CIS women’s basketball: SFU’s Buna named player of the year

Photo credit: Michael P. Hall

HAMILTON (CIS) – Fourth-year forward Robyn Buna from the defending national champion Simon Fraser Clan was named CIS player of the year in women’s basketball, Thursday night.
 
The Kelowna, B.C., native became the fourth SFU recipient of the Nan Copp award since the Clan joined CIS in 2000-01. Former teammate Lani Gibbons was honoured two years ago, while Jessica Kaczowka received back-to-back MVP nods in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
 
Buna is also the 13th straight player from the Canada West conference – including teams from the now defunct GPAC - to receive the distinction.
 
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb

Video 

CIS awards banquet

Other CIS major award winners announced during the All-Canadian Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hamilton were Simon Fraser guard Katie Miyazaki of Richmond, B.C., who was named the nation’s top defensive player; Windsor post Jessica Clemençon of Saint-Rambert, France, who received the Kathy Shields award as rookie of the year; Victoria’s Brian Cheng, who captured the Peter Ennis award as coach of the year; Manitoba’s Michele Hynes of Millgrove, Ont., who received the Sylvia Sweeney award recognizing her excellence in basketball, academics and community involvement; and McGill’s Anneth Him-Lazarenko of Ste. Dorothée, Que., who claimed the Tracy MacLeod award recognizing determination and perseverance.
 
The 2010 CIS championship gets underway Friday at McMaster University and culminates Sunday at 3 p.m. with the gold-medal final, live on TSN2. Cable 14 will have regional broadcasts of all main-bracket duels leading up to the title match, with SSN Canada webcasting all main-bracket contests, including the final. 
 
NAN COPP AWARD (player of the year): Robyn Buna, Simon Fraser
 
A member of the Clan’s spectacular recruiting class of 2006-07, Buna ends her four-year career at Simon Fraser with a first nomination to the first all-Canadian team, a year after earning a spot on the second CIS all-star squad. The 5-foot-11 forward led the Clan in scoring this season averaging 14.3 points per game – good for 12th in Canada West – and was the second most accurate three-point shooter in the nation, connecting at a spectacular 48.8 percent rate. She was also first on the team in minutes played (26 per game) and free throw percentage, her 84.0% success rate from the charity stripe ranking sixth in the country. Thanks in large part to her stellar play, SFU was the highest-scoring team in the nation this year with 83.1 points per contest.
 
A Canada West all-star each of the past three seasons, the kinesiology major was at her best at the conference Final Four where she averaged 21.5 points, including a perfect outing in the title match when she scored 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field and 4-for-4 at the free throw line in a 92-62 gold-medal rout of No. 4-ranked Regina.
 
The defending CIS champion Clan led all 13 national coaches’ polls in 2009-10. They finished first in the Canada West standings with a 17-1 mark, posted a 28-1 overall record against CIS opponents, and claimed a second straight Canada West banner to advance to the national championship for the ninth year in a row. Earlier this winter, Simon Fraser ran its record streak to 54 consecutive overall victories against CIS rivals before suffering its lone loss of the campaign against Victoria.
 
A two-time CIS champion in her first three seasons and an Academic All-Canadian every year since she arrived at SFU, Buna represented Canada at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia.
 
“Robyn has grown every year, adding important skills to her repertoire,” said SFU head coach Bruce Langford. “She shoots the ball incredibly well, she can shoot in traffic and has improved her pull-up. She is a humble, brilliant young woman who is well deserving of this award.”
 
Cape Breton forward Kelsey Hodgson of Fredericton, Laval post Marie-Michelle Genois of Cap-Santé, Que., and Western Ontario guard Amanda Anderson of Dover Centre, Ont., were the other nominees for the Nan Copp award.
 
DEFENSIVE MVP: Katie Miyazaki, Simon Fraser
 
Miyazaki became the second SFU standout to be named CIS defensive player of the year. Teresa Kleindienst was a co-recipient in 2001-02 along with Laurentian’s Clare Beatty.
 
In her third season with the Clan, the 5-foot-9 swing guard evolved into perhaps the best all-around player on the talented Simon Fraser roster. Third on the team in scoring with an average of 9.7 points per game, the bachelor of science major was the Canada West leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9) in conference play and led the Clan in assists (66), steals (47), blocked shots (13) and rebounding (5.1 per game). She is the cornerstone of an SFU defence that finished first in Canada West and third in the nation allowing only 54.9 points per contest.
 
“Katie excels in several defensive areas: she blocks shots, she gets steals, she defends opponents’ best players and dives after loose balls like a warrior,” said Langford. “She is a complete defensive package. She is a fireball and is able to generate a big play during a crucial moment, and is fearless, which is a quality as a defender you absolutely need.”
 
A trio of guards, Cape Breton’s Nicole Works of Truro, N.S., UQAM’s Stéphanie Youakim of Montreal and Ryerson’s Lacey O’Sullivan of Port Colborne, Ont., were also in the running for defensive-MVP honours.
 
