all-Canadian team after she led the country with 3.5 steals per game and finished first in the nation amongst point guards with 5.2 defensive rebounds per contest. Thanks in large part to her fierce defending, the Lancers ranked second in CIS allowing only 51.7 points on average in conference play.

The business economics student also chipped in offensively this season with an OUA-best 4.9 assists per game and an 11.6-point average, good for second on her team. Her all-around play helped the defending national champions take first place in the OUA West for the fourth straight campaign with a 20-2 mark and achieve No. 2 status in 12 of 14 weekly coaches’ polls.

Langlois represented Canada at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China.

“I am extremely proud of Miah’s development this year because of the commitment she made to become a top defensive player in the OUA,” said Windsor head coach Chantal Vallée. “We always knew what a tremendous offensive player she was but this year she grew into a force in all facets of the game. Her defensive stats in CIS speak for themselves and I believe her play this year was a big factor in our team’s overall success.”

The other nominees for defensive-MVP honours were Dalhousie post Anna von Maltzahn as well as guards Jessy Roy of Bishop’s and Katie Miyazaki of Saskatchewan.

KATHY SHIELDS AWARD (rookie of the year): Vanessa Pickard, St. Francis Xavier

Pickard, who hails from Riverview, N.B., became the second StFX player to claim the Kathy Shields Award. Former X-Women standout Theresa McCuish was honoured in 1991-92.

To say the graduate of Riverview High School had an immediate impact on the StFX roster would be an understatement. The five-foot-11 point guard led the team in scoring in her university debut with 17.2 points per game, an average that ranked first amongst CIS freshmen, fourth overall in the Atlantic conference and tenth in the country.

The third most utilized player in the Maritimes with 34.1 minutes of court time per contest, the human kinetics student was also third in the league in steals (50), fourth in free throw percentage (82.3) and ninth in assists (73) en route to a selection as a second-team AUS all-star.

“Vanessa has been a truly outstanding addition to the team since she arrived on campus. Our program definitely expected big things from her coming out of high school, but she has surpassed our expectations,” said X-Women head coach Matt Skinn. “Off the court, she is a fantastic student, and is a prime example of an all-around student-athlete. Her transition to the CIS level has been a smooth one, and I am excited to see what she is going to continue to bring to our program in the future.”

Also in the running for the Kathy Shields Award were McGill guard Dianna Ros, Ottawa guard Kellie Ring and Saskatchewan forward Dalyce Emmerson.

PETER ENNIS AWARD (presented by Coaches of Canada): Dave Taylor, Regina

Taylor, the 11th head coach in program history, became only the second U of R bench boss to receive the Peter Ennis Award, joining Christine Stapleton (1997).

In his sixth year at the helm, Taylor led Regina to its first-ever undefeated conference season thanks to a 20-0 mark. The Cougars were the highest-scoring team in the country in league play with an average of 84.2 points per game, led all 14 national polls during the season and head into the CIS championship with a remarkable 35-2 overall record against CIS opponents.

Taylor, who guided his troops to back-to-back CIS finals in 2008 and 2009, ranks second in the school’s all-time record book in both conference wins (99) and postseason victories (23). He joined the Cougars as an assistant coach under Stapleton in 1993-94 and helped the program win its lone Bronze Baby title in 2001.

“Dave’s success is directly attributable to his exceptional work ethic and his commitment to excellence in every aspect of the Cougar women’s basketball program,” said Regina athletics director Dick White.

The other finalists for the Peter Ennis Award were Acadia’s Bev Greenlaw, McGill’s Ryan Thorne and Ottawa’s Andy Sparks.

SYLVIA SWEENEY AWARD: Lindsay Druery, Lakehead

Druery, a native of Smithville, Ont., is the first Lakehead player to receive the Sweeney Award for excellence in basketball, academics and community service.

In her fifth and final university season, the Thunderwolves’ captain was selected as a second-team OUA all-star for the third straight year. The six-foot-1 forward finished tenth in the nation with 9.1 rebounds per game and ranked in the OUA top 10 in points (13.9 per game), field goal percentage (45.0) and offensive boards (3.7 per game). She finished her career with 828 rebounds, good for sixth place all-time in the Ontario conference, and also scored over 1,000 points for Lakehead.

The 2011-12 recipient of the OUA’s Joy Bellinger Award, Druery maintains her honours distinction in kinesiology and is also very active in the community. She volunteers with the Children’s Aid Society as a recreation buddy, with the Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club, and also gives back to local basketball, helping the Thunder Bay Wolves club.

“Lindsay is an OUA all-star calibre athlete, maintains her honours degree average of over 70% each year and volunteers in Thunder Bay. She has managed to do this in her professional year where she is in her teaching practical’s and she also trains 3-4 hours a day for basketball,” said Lakehead head coach Jon Kreiner. “Lindsay has done a remarkable job representing the OUA and CIS as a positive role model in our community. She is a remarkable, selfless young lady that has embraced the richness of being a student-athlete and she appreciates every bit of the privileges an OUA and CIS athlete receives. She is a true Champion.”

Melissa Foster of UNB, Michelle Auger-Bellemare of UQAM and Lauren Taal of Lethbridge were also nominated for the Sylvia Sweeney Award.

TRACY MacLEOD AWARD: Laura Mullins, Windsor

Mullins, a Windsor native, is the first Lancer to receive the Tracy MacLeod Award.

After being named to the OUA West All-Rookie team in 2007-08, the five-foot-10 guard continued to help the Lancers in her sophomore season until tearing her ACL and MCL in January of 2009. She had to observe from the bench while her team won its first OUA championship and finished fourth at Nationals.

The human kinetics student was determined to return to the roster for the following campaign after fully rehabilitating her knee during the summer. Showing no signs of injury, she averaged 50 per cent from the field that season until she partially tore the same ACL again in January of 2010. She still battled to play with a deficient knee and helped the Lancers win their second OUA title and claim the silver medal at the CIS championship in Hamilton.

However, in July of 2010, Mullins suffered a full ACL and Meniscus tear and ended up missing the entire 2010-11 schedule as she had to get a second surgery on the same knee, one again forcing her to watch from the sidelines last winter as the Lancers claimed their first Bronze Baby Trophy. After more rehab, she intended to play this season, but had another setback in the summer when she was diagnosed with a blood clot behind that same knee and had to remain inactive for months with a possibility of not being able to return to play. However, in mid-September, she received the green light to start training again and has ended up making an impact on the court all season for the Lancers.

“It’s been hard to see Laura battle back-to-back injuries but also rewarding as she has shown her determination and has been an example of relentless hard work to her teammate,” said Windsor head coach Chantal Vallée. “We feel privileged she is still playing with us!”

Dalhousie’s Rachael Harrison, McGill’s Anneth Him-Lazarenko and Fraser Valley’s Nicole Wierks were also in the running for the Tracy MacLeod Award.

ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS

The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Friday.

Joining Sunley-Paisley on the first squad were Cape Breton guard Cassie Cooke of Westminster, Md., Concordia guard Kaylah Barrett of Brampton, Ont., Regina guard Joanna Zalesiak of Gorzow, Poland, as well as Windsor forward Jessica Clemençon of Saint-Rambert, France.

Clemençon was also a first-team member a year ago, when she claimed the Nan Copp Award. This season, she averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 points per game.

Cooke, the AUS MVP, finished second in CIS scoring with 23.6 points per contest. Barrett, the RSEQ player of the year, placed second in Quebec with 16.4 points per outing. Zalesiak, the Canada West MVP, averaged a CIS-best 5.8 assists per game while running the highest scoring offence in the nation.

In addition to Langlois, the second CIS dream team is comprised of Saint Mary’s guard Justine Colley of East Preston, N.S., Saskatchewan guard Katie Miyazaki of Richmond, B.C., Acadia guard-forward Emma Duinker of Cambridge, N.S., and Thompson Rivers post Diane Schuetze of Vernon, B.C.

Colley, who was voted to the first unit a year ago, led the country in scoring for the second straight season with an average of 24.4 points per contest. Miyazaki is a two-time CIS defensive player of the year.

Joining Pickard on the CIS all-rookie squad are Saskatchewan forward Dalyce Emmerson of Prince Albert, Sask., Ottawa guard Kellie Ring of Ottawa, McGill guard Dianna Ros of Montreal, and Dalhousie forward Tessa Stammberger of Kensington, P.E.I.

2011-2012 CIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS

Nan Copp Award (player of the year): Hannah Sunley-Paisley, Ottawa
Defensive player of the year: Miah-Marie Langlois, Windsor
Kathy Shields Award (rookie of the year): Vanessa Pickard, St. Francis Xavier
Peter Ennis Award (presented by Coaches of Canada): Dave Taylor, Regina
Sylvia Sweeney Award (basketball, academics & community service): Lindsay Druery, Lakehead
Tracy MacLeod Award: Laura Mullins, Windsor

Ottawa’s Sunley-Paisley named player of the year

March 16, 2012

CALGARY (CIS) – Hannah Sunley-Paisley, a fifth-year post from the University of Ottawa, was named the CIS player of the year in women’s basketball, Friday night.

