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.
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.
Ottawa's Kellie Ring, who captured the OUA East Rookie of the Year award, was also honoured with a place on the CIS All-Rookie Team.
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.
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
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
First Team
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 ClemenÃ167on Windsor 3 Saint-Rambert, France Arts & English