KATHY SHIELDS AWARD (rookie of the year): Jessica Clemençon, Windsor
 
Clemençon, 20, is the first Lancer to capture the Kathy Shields award since its inception in 1989-90.
 
The 6-foot-3 post was nothing short of sensational in her freshman season as she finished among the OUA leaders in almost every major statistical category. The arts and English student was sixth in conference scoring (14th in CIS) with 15.6 points per game, eighth in rebounding (7.3 per game), fourth in both field goal (49.5) and free throw (80.2) percentage, as well as eighth in blocked shots (26). She registered seven “double-doubles” during the regular season as the No. 2-ranked Lancers posted an OUA-best 21-1 record for the second straight year en route to claiming a second consecutive conference banner.  
 
One of the toughest match-ups in the country due to her combination of size and skill, Clemençon, who came to Windsor from Saint-Rambert, France, was the only freshman named to the OUA West first all-star team.
 
“We are very fortunate that Jessica decided to attend the University of Windsor, as we knew we were getting a great post player who could make an immediate impact,” said Windsor head coach Chantal Vallée. “She adjusted very well to Canada and exceeded our expectations. She is fiercely competitive, as well as a great student and a very well-rounded person. Her impact on our program’s success this year has been tremendous and we look forward to her continued growth in the years to come.”
 
Saint Mary’s guard Justine Colley of East Preston, N.S., Laval post Marie-Pascale Nadeau of Lévis, Que., and Simon Fraser forward Kristina Collins of Port Coquitlam, B.C., were the other finalists for the Kathy Shields award.
 
PETER ENNIS AWARD, presented by Coaches of Canada: Brian Cheng, Victoria
 
In his ninth season at the helm, Cheng joined his mentor, Kathy Shields (1991-92, 1979-80), and Mike Gallo (1977-78) as UVic coaches to receive the Peter Ennis award.
 
Cheng led the his troops to second place in the ultra-competitive Canada West Pacific Division with a 14-4 record, the team’s best winning percentage (.777) in 10 years. The Vikes were ranked nationally all season long – topping at No. 5 - and were the only team to beat No. 1 and Pacific rival Simon Fraser, ending the Clan’s 54-game winning streak against CIS opponents with a 63-61 decision in their conference finale on Feb. 13.
 
A native of Victoria, Cheng has compiled a 104-82 conference record since his head coaching debut in 2001-02 and has led the Vikes to eight straight playoff appearances. In 2002-03, he guided Victoria to a CIS-record ninth Bronze Baby trophy as national champion. Prior to taking over the program, he was an assistant coach under the legendary Shields for five years, helping the Vikes win a pair of CIS titles (2000, 1998) and five Canada West championships.

“Brian is a tremendously hard-working coach and it is satisfying to see him recognized with this award,” said UVic Director of Athletics & Recreation, Clint Hamilton. “Regardless of opponent, Brian works hard to prepare our Vikes team to be in the best position to succeed, and I believe this is recognized by his peers in being awarded this distinction.” 
 
Cape Breton’s Fabian McKenzie, Laval’s Linda Marquis and Carleton’s Taffe Charles were also nominated for the Peter Ennis award.
 
SYLVIA SWEENEY AWARD: Michele Hynes, Manitoba
 
Hynes became the second Manitoba player to receive the Sylvia Sweeney award since it was first presented in 1993-94. Anna Drewniak was honoured in 2002-03.
 
On the court, the senior guard ranked among the Canada West leaders and was second on her team in scoring (11.6 points per game), third in the conference in both assists (4.3) and minutes played (33.2) per game, as well as sixth in three-point field goals made, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio. The 22-year-old has been a team captain for two seasons and was named MVP of the annual Duckworth Challenge last fall.
 
Hynes, who graduated last year with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a 3.4 grade point average, is currently enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering. She was a CIS Academic All-Canadian in 2006-07.
 
Very involved in the community, she played an important role in the Bison Shoot for the Cure initiative that raised $7,500 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation this season, organizing the tournament passes, the pink Bison T-shirt sales on campus, as well as being the leading force in the evening fundraiser. She has been a mentor and coach in the Bisons – Skownan First Nation Community Partnership each of her five years at Manitoba, was a member of the school’s Athletes’ Council for four consecutive years, as well as a member of the Bison team in the Challenge for Life 20km Cancer Care Manitoba Fundraiser the last two years. In addition, she has done volunteer coaching at Children of the Earth High School and Morris High School as well as Wheelchair Rugby Manitoba in 2007-08.
 
“Michele is that special player that all coaches dream about having. She is the cornerstone of our program both on and off the court,” said Manitoba head coach Pam Danis. “She exemplifies what our program is about in that she strives for excellence in everything she does. Over her five years as a Bison, she has maintained a strong academic standing while committing herself to her team and others. She is a worthy recipient of the award because of the legacy she leaves at the University of Manitoba.”
 