The native of Toronto received the Nan Copp Award, making her the first player in Gee-Gees history to claim a CIS major award in women’s hoops.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb/index

Other winners announced during the All-Canadian Gala held at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire in downtown Calgary were Windsor point guard Miah-Marie Langlois, who was named the defensive player of the year; St. Francis Xavier point guard Vanessa Pickard, who captured the Kathy Shields Award as the nation’s top freshman; Regina head coach Dave Taylor, who received the Peter Ennis Award, presented by Coaches of Canada; Lakehead forward Lindsay Druery, honoured with the Sylvia Sweeney Award which recognizes excellence in basketball, academics and community service; as well as Windsor guard Laura Mullins, who merited the Tracy MacLeod Award for her determination and perseverance.

The CIS Final 8 gets under way on Saturday at the University of Calgary’s Jack Simpson Gym and culminates on Monday evening with the gold medal final, live on Shaw TV at 7 p.m. Mountain. Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada will also carry the two Sunday semifinals live, while SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 contests, including the main and consolation brackets.

NAN COPP AWARD (player of the year): Hannah Sunley-Paisley, Ottawa

Sunley-Paisley is the first player from the OUA East division to claim the Nan Copp Award since Toronto’s Justine Ellison in 1996.

In her fifth and final season with uOttawa, the six-foot-one senior led the OUA and finished fifth in the country in scoring with an average of 18.5 points per game. She was equally dominant under the boards, placing seventh in the nation with 9.5 rebounds per contest, including a CIS-best 4.3 at the offensive end of the court. The arts student also finished in the CIS top 10 in blocks (1.2 per game) and field goal percentage (50.1), recorded 12 double-doubles in 22 league games, and guided the Gee-Gees to first place in the OUA East standings thanks to a stellar 19-3 record.

Sunley-Paisley was voted to the first all-Canadian squad for the first time in her career, following second-team nods each of the past two campaigns. The three-time OUA East MVP is the all-time uOttawa leader in scoring and rebounding. At the OUA level, she ranks second for career rebounds and sixth in points.

“Hannah is an outstanding athlete who is able to control a game on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor,” said Ottawa head coach Andy Sparks. “She has brought a tremendous amount to the program at the University of Ottawa and was instrumental in the success of the team over the past five years.”

The other finalists for the Nan Copp Award were guards Cassie Cooke of Cape Breton, Kaylah Barrett of Concordia and Joanna Zalesiak of Regina.

DEFENSIVE MVP: Miah-Marie Langlois, Windsor

Langlois is the first Windsor player to receive defensive-MVP honours since the award debuted in 2001.

The Windsor native took her game to another level this season, after being named MVP of the CIS championship a year ago when the Lancers captured the first national title in program history. The five-foot-eight junior was voted to the second all-Canadian team after she led the country with 3.5 steals per game and finished first in the nation amongst point guards with 5.2 defensive rebounds per contest. Thanks in large part to her fierce defending, the Lancers ranked second in CIS allowing only 51.7 points on average in conference play.

The business economics student also chipped in offensively this season with an OUA-best 4.9 assists per game and an 11.6-point average, good for second on her team. Her all-around play helped the defending national champions take first place in the OUA West for the fourth straight campaign with a 20-2 mark and achieve No. 2 status in 12 of 14 weekly coaches’ polls.

Langlois represented Canada at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China.

“I am extremely proud of Miah’s development this year because of the commitment she made to become a top defensive player in the OUA,” said Windsor head coach Chantal Vallée. “We always knew what a tremendous offensive player she was but this year she grew into a force in all facets of the game. Her defensive stats in CIS speak for themselves and I believe her play this year was a big factor in our team’s overall success.”

The other nominees for defensive-MVP honours were Dalhousie post Anna von Maltzahn as well as guards Jessy Roy of Bishop’s and Katie Miyazaki of Saskatchewan.

KATHY SHIELDS AWARD (rookie of the year): Vanessa Pickard, St. Francis Xavier

Pickard, who hails from Riverview, N.B., became the second StFX player to claim the Kathy Shields Award. Former X-Women standout Theresa McCuish was honoured in 1991-92.

To say the graduate of Riverview High School had an immediate impact on the StFX roster would be an understatement. The five-foot-11 point guard led the team in scoring in her university debut with 17.2 points per game, an average that ranked first amongst CIS freshmen, fourth overall in the Atlantic conference and tenth in the country.

The third most utilized player in the Maritimes with 34.1 minutes of court time per contest, the human kinetics student was also third in the league in steals (50), fourth in free throw percentage (82.3) and ninth in assists (73) en route to a selection as a second-team AUS all-star.

“Vanessa has been a truly outstanding addition to the team since she arrived on campus. Our program definitely expected big things from her coming out of high school, but she has surpassed our expectations,” said X-Women head coach Matt Skinn. “Off the court, she is a fantastic student, and is a prime example of an all-around student-athlete. Her transition to the CIS level has been a smooth one, and I am excited to see what she is going to continue to bring to our program in the future.”

Also in the running for the Kathy Shields Award were McGill guard Dianna Ros, Ottawa guard Kellie Ring and Saskatchewan forward Dalyce Emmerson.

PETER ENNIS AWARD (presented by Coaches of Canada): Dave Taylor, Regina

Taylor, the 11^th head coach in program history, became only the second U of R bench boss to receive the Peter Ennis Award, joining Christine Stapleton (1997).

In his sixth year at the helm, Taylor led Regina to its first-ever undefeated conference season thanks to a 20-0 mark. The Cougars were the highest-scoring team in the country in league play with an average of 84.2 points per game, led all 14 national polls during the season and head into the CIS championship with a remarkable 35-2 overall record against CIS opponents.

Taylor, who guided his troops to back-to-back CIS finals in 2008 and 2009, ranks second in the school’s all-time record book in both conference wins (99) and postseason victories (23). He joined the Cougars as an assistant coach under Stapleton in 1993-94 and helped the program win its lone Bronze Baby title in 2001.

“Dave’s success is directly attributable to his exceptional work ethic and his commitment to excellence in every aspect of the Cougar women’s basketball program,” said Regina athletics director Dick White.

The other finalists for the Peter Ennis Award were Acadia’s Bev Greenlaw, McGill’s Ryan Thorne and Ottawa’s Andy Sparks.

SYLVIA SWEENEY AWARD: Lindsay Druery, Lakehead

Druery, a native of Smithville, Ont., is the first Lakehead player to receive the Sweeney Award for excellence in basketball, academics and community service.

In her fifth and final university season, the Thunderwolves’ captain was selected as a second-team OUA all-star for the third straight year. The six-foot-1 forward finished tenth in the nation with 9.1 rebounds per game and ranked in the OUA top 10 in points (13.9 per game), field goal percentage (45.0) and offensive boards (3.7 per game). She finished her career with 828 rebounds, good for sixth place all-time in the Ontario conference, and also scored over 1,000 points for Lakehead.

The 2011-12 recipient of the OUA’s Joy Bellinger Award, Druery maintains her honours distinction in kinesiology and is also very active in the community. She volunteers with the Children’s Aid Society as a recreation buddy, with the Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club, and also gives back to local basketball, helping the Thunder Bay Wolves club.

“Lindsay is an OUA all-star calibre athlete, maintains her honours degree average of over 70% each year and volunteers in Thunder Bay. She has managed to do this in her professional year where she is in her teaching practical’s and she also trains 3-4 hours a day for basketball,” said Lakehead head coach Jon Kreiner. “Lindsay has done a remarkable job representing the OUA and CIS as a positive role model in our community. She is a remarkable, selfless young lady that has embraced the richness of being a student-athlete and she appreciates every bit of the privileges an OUA and CIS athlete receives. She is a true Champion.”

Melissa Foster of UNB, Michelle Auger-Bellemare of UQAM and Lauren Taal of Lethbridge were also nominated for the Sylvia Sweeney Award.

TRACY MacLEOD AWARD: Laura Mullins, Windsor

Mullins, a Windsor native, is the first Lancer to receive the Tracy MacLeod Award.

After being named to the OUA West All-Rookie team in 2007-08, the five-foot-10 guard continued to help the Lancers in her sophomore season until tearing her ACL and MCL in January of 2009. She had to observe from the bench while her team won its first OUA championship and finished fourth at Nationals.

The human kinetics student was determined to return to the roster for the following campaign after fully rehabilitating her knee during the summer. Showing no signs of injury, she averaged 50 per cent from the field that season until she partially tore the same ACL again in January of 2010. She still battled to play with a deficient knee and helped the Lancers win their second OUA title and claim the silver medal at the CIS championship in Hamilton.

However, in July of 2010, Mullins suffered a full ACL and Meniscus tear and ended up missing the entire 2010-11 schedule as she had to get a second surgery on the same knee, one again forcing her to watch from the sidelines last winter as the Lancers claimed their first Bronze Baby Trophy. After more rehab, she intended to play this season, but had another setback in the summer when she was diagnosed with a blood clot behind that same knee and had to remain inactive for months with a possibility of not being able to return to play. However, in mid-September, she received the green light to start training again and has ended up making an impact on the court all season for the Lancers.

“It’s been hard to see Laura battle back-to-back injuries but also rewarding as she has shown her determination and has been an example of relentless hard work to her teammate,” said Windsor head coach Chantal Vallée. “We feel privileged she is still playing with us!”

Dalhousie’s Rachael Harrison, McGill’s Anneth Him-Lazarenko and Fraser Valley’s Nicole Wierks were also in the running for the Tracy MacLeod Award.

ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS

The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Friday.

Joining Sunley-Paisley on the first squad were Cape Breton guard Cassie Cooke of Westminster, Md., Concordia guard Kaylah Barrett of Brampton, Ont., Regina guard Joanna Zalesiak of Gorzow, Poland, as well as Windsor forward Jessica Clemençon of Saint-Rambert, France.

Clemençon was also a first-team member a year ago, when she claimed the Nan Copp Award. This season, she averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 points per game.

Cooke, the AUS MVP, finished second in CIS scoring with 23.6 points per contest. Barrett, the RSEQ player of the year, placed second in Quebec with 16.4 points per outing. Zalesiak, the Canada West MVP, averaged a CIS-best 5.8 assists per game while running the highest scoring offence in the nation.

In addition to Langlois, the second CIS dream team is comprised of Saint Mary’s guard Justine Colley of East Preston, N.S., Saskatchewan guard Katie Miyazaki of Richmond, B.C., Acadia guard-forward Emma Duinker of Cambridge, N.S., and Thompson Rivers post Diane Schuetze of Vernon, B.C.

Colley, who was voted to the first unit a year ago, led the country in scoring for the second straight season with an average of 24.4 points per contest. Miyazaki is a two-time CIS defensive player of the year.

Joining Pickard on the CIS all-rookie squad are Saskatchewan forward Dalyce Emmerson of Prince Albert, Sask., Ottawa guard Kellie Ring of Ottawa, McGill guard Dianna Ros of Montreal, and Dalhousie forward Tessa Stammberger of Kensington, P.E.I.

2011-2012 CIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS

Nan Copp Award (player of the year): Hannah Sunley-Paisley, Ottawa

Defensive player of the year: Miah-Marie Langlois, Windsor

Kathy Shields Award (rookie of the year): Vanessa Pickard, St. Francis Xavier

Peter Ennis Award (presented by Coaches of Canada): Dave Taylor, Regina

Sylvia Sweeney Award (basketball, academics & community service): Lindsay Druery, Lakehead

Tracy MacLeod Award: Laura Mullins, Windsor

First Team

Pos. Athlete University Year Hometown Faculty

P Hannah Sunley-Paisley Ottawa 5 Toronto, Ont. Arts

G Cassie Cooke Cape Breton 2 Westminster, Md. Business Admin.

G Joanna Zalesiak Regina 4 Gorzow, Poland Kinesiology & HS

G Kaylah Barrett Concordia 2 Brampton, Ont. Religion

P Jessica Clemençon Windsor 3 Saint-Rambert, France Arts & English

Second Team

G Justine Colley Saint Mary’s 3 East Preston, N.S. Commerce

G Katie Miyazaki Saskatchewan 5 Richmond, B.C. Graduate Studies

G/F Emma Duinker Acadia 5 Cambridge, N.S. Science

P Diane Schuetze Thompson Rivers 4 Vernon, B.C. Tourism

PG Miah-Marie Langlois Windsor 3 Windsor, Ont. Business

All-Rookie Team

PG Vanessa Pickard StFX 1 Riverview, N.B. Human Kinetics

F Dalyce Emmerson Saskatchewan 1 Prince Albert, Sask. Business

G Kellie Ring Ottawa 1 Ottawa, Ont. Communications

G Dianna Ros McGill 1 Montreal, Que. Physical Therapy NP

F Tessa Stammberger Dalhousie 1 Kensington, P.E.I Kinesiology

Acadia faces big challenge

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:46:00 -0300

HALIFAX, NS - The Acadia Axewomen will get thrown right into the fire at the CIS women’s basketball championship beginning Saturday in Calgary.

The AUS champions will meet the defending CIS champion Windsor Lancers in their tournament opener to start the night doubleheader. It’s the fourth straight tournament appearance for Windsor.

Acadia, in its first women’s Final 8, is seeded fifth while the Lancers, 32-4 overall versus CIS opponents, are fourth.

The Axewomen, 26-5, held their last practice on their home court on Wednesday and travelled Thursday.

Acadia head coach Bev Greenlaw, in his fourth season with the team, said the support for the team has been nothing short of astounding. MORE>

Axewomen seeded fifth in Final 8 Tournament

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:40:00 -0300

CALGARY, AB - The Axewomen basketball team, who have had a two week rest following their AUS championship win in Antigonish last Weekend, find themselves preparing this week for the fourth seeded Windsor Lancers who won the East Regionals this past weekend in Ottawa. Seeded fifth overall in the Final 8 Championship, Acadia will start their road to a National championship this coming Saturday night starting at 5pm (Western Time) at the University of Calgary.

The Regina Cougars are the tournament favourites, while their provincial counterparts the Saskatchewan Huskies earned the wild card for next weekend’s CIS women’s basketball Final 8 at the University of Calgary.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb/index

The seeding was announced Sunday for the 2012 CIS tourney set to kick off Saturday at the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary. The eight-team competition concludes next Monday, March 19 with the gold medal final at 7 p.m. local (9 p.m. ET).

Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada will carry the two Sunday semi-final games live. Shaw TV will also carry the final live, while NBA TV Canada will broadcast the final on a two-hour tape delay (9 p.m. local / 11 p.m. ET). SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 contests, including the main and consolation brackets.

Rounding out the seeding behind Cougars are the No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions), No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA champions), No. 4 and defending champion Windsor Lancers (East Regional champions), No. 5 Acadia Axewomen (AUS champions), No. 6 Saskatchewan Huskies (wild card), No. 7 McGill Martlets (RSEQ champions) and No. 8 Calgary Dinos (host).

The Cougars, who had their undefeated streak snapped at 23 games in the Canada West final against UBC, were awarded the No. 1 seed after holding that ranking all season in the CIS Top 10. They earned their ticket to the Final 8 after winning the West Regional Saturday night with an 85-62 win over Brock. They will face the host Dinos in the final quarterfinal on Saturday, March 17 at 7 p.m. MT.

The Huskies, who lost the West Regional semi-final to Brock Friday night, were selected as the wild card entry by the committee and enter as the No. 6 seed.

The No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds will open the tournament against the Quebec champion McGill Martlets at 12 p.m. Saturday. Other first-round contests will see Ottawa battle Saskatchewan at 2 p.m. and defending champion Windsor taking on Acadia at 5 p.m.

With their 2011 championship on their home floor, the Lancers snapped Canada West’s vice-like grip on the Bronze Baby after teams from the West (including the now defunct Great Plains conference) had won 19 consecutive banners, dating back to 1991.

Note: A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday.

SEEDING

1. Regina Cougars (West Regional champions: 20-0 regular season / 5-1 playoffs)
2. UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions: 15-3 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
3. Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA champions: 19-3 regular season / 4-1 playoffs)
4. Windsor Lancers (East Regional champions: 20-2 regular season / 4-1 playoffs)
5. Acadia Axewomen (AUS champions: 17-3 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
6. Saskatchewan Huskies (Wild card: 15-5 regular season / 3-2 playoffs)
7. McGill Martlets (RSEQ champions: 11-5 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
8. Calgary Dinos (Host: 14-6 regular season / 0-2 playoffs)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times MOUNTAIN TIME)

NOTE: Live webcast of all games on SSN Canada. Semi-finals will be broadcast live on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada, and the final will be broadcast live on Shaw TV and on a two-hour tape delay on NBA TV Canada.

Friday, March 16
8:00 to 16:00 Team Practices
18:00 All Canadian Gala (Sheraton Suites Eau Claire)

Saturday, March 17
12:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 2 UBC vs. No. 7 McGill
14:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 3 Ottawa vs. No. 6 Saskatchewan
17:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 4 Windsor vs. No. 5 Acadia
19:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 1 Regina vs. No. 8 Calgary

Sunday, March 18
12:00 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2
14:00 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4
17:00 Semifinal #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2 (LIVE on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada)
19:00 Semifinal #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4 (LIVE on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada)

Monday, March 19
13:00 5th place
15:00 Bronze medal
19:00 Championship final (LIVE on Shaw TV / tape delay 9 p.m. MT on NBA TV Canada)

Axewomen end Caper hold on AUS championshp

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:07:00 -0400

ANTIGONISH, NS - For the first time in 61 seasons, the CIS #7 ranked Acadia Axewomen are the Subway AUS champs as they cut the three time defending AUS champion Cape Breton Capers down to size with a convincing 82-72 win in front of a partisan crowd at the StFX Oland Centre.

For the Axewomen, the championship was the culmination of a year that included a 17-3 record; a thirteen game winning streak and an undefeated season at home.

Acadia's Stef Chapman, who was named to the Tournament All-Star squad, was able to hold AUS Most Valuable Player Cassie Cook below her 31 points per game average against Acadia this past season, to a low of 22 points.

A commanding 18-5 Acadia lead with just over two minutes remaining the opening quarter, narrowed to a 20-10 Axewomen lead. Tying the game at 25 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, Cape Breton closed the second frame in a two point deficit - 32-30.

Opening the second half with two three point shots from Abbey Duinker and Lindsay Harris along with a jumper by Emma Duinker pushed the lead to 10 but in the closing minutes of the third, Jahlica Kirnon and Cassie Cooke closed the lead to 58-52.

A timely three from Acadia's Kristy Moore at 8:31 in the final frame created what would become a nearly insurmountable 12 point lead, but the Capers closed the gap to six points with 1:20 remaining in the final half. Controlling the clock and ball, the Axewomen pushed the lead to 11 in the remaining minute of the game from the free throw line.

With the Capers pulling back from several deficits, third year forward Abbey Duinker was confident in the team's chances of hanging on for the win. "Coach said it would be a battle the full way and we have to play the full 40 minutes. We tried to come out strong and make that first hit. The win feels just surreal. We did this for Emma, Jas and Stef - for their last year and we felt it was time to dig in and that we are a team and came through as a team".

While Cassie Cook was held to 22 points, Jahlica Kirnon added 19 points for the losing cause.

Four of Acadia's five starters reached double digit scoring, led by Emma Duinker, named the championship tournament most valuable player and Lindsay Harris who both netted 18 points. Stef Chapman and Abbey Duinker added 11 points and senior graduating Axewomen Jasmine Parent, off the bench, added 13 points.

The Axewomen bettered Cape Breton with 42.5% from the floor compared to the Caper's 36.8%.

Head Coach Bev Greenlaw praised his team’s performance. “I wanted this group of kids to win for the sake of this group of kids. This group really deserved this. Every once in a while you get lucky, if you hang around long enough, to get an amazing group of young people that exceed anyone's, including our, expectations. This is one of those groups.”

Questioned on how his team reacted to the Caper comeback, Greenlaw was not surprised by the outcome, “Sometimes when things go really well, you can get nervous. The mental stuff we have done all year and we prepared. What our kids have done all year long is respond. Everything that is thrown out at them they respond. That is the quintessential thing about this team”.

The Subway AUS championship win gives Acadia an automatic berth into the CIS National Final 8 in Calgary along with host Calgary, and conference champions McGill (RSEQ), Ottawa (OUA) and UBC (Canada West). The Capers will head to Ottawa for one of two regional tournaments that will determine the final four teams to enter the National Championship Tournament beginning on March 17.

Axewomen advance to Finals against Cape Breton

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 21:52:00 -0400

ANTIGONISH, NS - The Axewomen basketball team kept their eyes on the prize as they scraped past the host StFX X-Women 70-66 to advance to their first championship game in 61 years. The last recorded win of a championship by the Axewomen was in 1951.

Their winning season almost came to an end as the game teetered back and forth with 10 game lead exchanges over four quarters - five coming in the last frame.

The X-Women grabbed a 14-10 first quarter lead held onto a 30-26 lead after one half on the back of Donisha Young who captured the crowd's attention with eight first half points. Acadia's Kristy Moore and Stef Chapman each netted eight as well.

With a 51-48 StFX lead after three quarters, the fourth and final frame became a nail-biter from start to finish as Acadia tied the game at 51 only a minute into the final quarter.

The tenth and final lead exchange at 64-62 in favour of the CIS #7 ranked Axewomen would be the last with 2:20 remaining in the game. A timely jumper by AUS second team All-Star Stef Chapman gave Acadia a 64-62 lead. Kristy Moore would extend the lead to four with drive to the hoop.

In the closing seconds, free throws by Stef Chapman and Abbey Duinker's two free throws with five seconds remaining would solidfy the win for the Axewomen.

Chapman, who grabbed the Subway Player of the Game honours wrapped up the first of two semi-final games slated for the night with 20 points while teammate and second year guard Kristy Moore helped with 15 points and 12 rebounds - 10 of which were defensive. Senior Emma Duinker added 15 points along with 7 rebounds and sister Abbey had eight points, including the two free throws at the end of the game to capture the win.

Acadia only scored a year low three three-pointers, but those that were sunk became timely game swingers.

StFX was led by Vanessa Pickard who netted 17 points, while teammates Donisha Young and Jocelyn Moore scored 14 adn 10 respectively.

The Axewomen will take on Cape Breton, the winner of tonight's second semi-final game. The Capers hope to grab their fourth championship in a row. Head to head the Capes and Axewomen are tied with one win against each other.

Axewomen preview to AUS Semi-Finals @ StFX

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:38:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - All eyes are on the next opponent, but it's hard not to look beyond.

The Axewomen basketball team head into this weekend's AUS Championship as the top seeded team - the first time in recorded history. With a 17-3 record, Acadia's season was record breaking in team and individual accomplishements.

Losing their first game of the regular season after a 7-1 preseason record, the Axewomen burned through the season on a 13 game winning streak that derailed in a loss to the second place Cape Breton Capers. In the last week of the regular season, the Saint Mary's Huskies netted a last second three point shot to hand the Axewomen their third loss of the regular season in a 59-56 edging.

The record breaking season included the most wins ever recorded by a women's basketball team. The last such accomplishment was by the Axettes, as they were known until 1997, recorded 13 wins in a 22 game season in 1977-78. The last winning season was in 1991-92 when Acadia posted a 11-5 record. Acadia was also undefeated at home during the regular season with a 10-0 record.

Also an important individual recognition this season is senior Emma Duinker, who became Acadia's All-Time Career Scoring leader with 1328 points in five seasons with the Axewomen. Duinker's five year collegiate career ends with her taking a fifteenth spot in the AUS Career Scoring category.

Duinker and Stef Chapman were named to the first and second AUS All-Star teams while head coach Bev Greenlaw was voted by his peers as the Coach of the Year. Duinker led the Axewomen in scoring and finished fifth in the AUS with a 16.7 points per game average, while four of five starters posted AUS Top 15 scoring results - the most in teh conference.

The Axewomen finished the season as the second top scoring team in the conferenece with a 79.9 points per game average - second to Cape Breton who posted a 80.9 points per game average. However, Acadia led in scoring defense with a 67.1 points per game average and either led or came second to the Capers.

The Axewomen will depend on top scorers Emma Duinker, Kristy Moore, Abbey Duinker and Stefanie Chapman to the lead the way while Jasmine Parent's off-the-bench scoring will be paramount in the Axewomen's hopes to being home thier first AUS Championship since 1951. Lindsay Harris will anchor the offense with her team leadership and knack for assists.

With a season in the record book, the Axewomen hope to bring home Acadia's first AUS championship since 1951 and the road won't be easy. With their first place bye to the semi-finals, Acadia will face the fifth seeded StFX X-Women who upset the fourth place Memorial Sea-Hawks.

Acadia landed two four-point wins against StFX and swept a four game season series against Memorial that included a rare sweep of the Sea-Hawks in Newfoundland. The Axewomen will face the winner of the quarterfinal game between the Sea-Hawks and X-Women Saturday night at 6pm. The game will be webcasted at www.ssncanada.ca

AUS Women's Basketball Awards & All-Stars announced

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:19:00 -0400

ANTIGONISH, NS - Acadia's head coach Bev Greenlaw, Emma Duinker and Stef Chapman were honoured at this evening's AUS Awards Banquet at StFX. Greenlaw was named the AUS Coach of the Year, while Duinker and Chapman were named to the First and Second All-Star teams respectively.

Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2011-12 AUS women's basketball all-stars and major award winners as selected by the conference's eight head coaches following regular season play.
Second-year Cape Breton Capers guard Cassie Cooke was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player, Thursday night.

Other AUS major award winners announced during the awards banquet at the StFX Charles V. Keating Centre in Antigonish, N.S., were StFX's Vanessa Pickard of Riverview, N.B., who was named rookie of the year; Dalhousie's Anna von Maltzahn of Halifax, N.S., who was selected as the defensive player of the year; Dalhousie's Rachael Harrison of Hamilton, Ont., who is the AUS Tracy MacLeod Award Nominee; and Acadia head coach Bev Greenlaw, who was named the AUS coach of the year.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Cassie Cooke, Cape Breton
Cassie Cooke, a 5-foot-8, second-year guard with the CIS No. 10-ranked Cape Breton Capers, is the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball most valuable player.

A native of Westminster, MD. Cooke appeared in the top ten of nearly every AUS offensive statistical category, leading both the AUS and CIS in total points scored with 471. Her 471 single-season point tally is also the fifth highest total in AUS history.

Cassie, also named a first team all-star tonight, finished second in the nation in scoring with an average of 23.6 points per game and led the Atlantic conference in three-point field goals with 55. She was also third in AUS steals (35), and tied for third in total assists with 81.

She helped to lead her Capers team to a second place finish with a 15-5 record.

"Cassie's versatility has been a tough match up for many opponents this season," said Cape Breton head coach Fabian McKenzie. "Her quickness allows her to penetrate to the rim while her ability to shoot the ball from deep range makes her a dangerous offensive weapon."

Kelsey Hodgson was the last CBU player to win the AUS most valuable player award, claiming the top prize in consecutive seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Cooke will look to become the first Atlantic University Sport player to take home the Nan Copp Award as the CIS player of the year.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Vanessa Pickard, StFX
Pickard, a native of Riverview, N.B., is the third player from the X-Women program to claim the AUS rookie of the year award. Beth Stephen (2001-02) and Theresa MacCuish (1991-92) are the only other StFX players to have won this award.

The 5-foot-11 graduate of Riverview High School has made an immediate impact with the X-Women, leading the team in scoring with an average of 17.2 points per game. Her 17.2 points per contest ranks fourth overall in AUS conference scoring and is first in the nation amongst all first-year players in CIS.

A Human Kinetics student, Vanessa was also named a second team all-star and was third in the conference in minutes played, averaging 34.1 minutes per game. She finished third in steals (50), fourth in free throw percentage (.823) and ninth in assists (73).

"Vanessa has been a truly outstanding addition to the team since she arrived on campus," comments StFX head coach Matt Skinn. "Off the court, she is a fantastic student, and is a prime example of an all-around student-athlete. On the court, she has taken the reigns as the starting point guard for our team, and has been a steadying influence, while making big plays for us at critical times. We expected big things from her, but she has certainly surpassed our expectations. Her transition to the CIS level has been a smooth one, and I am excited to see what she is going to continue to bring to our program in the future."

Claire Colborne of UNB was the last AUS player to win the CIS rookie of the year award, just last season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Anna von Maltzahn, Dalhousie
Third-year Neuroscience student Anna von Maltzahn is the 2011-12 AUS defensive player of the year.

A native of Halifax, N.S., Anna is a co-captain with the Tigers and led the AUS conference in rebounding with 9.9 rebounds per game, despite the fact that at 5-foot-11 she is one of the smallest post players in the league.
An outstanding defender, she is usually assigned to cover the top player on opposing teams, regardless of position and led the Tigers in steals per game this season.

"Anna sets the standard for the Tigers in work ethic and attitude," says Dalhousie head coach Anna Stammberger. "She puts the extra hours in the gym after or before team practices, never has to be told to work harder in practice and in addition is a real energy giver to her teammates. One of our captains, an excellent defender and rebounder and a great team leader, Anna is also an Academic all-Canadian and on the Dean's List."

Von Maltzahn is the first Dalhousie Tigers player to be recognized as the AUS defensive player of the year since the inception of this award following the 2000-01 season.

No Atlantic University Sport player has yet been named the CIS defensive player of the year.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Bev Greenlaw, Acadia
Acadia Axewomen head coach Bev Greenlaw is the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball coach of the year, marking the first time an Acadia women's basketball coach has ever been honoured with this award.

Greenlaw, now in his fourth season at the helm of the Axewomen program, guided Acadia (currently ranked No. 7 in CIS) to a first place finish with a 17-3 regular season record this year, including an impressive 13-game winning streak during a stretch that lasted from November to February.

This year's regular season record is also the best mark in recent Acadia basketball history. His Acadia squad, which includes senior Emma Duinker, the all-time leading scorer in school history, has been ranked in top 10 of every CIS poll this season.

Greenlaw, who is a former CCAA coach of the year, has coached basketball at virtually every level.

In 2007, he guided the Nova Scotia under-17 girls to a Bronze medal at the Canada Basketball national championship and also led Nova Scotia's Canada Games men's squad to a gold medal, earning him and his team a place in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

"Bev is extremely deserving of this recognition," says Kevin Dickie, Director of Athletics at Acadia. "There is nobody more passionate about the development of women's basketball in the Annapolis valley as he has been over the many years he has coached. His long term plan has come to fruition this season and as the new Athletic Director at Acadia, Bev has been tremendous with me to have around as a senior coach."

CBU head coach Fabian McKenzie is the last Atlantic University Sport coach to be named CIS coach of the year (2005-06).

TRACY MACLEOD AWARD NOMINEE: Rachael Harrison, Dalhousie
Harrison, a fifth-year Recreation Management student from Hamilton, Ont., is the 2011-12 Atlantic University Sport nominee for the Tracy MacLeod Award.

This award rewards a women's basketball player who demonstrates determination, perseverance and unwavering spirit to continue playing the game of basketball and is the AUS nominee for the CIS Sylvia Sweeney Award

In June of 2010, the summer before her graduation year at Dalhousie, Rachel was diagnosed with melanoma. She was treated with surgery in July with the hopes of being on the court that fall, however, further surgery and more treatment delayed her return to the basketball court.

From October, 2010 to June, 2011 she was unable to take part in strenuous physical activity in fear of interference with her cancer treatment and recovery. Rachael was forced to make the decision to sit out the year and focus on getting healthy.

In March, 2011 she received cancer-free results and was cleared to resume training. Her positive and resilient attitude enabled her return to the Tigers lineup for the 2011-12 season.

A co-captain on the team, Rachael has been a force at both ends of the court and is one of the team's best defenders, averaging 26.7 minutes per game. She was also third in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Aside from basketball, Rachael volunteers with a local elementary school running club and is involved with other various youth projects. An exceptional student with a 4.0 GPA, she will resume her studies next fall in the Education program.

"Rachael is very deserving of the Tracy MacLeod award as she never waivered in her pursuit of recovering her health and getting herself back at the top of her game while facing her diagnosis of cancer," says Dalhousie head coach Anna Stammberger. "She is an inspiration to us all in her desire to compete and excel in both the classroom and on the court."

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Melissa Foster, University of New Brunswick
Fourth-year UNB Varsity Reds forward Melissa Foster is the 2012 recipient of the AUS student-athlete community service award.

A native of Moncton, N.B., Foster started in all 20 games for the V-Reds this season, averaging 4.3 points per contest. She is also a three-time Academic all-Canadian with a 3.7 Cumulative GPA in 3.5 years at UNB.

Melissa currently coaches the Junior V-Reds mini girls basketball team, volunteers at local community basketball practices, and has participated in the 'Read With The Reds' Program. She volunteers weekly at the local hospital and is the Vice President of the UNB Athlete's Council.

Foster also found time to participate in the Terry Fox Run, the CIBC Run for the Cure, Operation Christmas Child, the Salvation Army Adopt-a-Family program, and UNB's very successful 'Shoot For The Cure' initiative where she was instrumental in rallying her teammates to raise over $4,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Melissa's most impressive accomplishment has been her work with the UNB Right to Play Club. She founded the club last September and has already raised over $4,000 through various fundraising events, with a goal of raising $10,000 by May to create a safe play space in an underprivileged area in the world. Melissa was one of the few Right to Play leaders from across the country chosen to attend an international Right to Play conference in Rwanda this summer.

"I could not be more proud of Mel," says UNB head coach Jeff Speedy. "She has started every game for us, has been a fantastic leader, and has done so much in the community it makes me tired just thinking about it. While doing all of this, she has been an A student and an Academic all-Canadian. She is a very caring, unselfish individual and a truly amazing teammate."

FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
The Atlantic University Sport first and second team all-stars were also announced Thursday, along with this year's all-rookie team.

First Team All-Stars:
Cassie Cooke, Cape Breton University (2nd year - Westminster, MD.)
Justine Colley, Saint Mary's University (3rd year - East Preston, N.S.)
Emma Duinker, Acadia University (5th year - Cambridge, N.S.)
Ally Forsey, Memorial University (4th year - St. John's, Nfld.)
Claire Colborne, University of New Brunswick (2nd year - Calgary, Alta.)

Second Team All-Stars:
Jahlica Kirnon, Cape Breton University (5th year - Toronto, Ont.)
Vanessa Pickard, StFX University (1st year - Riverview, N.B.)
Keisha Brown , Dalhousie University (3rd year - Halifax, N.S.)
Stefanie Chapman, Acadia University (4th year - St. Margaret's Bay, N.S.)
Susanne Canvin, Saint Mary's University (5th year - Charlottetown, P.E.I.)

All-Rookie Team:
Vanessa Pickard, StFX University (Riverview, N.B.)
Tessa Stammberger, Dalhousie University (Kensington, P.E.I.)
Laura Langille, Saint Mary's University (Bedford, N.S.)

Axewomen end season with win over MUN

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:54:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Axewomen basketball team ended a 17-3 season with an undefeated 10-0 record at home. Today's 56-53 edging of the Memorial Sea-Hawks was the perfect ending for senior Emma Duinker who became Acadia's All-Time Career Scoring leader with 1328 points in five seasons with the Axewomen. Duinker's five year collegiate career ends with her taking a fifteenth spot in the AUS Career Scoring category.

While today's game was meaningless in the final standings for the Axewomen, it became apparent that pride was on the table for both teams. With Acadia taking an early commanding lead after one half pushing ahead 35-14.

Memorial's field goal percentage hung at 13%, while the Axewomen hovered at 42%. The lead extended to 26 four minutes into the second half but a 20-5 Sea-Hawk run that crossed over into the fourth quarter narrowed the lead to 49-39 less than two minutes into the final frame.

Two three pointers and two two-point baskets by Memorial's Megan Robinson in the closing minutes of the game collapsed the Acadia lead to two points with less than 17 seconds remaining.

Acadia was able to hold onto the narrow margin and record their tenth win in a row at home during the regular season.

Emma Duinker lead the Axewomen with 10 points while second year guard Lindsay Harris added 9 points and senior Stef Chapman posted 7 points and 9 rebounds.

Memorial's Megan Robinson and Alexandra Forsey each had 10 points for the losing cause while Grace Fishbein added 8. Tiffany McMillion led the Sea-Hawks with 10 rebounds.

The stage is set for a possible semi-final matchup between the Axewomen and Memorial as the Sea-Hawks hope to stick to the path towards the semi-finals with a win over StFX. The winner of this semi-final will hope topple the Axewomen. In the other semi-final bracket, the Saint Mary's Huskies will take on Dahousie with the winner playing in the second of two semi-final games against the second seeded Cape Breton Capers.

Last season, the Axewomen took an early exit out of the AUS championship tournament with close and controversial loss to Memorial in Newfoundland.

Axewomen clinch first place in AUS standings

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:18:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - For the first time in recorded women's basketball history, the Acadia Axewomen have clinched first place in the AUS standings with one game remaining in the regular season. The Axewomen, led by senior guard Emma Duinker, improved to 16-3 with a 70-57 win over the fourth place Memorial Sea-Hawks.

Duinker posted 19 points and 12 rebounds in the Axewomen's 16th win of the regular season, also a recent history record. The Axettes, as they were known until 1997, recorded 13 wins in a 22 game season during the 1977-78.

Trailing Acadia 21-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Sea-Hawks chipped away at the Axewomen lead and swapped a 19-12 second quarter advantage for a 33-33 halftime score.

Late in the third quarter, Sea-Hawk Robyn O'Reilly gave Memorial their first lead of the game on a three point shot with just under two minutes remaining in the third frame. Memorial would hold onto the two point advantage heading into the final quarter.

A three point basket by Subway Player of the Game Emma Duinker pulled Acadia into a six point lead with over five minutes remaining in the game. Sister Abbey Duinker forced the lead to seven on a three pointer with two minutes on the clock. Acadia would hold on to a 11 point lead in the closing minute of the third game between both teams this season.

The win gives Acadia a first place bye and also an unheard of 3-0 lead in the four regular season series matchup between Memorial and Acadia.

The Axewomen forced 25 Memorial turnovers and out-rebounded the Sea-Hawks 45 to 31. Abbey Duinker netted 15 points and 10 rebounds while teammates Kristy Moore and Stef Chapman added 10 and 12 points respectively.

Both teams will play their last game of the regular season tomorrow starting at 1pm. Tomorrow's game is meaningless in the standings with all, but Acadia and Memorial, finished their 20 game regular season schedule. Memorial will find themselves matched up against StFX in quarterfinal play, while Saint Mary's will take on their cross-town rivals Dalhousie in the second game of the first round. The winners of StFX and Memorial will advance to Saturday's 6pm game against Acadia.

Next week's AUS championship weekend is hosted by StFX and Acadia will, after tomorrow's season finale, play in the first to two semifinal games at 6pm.

Emma Duinker heads into her last regular season game with 1318 regular season points over her five year collegiate career and will earn the distinction as Acadia's all-time leading scorer as she edges up the AUS All-Time Scoring list too.

Huskies grab win with 3pt shot in final seconds

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:52:00 -0400

HALIFAX, NS - A three point shot sunk by Naomie Fequiere with 9.6 seconds remaining in the game, gave the Saint Mary's Huskies a 59-56 win over the first place Acadia Axewomen.

Tied at 13-13 after the first quarter, the Huskies pulled out to a 28-26 lead at the half and maintained the lead until a 54-54 tied created by Acadia's Kristy Moore with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

The Axewomen pulled out to 56-54 with just over a minute remaining, but a layup by last year's AUS MVP Justine Colley tied the game for the seventh time in the match and Fequiere's three point shot ended Acadia's chance of sweeping the four game regular season series against the Huskies.

Abbey Duinker scored Acadia's high 16 points while Emma Duinker, Stef Chapman and Kristy Moore netted 13, 10 and 10 respectively.

Colley posted the game high of 24 points while teammate Susan Canvin pulled off a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Fequiere was a dismal 2 for 12 from the floor for seven points but landed the most important shot of the night from the distant arc for the win.

The Axewomen will hope for at least one win this coming weekend against Memorial at home for the two game weekend against the Sea-Hawks. One win will clinch the first place bye while no wins this weekend will drop Acadia to second place in the year end standings.

The Huskies are 12-7 and hope to hold onto their four point lead on Memorial as a third place team heading into the AUS Championship next weekend. The Axewomen fall to 15-3 and lead Cape Breton by four points with one game in hand. The Capers have their last game this weekend against the last place UPEI Panthers - worth 4 points in the standings.

Axewomen sweep weekend games versus UPEI

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:09:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - For the second consecutive game, second year guard Kristy Moore led the Axewomen in scoring as they defeated the UPEI Panthers 99-70 in a rare Saturday afternoon game.

Named the Subway Player of the Game for the second time this weekend, Moore netted five of eight three point attempts and was 10 for 16 from the floor adding 28 points to the Axewomen's offensive output.

Acadia held on to the lead for the entire game, pushing out to a 24-12 lead after one quarter of play. Emma Duinker added 17 points and along with teammate Stef Chapman added a team high seven rebounds.

Strong bench play once again from senior Jasmine Parent who 13 points, helped the Axewomen produced their highest offensive output of the season.

Panther Amy Gough scored a team high 18 points while Jenna Jones added 13, while Nakita Newman posted 4 stealsand six points.

A more positive start to today's game as compared to the slow start last night as the Axewomen opened the game up strong and completed strong.

Three more games remain in the regular season as Acadia travels to Saint Mary's this Wednesday night and then hosts the now 9-7 Memorial Sea-Hawks.

Axewomen back on track with win over Panthers

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:17:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Axewomen basketball got back on track with their winning ways after last weekend's split on the road with a home court convincing 92-62 win over UPEI Panthers.

Leading only by five after first quarter and 12 after the first half, the Axewomen opened the game wide open with a dominant 25-12 third quarter win and 25 point lead in the game at 65-40.

Abbey Duinker led the Axewomen scoring in the first half with 10 points but it was Subway Player of the Game Kristy Moore who captured everyones attention in the second half netting 14 points and 6 rebounds in the second half.

Moore scored a game high 23 points and 9 rebounds while teammate out-rebounded Moore with 10 but fell short with 11 points. The Duinker sisiters totaled 25 points with Abbey scoring 13 and older sister Emma posted 12 points. Off the bench, Jasmine Parent was three for six and four rebounds for a seven point game in roughly 16 minutes of play.

The Axewomen were an astounding 90% from the free throw line in the first half but quickly slipped to 43% in the second half.

The win improves Acadia to a league leading 14-2, trailed by the 12-5 and red hot Cape Breton Capers. UPEI drops to 2-16. Both teams will meet tomorrow afternoon at 2pm for the fourth and final season meeting of both teams. After this weekend, Acadia will have three games remaining in the regular season that includes their last visit to Saint Mary's next Wednesday night and then two home against Memorial next weekend.

Capers break 13 game winning streak

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:01:00 -0400

SYDNEY, NS - The 13 game winning streak comes to an end as the Cape Breton Capers defeated the Axewomen basketball team 88-71 at the Sullivan Field house on the CBU campus.

Pulling out the an insurmountable lead, the Capers could not be reached. Down 27-15 after one quarter, Acadia would not recover and trailed Cape Breton for the entire game.

Caper Cassie Cook scored a game high 28 points and senior forward Jasmine Parent nailed her season high 25 points for the losing cause. Scoring leaders for the Capers included Cook and teammates Jahlica Kirnon and Tanira McClurkin with 17 and 14 points respectively.

Emma and Abbey Duinker netted onl seven and four points respectively. The last time the Emma recorded a score this low was in Acadia's last loss in the season opener against Dalhousie on November 9th. Second year guard Kristy Moore added 14 points and Lindsay Harris had nine.

Surprisingly the Axewomen failed from the three point arc recording a depressing 30% field goal percentage with only one attempted in the second half and 3 of nine sank in the first half.

Acadia will host the UPEI Panthers this weekend for two games beginning on Friday night at 6pm followed by Saturday's afternoon game at 2pm. Cape Breton will host StFX this coming Wednesday night. Two weeks remain in the regular season with Acadia heading to Saint Mary's on next Wednesday night after hosting UPEI.

CIS #7 Axewomen grab 4pt win over X

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:56:00 -0400

ANTIGONISH, NS - The StFX X-Women were not able to overcome the Acadia Axewomen Saturday night in Antigonish N.S. The blue and white lost the game 81-69 to the CIS #7 ranked Acadia Axewomen. Emma Duinker poured in 27 points and had ten rebounds to pace the visiting Axewomen who earned their thirteenth win in a row.

Abbey Duinker was able to provide the secondary scoring for the Axewomen, putting up 17 points in the win along with five rebounds. Stephanie Chapman and Jasmine Parent each contributed ten points apiece for the AUS first place Axewomen.

The X-Women were able to hold even with the Axewomen 12-12 after the first quarter, but were outworked 30-19 in the second quarter as the Axewomen took a 40-31 lead into the dressing room at halftime. Despite being without team leader Kirsten Jones, StFX played a resilient third quarter against the tough Axewomen squad, and pulled to within four points of the conference leaders in the final frame.

Acadia outscored StFX 39-38 in the second half, as the second quarter would prove to be the difference as Acadia held on for the four-point victory over the home team X-Women.

Donisha Young scored a team high 20 points for the X-Women in the loss and also had 11 rebounds for a double-double night. Vanessa Pickard picked up 15 points and six rebounds for the X-Women, while Anne Kiberd scored 14.

Acadia shot 33.8% from field goal range, 38.9% from three point range and 66.7% from the free throw line, while the X-Women had 30.3% in field goal shooting, 33.3% from three point range and were 63.3% from the three point line.

The X-Women remain in sixth place with a 7-8 record. They will play host to the eighth place UPEI Panthers (2-14) Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm, while the first place Axewomen improve to 13-1 and travel to Cape Breton for a meeting with the third place Capers (10-5) on Sunday afternoon.

Submitted by StFX Sports Info.
Jamie Kelly

Huskies handled by Axewomen in 77-65 win

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:26:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Axewomen basketball team extended their winning streak to 12 games with a convincing 77-65 win over the second place Saint Mary's Huskies. Once again, senior forward Emma Duinker led the Axewomen with her season high 32 points.

Duinker opened the game with a three point shot and was 8 for 12 from the floor and had a 19 points in first half.

Pushing out to a 17-3 Acadia lead after seven minutes of play, the Huskies worked back to a 19-12 deficit but were back deep in the hole with 2:33 remaining in the first half, falling back 36-17.

The Axewomen would remain in the lead for the entire game, allowing the Huskies to close to the gap to a second half low of 11 points with just over two minutes remaining.

Huskie Justine Colley was once again outstanding, leading Saint Mary's with 27 points, while teammate Lindsay Panchan collaborated for 20 more points and an astonishing 9 for 10 from the floor.

While Emma Duinker netted the Axewomen's most points, sister Abbey added 15 points, 10 of which were in the second half. Second year guard Kristy Moore added 12 points. Emma is fourth in AUS scoring with a 17.6 points per game average and leads in both 3 point field goal percentage and 3 point field goals made.

The Axewomen have not lost a game since the season opener at Dalhousie on November 9th, 2011.

Acadia will head out on their toughest road trip of the season as they travel to Antigonish to take on the sixth place and 7-7 StFX X-Women on Saturday night and then skip to Sydney to cap a two day trip to Northern Nova Scotia against the ever-strong fourth place Cape Breton Capers.

The Huskies remain home this weekend to host the third place Memorial Sea-Hawks for two games.

Basketball Axewomen make it eleven in a row

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:07:00 -0400

HALIFAX, NS - Senior guard Emma Duinker led the Axewomen basketball team to their eleventh straight victory as they downed the first place Saint Mary's Huskies 83-78 in Halifax, NS.

The 11 game winning streak is the longest in the Axewomen's recent history, dating back 20 years or more and the eleven wins after 12 games is tied with last year's overall season win total of eleven.

Tied at 36-36 at the half, with both teams never pulling away from each other for more than six points, the game opened up in favour of the Axewomen six minutes into the third quarter when Stef Chapman drained a three point shot to give Acadia a 46-40 lead.

The Huskies were able to close the gap at 4:43 when Rebecca Nuttall netted a three pointer to close the gap to 51-54 in the third frame. But in the closing minutes of the third, Emma Duinker sank her third of five baskets from the distant arc to give Acadia a 6 point lead and eventual seven point advantage at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth and final quarter, the Huskies worked back from a 13 point deficit, closing the lead to four points with 24 seconds remaining. A Justine Colley layup with 16 seconds on the clock brought Saint Mary's to within two points. Ensuing foul shots solidified the 83-78 win for for Acadia and slipping the Axewomen into first place.

Colley was limited to her 24 points per game average, while teammate Susan Cavin picked up the slack with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Colley had a game high 13 rebounds.

Acadia's four of five starters reached double digit status with Emma Duinker leading the way with 24 points and a team high 9 rebounds. Sister Abbey notched out 22 points and 5 rebounds, while Kristy Moore and Stef Chapman added 19 and 12 points respectively. Off the bench senior forward Jasmine Parent worked hard for four points.

Acadia only recorded an amazing 8 turnovers, 7 of which were in the first half and stole the ball 10 times, while the Huskies handed over the ball 20 times.

Head coach Bev Greenlaw was supportive of his team's effort. ""As they have all season long, our kids who were not on the court gave magnificent support to their teammates, and we all rode that energy to a very solid third quarter, and our biggest lead of the contest, 65-58", adding, "We played very well to open a decent lead in the 4th quarter, but then got stuck on 76 points for 'way too long, and things got very tight.

"As they have done throughout this season, our Acadia Axewomen dug down deep & responded to everything that was thrown at them by a very talented Huskie team on its homecourt. All in all, a very hardfought, very rewarding TEAM win against a Top 10 calibre team playing well on its home-court".

Both teams meet next Wednesday night in Wolfville for their third battle this season. The Axewomen have won both matches as the Huskies drop to 10-4 with two games in hand, trailing Acadia by two points with 30 in the AUS Standings. Acadia will then head to northern Nova Scotia to visit StFX and Cape Breton as they head for the stretch with five games remaining after their road trip.

Streak now 10 with win over Dalhousie

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:02:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Acadia Axewomen have extended their winning streak to ten with a 92-67 win over the 3-9 Dalhousie Tigers. The Axewomen have now improved to 10-1 and are now tied with Saint Mary's for first place in the AUS with 30 points. The Huskies, however, have two games in hand over the Axewomen with a 10-3 record.

Acadia's last loss was in their season opener in Halifax against the Dalhousie Tigers. It looked as though Acadia was out to redeem themselves in the first half with an amazing seven three point shots sunk in the first quarter. With a 33-20 lead after one quarter that was supported by points coming from Kristy Moore and Emma Duinker from the distant arc, Acadia would retain the lead for the entire game.

The second quarter saw the Tigers making a big push to catch up to the Axewomen, yet they were unable to hold back the Axewomen’s dominating perimeter game. The Axewomen would take a 16 point lead over Dalhousie at the end of the half with a score of 50-34 in their favour. Moore was four for four from the three point line while teammate Emma Duinker was four for seven. Axewoman starter Stef Chapman also added a three point shot of her own during the first half of the game.

Duinker, who was named the Subway Player of the Game, netted 20 of her 28 points in the first half. Moore captured 17 of her 24 points in the first half as well.

Acadia maintained their momentum into the second half and just beyond the midpoint of the third frame, the Axewomen took a commanding 20 point lead over the Tigers and would close out the quarter with a 71-53 lead. The fourth quarter played out much like the third with the Axewomen holding the lead at arms length from Dalhousie. After four quarters of play, the Axewomen took their tenth straight win with a 25 point lead over the Tigers.

Former Axewomen Keisha Brown had a Tiger high 25 points while Cailin Crosby netted 13 points. Tessa Stammberger led Dalhousie with 10 rebounds.

For the first time in weeks, not all of Acadia's starters scored in the double digit range. Abbey Duinker fell short with 8 points; Lindsay Harris had only six but had an remarkable 7 assists. Stef Chapman followed closely with 10 points and 6 assists.

The Axewomen will look to keep their winning streak alive as they hit the road next Wednesday to visit the Saint Mary Huskies in Halifax. The Tigers will host StFX this coming Sunday afternoon. The Huskies return to the War Memorial Gymnasium on Wed. Feb. 8 at 6pm for their third game against the Axewomen.

Game Note: The Axewomen hosted the CIS Shoot for the Cure event and raised over $600 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Special guest and Cancer survivor Suzanne Winters tossed the ball up for the ceremonial Tip Off. The Axewomen, who swept Memorial last weekend in Newfoundland (a tremendous feet for anyone visiting the Rock) remain 8th ranked in the CIS. No movement, despite having the best record in the CIS.

Submitted by Graeme Heaven
Acadia Sports Information

Axewomen sweep MUN on the Rock

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:41:00 -0400

ST. JOHN'S, NL - The Axewomen basketball team's sweep of the Memorial Sea-Hawks this past weekend in Newfoundland improves the squad to a 9-1 record and extends their winning streak to nine games. The wins give the Axewomen 30 points, trailing the Saint Mary's Huskies by four points, however the Huskies have three games in hand.

The last loss the Axewomen recorded was the first game of the year against the Dalhousie Tigers and Acadia will have an opportunity to slip into a tie with the Huskies if they can beat the Tigers this coming Friday night as they host Dalhousie for a four point game on the Acadia campus.

This past weekend, the Axewomen wrapped up the two game weekend with a close 74-71 win over the Sea-Hawks, despite trailing Memorial three after one quarter of play, Acadia posted a 35-29 halftime lead.

With two exchanges of the lead during the third quarter, Acadia led by a slim margin of two heading into the final frame. The fourth quarter opened with a three point shot sunk by Acadia''s Abbey Duinker and Acadia pushed out to a six point advantage on a second Duinker three point shot.

Tied at 68 with three minutes remaining in the game, Acadia was able to squeeze out the 74-71 victory on the Rock.

Duinker was named the Subway Player of the Game for her 26 point game that included three timely three point shots, while teammates Stef Chapman, Emma Duinker and Kristy Moored added double digit scoring with 11, 11 and 12 points respectively.

Following this Friday's Jam the Gym in support of the Shoot for the Cure against Dalhousie, the Axewomen host the first place Saint Mary's Huskies next Wednesday night. The Huskies and Axeowmen have met once this season resulting in a 88-65 Acadia win.

Streak extends to 8 for Basketball Axewomen

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:04:00 -0400

ST. JOHN'S, NL - The CIS #8 ranked Axewomen basketball team has extended their winning streak to 8 as the topped the Memorial Sea-Hawks 85-67 and improved to 8-1, two points out of the top spot in the AUS standings. Acadia trails first place Saint Mary's by two points, but the Huskies have three games in hand.

Today's game was the first time both teams met since last year's AUS quarterfinal loss to the Sea-Hawks in St. John's, where host Memorial edged Acadia 83-79. The last game the Axewomen lost was the season opener in Halifax against the Dalhousie Tigers.

The Axewomen jumped out to a commanding 26-12 lead after one quarter and settled for a 41-31 halftime score. Third year post Abbey Duinker scorched the key with 16 first half points and five rebounds.

Acadia never lost the lead for the entire game and pushed out to the largest lead of the game of 24 points at the four minute mark of the final quarter on two Lindsay Harris free throws. Harris had a second half high 14 points while teammate Jasmine Parent came off the bench to add 12 points to the Axewomen's second half output.

Four of the starting five Axewomen recorded double digit scoring results including Lindsay Harris' game high 17 points. Abbey Duinker, Stef Chapman and Kristy Moore had 16, 14, and 11 points respectively.

Head Coach Bev Greenlaw pointed out that the team's early lead was key to the win. "Our team did a very good job to open the game and establish tone and pace, then made plays at different times throughout the game when Memorial threatened. Lindsay & Jasmine were each remarkably efficient in second half after both being in foul trouble almost immediately in the first. All others contributed throughout the evening."

Memorial's Alexandria Forsey netted a team topping 13 points, while teammates Megan Robinson and Kelia Pond each added 11 points for the losing cause.

The Axewomen take on the Sea-Hawks for the second of two games in Newfoundland before heading home and preparing for the Dalhousie Tigers on Friday at the annual ASU Jam the Gym event.

Axewomen extend winning streak to seven

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:15:00 -0400

FREDERICTON, NB - The Axewomen basketball team extended their winning streak to seven games with a 71-63 win over the host UNB Varsity Reds. Acadia comes off of a three game, post Christmas Holilday, winning streak with wins against the ever-strong Cape Breton Capers; the first place Saint Mary's Huskies and the recent win against UNB.

Ahead of the Varsity Reds 38-31 after one half, the Axewomen posted a 20-9 third quarter run that pushed Acadia into a 58-40 third quarter lead but the V-Reds didn't give up, taking a 10 point final frame win and closing the 18 point margin to eight.

Second year guard Kristy Moore netted 17 points while Stef Chapmanhad 15. UNB's Emma Russell had a game high 17 rebounds while teammates Jordanne Holstein and Claire Colborne each had 17.

Acadia leads the AUS in team scoring with an astounding 82.9 points per game while defending their hoop with a 68.4 points per game average.

The Axewomen's last loss was in the season opener against Dalhousie back on November 9th in Halifax. Acadia improves to 7-1 and sit in second place behind the Saint Mary's Huskies who have three games in-hand and a 9-2 record. The Axewomen head to Newfoundland next weekend to take on the Memorial Sea-Hawks who are 6-3 and trail Acadia by two points in the standings.

CIS #8 Axewomen defeat first place SMU

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:07:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Axewomen basketball team picked up their second win of 2012, this time against the first place Saint Mary's Huskies. The Huskies drop to 8-2 with three games in hand, while the Axewomen improve to 6-1 with the 88-65 victory.

Acadia was led by fourth year guard Stef Chapman who scored a team high 24 points, while the remaining starting four each posted double digit figures including Emma Duinker's 14 points and 11 rebounds. Kristy Moore, Lindsay Harris and Abbey Duinker scored 14, 14 and 11 point respectively.

The Axewomen made up an early 4-2 deficit and took the lead for the entire game, closing out the first half with a 38-27 advantage. Acadia would push the lead to 17 early in the third quarter and stretch the margin to 22 with four minutes remaining in the game.

Huskie Justin Colley netted 29 points in 32 minutes of play for the losing cause and only Lindsay Panchan was able to score two three point shots for Saint Mary's.

The Axewomen were 20 for 23 from the charity line and recorded a 43% field goal percentage compared to the Huskies 37.5%.

Chapman was named the Subway Player of the Game for the Axewomen, while Colley took the honours for the Huskies.

Saint Mary's head across town this Saturday as they face the Dalhousie Tigers (2-5) and the Axewomen take the show on the road as they visit Fredericton to take on the UNB Varsity Reds (2-6). Acadia returns home on Friday, January 27 against Dalhousie for the Annual Jam the Gym event.

Basketball Axewomen send Capers home with 94-83 loss

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:30:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - The Axewomen basketball team completed the task at hand - to improve to 5-1 and defeat one of the perennial powers of women's AUS basketball.

Despite the high scoring end result, the Axewomen played sound defense to hand the Cape Breton Capers their fourth loss of the regular season in a convincing 94-83 win.

Along with sound defense that included Acadia out-rebounding the Capers 41-30 (along with 28 offensive to the Capers 11 defensive), the Axewomen offered a balance offensive attack with all five starters scoring in double digit range. Leading the way was senior forward Emma Duinker who posted 23 points and 9 rebounds while sister Abbey pulled down 13 rebounds and added 12 points to the team total.

Subway Player of the Game Lindsay Harris had a 15 point performance that was highlighted by her unselfish play, offering 6 assists to the team's output. Stef Chapman and Kristy Moore added 15 and 18 points respectively.

Caper Cassie Cooke was nearly perfect from the free throw line, pocketing 12 of 13 attempts and scoring a game high 34 points and added nine rebounds.

Squeaking out a three point lead after one quarter, the Axewomen trailed the Capers 42-20 at the half. A hard fought third quarter pushed the Axewomen out to a 67-59 lead after tying the game at 46-46 three minutes into the second half.

Emma Duinker's three point shot near the five minute mark of the third quarter was the back-breaker as the Axewomen held onto the lead for the remainder of the game, rolling to a 11 point win over the talented Caper squad.

Duinker was pleased with the win. "I think it was the most consistent play that we have had in a while. We were finally able to piece four full quarters together. We also played better as a team than we have in a while. The key was that everyone who got on the floor did what they do best and everyone got touches on the ball. Our players comin off the bench also did a great job supporting the momentum we had."

The Capers were a crisp 44% from the floor, but fell short in netting only one three point shot for the duration of the game while Acadia was good on nine of 21 attempts. Cape Breton was without fifth year senior Nicole Works

Acadia will spend the next five days preparing for the first place Saint Mary's Huskies, while Cape Breton return home to host the StFX X-women next Wednesday night.

Basketball Axewomen hungry in 2012

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:12:00 -0400

WOLFVILLE, NS - Heading into the second half of the regular season after a Holiday break that showcased Acadia in Montreal at the UQAM Holiday Classic, the Axewomen basketball team will have their hands full in the coming weeks as they fight to hold on to second place in the AUS standings and their CIS #7 ranking.

Facing the ever-strong Cape Breton Capers and the first place Saint Mary's Huskies in the coming 6 days, the Axewomen hold the keys to a four point game against the Capers and a two point game versus the Huskies.

Second place in the standings and a CIS ranking this early in the season has not made the Axewomen over confident in their success thus far. "We have only played quarter of our season so a lot can change from now to the end of the season and we can't dwell on being in second place right now because we have some really tough battles coming up", points out senior forward Emma Duinker. "So, it's nice to be in the top two, but it really doesn't mean a whole lot right now when there are so many games left to play in the season".

The Cambridge, NS native and 2010-11 AUS First Team All-Star is thrilled with the season so far but is well grounded on the fact that nearly three quarters of the season lies ahead with the Axewomen accumulating 12 points in the standings with a 4-1 record and 15 more games remaining. "In the past few years we haven't even reached second place. That position is exciting in that sense, and we have played some tough teams so far to get there", recalls Duinker.

Ranked in the pre-season CIS Top Ten, the Axewomen opened the season at home, grabbing wins against StFX and UNB on the opening weekend followed by a loss to the 2-3 Dalhousie Tigers and capped the month of November with two wins on the Island against UPEI. Did the 4-1 record meet Head Coach Bev Greenlaw's expectations of the first half of the season?

"The girls have performed at a very high level thus far, and have shown that they are among the top teams in the country", but Greenlaw is cautious. "As it happens, there are possibly four or five other teams in the AUS who have the same capability, so nothing will be easy. The trend across Canada this season is for a greater depth of competitiveness in every conference, and the AUS may be the only one that can truly claim to have attained top-to-bottom “any given night…” status."

Last year's early exit in the quarterfinals against Memorial at the AUS championship weekend hosted by the Sea-Hawks has made this year's Axewomnen hungry for results. "The only expectations we are concerned with meeting are our own, and those are set high. Lots of 'people' expect great things from the team this year, and many other people still don't expect much so it's hard to say we are meeting or exceeding expectations", points out Duinker when asked on whether the Axewomen have met their expectations.

"Our team however has always kind of been the underdog, and I still think we are regarded as this in a way. For any team having a pre season of 7-1, league play of 4-1 and being ranked top ten all season so far is a notable accomplishment so in this sense, we have met some expectations but in focusing on our own goals and expectations, I think we are in a good spot".

In the coming two weeks, the Axewomen face the first place Huskies, the reigning AUS Champion Cape Breton Capers and the 4-2 Memorial Sea-Hawks for two games in Newfoundland. What seems to have work so far is the spread of point scoring to a core of 6-7 players including Duinker.

Greenlaw notes that Emma is no doubt the nucleus of the team but is quick to point out that the "team" concept has made the difference this year along with several players contributing consistently. "Emma is still the “go to” but we do believe that our true strength lies in being a true team, so that we all must be guarded. We think we defend better this year, and we want to continue to improve that aspect of our game".

"Stef Chapman has been outstanding, and so have each of her teammates on given nights. Jasmine Parent and Stef are both having the best season of their careers to date. Abbey Duinker was at times phenomenal in the pre-season. Lindsay (Harris) and Kristy (Moore) have had moments, and we think can both can become more consistently threatening offensively. We are pushing first year players Carlie MacDonald, Melissa Gottschall, Rita Sibo and Jackie Caravella to become more consistent in their contributions".

Statistically, only second year guard Kristy Moore (#9) and veteran Emma Duinker (#10) are in the AUS Top Ten in scoring race with teammates Stef Chapman and Abbey Duinker trailing not far behind in 11th and 14th respectively. Only the Axewomen and Memorial have more than one player in the top ten of scoring, thus proving that Acadia has a balanced scoring attack that may be difficult to defend in the remainder of the regular season.

"So far our league can literally be won by anyone because any one team can beat another on any given night. In saying this, every team is going to be a battle for us. But the team to beat right now for us is probably Cape Breton because they have always been a tough team" concludes team captain Emma Duinker.