Dalhousie forward Alex Legge of Mahone Bay, N.S., and Waterloo point guard Reanne Holden of Peterborough, Ont., were the other finalists for the Sylvia Sweeney award.
 
TRACY MacLEOD AWARD: Anneth Him-Lazarenko, McGill
 
Him-Lazarenko is the first player from a Quebec school to receive the Tracy MacLeod award.
 
The 5-foot-10 forward was named a QSSF all-star in her second campaign after earning a spot on the CIS all-rookie team a year ago. The 22-year-old has overcome a torn ACL, knee surgery and rehabilitation while helping support her cancer-stricken father. She bounced back to finish second among Quebec leaders in both scoring (15.0) and rebounding (7.8) this season.
 
The education and history major registered three “double-doubles”, managed 10 rebounds or more on four occasions and scored a career-high 32 points in her final regular-season game to clinch a playoff berth for McGill. In her absence, the Martlets had dropped seven straight duels over the last two seasons but following her return midway through the 2009-10 campaign, the team posted a 10-5 record and advanced to the Quebec final for the first time since 1997.
 
“Anneth has been an inspiration to me, her teammates and those around her,” said McGill head coach Ryan Thorne. “Though she battles physical and emotional challenges daily, her work ethic and positive attitude continues to motivate us to do all that we can and enjoy every moment we have with our loved ones.”
 
Saint Mary’s forward Laure Pitfield of Ottawa and Winnipeg forward Jessica Stromberg of Winnipeg were the other nominees for the Tracy MacLeod award.
 
ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS
 
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Thursday.
 
Joining Buna on the first squad were conference most valuable players Hodgson (AUS), Genois (QSSF) and Anderson (OUA West), as well as Saskatchewan guard Lindsay DeGroot of Thedford, Ont.
 
Hodgson is the lone returnee from last year’s first unit. The fifth-year senior, who led the nation in scoring for a second straight season with an average of 22.1 points per game, became a three-time all-Canadian as she was also a member of the second team in 2007-08.
 
Genois moved up from last year’s second unit and became a four-time all-Canadian in as many university campaigns, including another first-team nod in 2007-08. DeGroot, who transferred to Saskatchewan for her fifth and final year of eligibility, was a first-team all-Canadian with McMaster in both 2006-07 and 2007-08.
 
The second CIS team for ‘09-10 is comprised of Victoria forward Kayla Dykstra of Calgary, Acadia guard Alise Brown of Halifax, Laval guard Chanelle St-Amour of Montreal, Ottawa post Hannah Sunley-Paisley of Toronto, and Toronto forward Nikki Schutz, also a Toronto native.
 
Dykstra and St-Amour were both first-team all-Canadians last season, when the Vikes fourth-year senior was named CIS player of the year and the Rouge et Or sophomore earned top-rookie honours.                 
 
Joining Clemençon on this season’s CIS all-rookie squad  were Colley, Nadeau and Collins, as well as Simon Fraser post Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe of Vernon, B.C.
 

2009-2010 CIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
 
Nan Copp award (player of the year): Robyn Buna, Simon Fraser
Defensive player of the year: Katie Miyazaki, Simon Fraser
Kathy Shields award (rookie of the year): Jessica Clemençon, Windsor
Peter Ennis award (coach of the year), presented by Coaches of Canada: Brian Cheng, Victoria
Sylvia Sweeney award (outstanding student-athlete / community service): Michele Hynes, Manitoba
Tracy MacLeod award: Anneth Him-Lazarenko, McGill
 

First Team

Position - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Faculty

Forward Robyn Buna Simon Fraser 4 Kelowna, B.C. Kinesiology
Forward Kelsey Hodgson Cape Breton 5 Fredericton, N.B. BA
Guard Amanda Anderson Western 5 Dover Centre, Ont. Social Sciences
Post Marie-Michelle Genois Laval 4 Cap-Santé, Que. Masters Biology
Guard Lindsay DeGroot Saskatchewan 5 Thedford, Ont. Graduate Studies

Second Team

Forward Kayla Dykstra Victoria 4 Calgary, Alta. Education
Guard Alise Brown Acadia 5 Halifax, N.S. Education
Guard Chanelle St-Amour Laval 2 Montreal, Que. Physiology
Post Hannah Sunley-Paisley Ottawa 3 Toronto, Ont. Arts
Forward Nicki Schutz Toronto 4 Toronto, Ont. Arts & Sciences

All-Rookie Team

Forward Kristina Collins Simon Fraser 1 Port Coquillam, B.C. Health Sciences
Guard Justine Colley Saint Mary's 1 East Preston, N.S. Science
Post Marie-Pascale Nadeau Laval 1 Lévis, Que. Microbiology
Post Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe Simon Fraser 1 Vernon, B.C. Health Sciences
Post Jessica Clemençon Windsor 1 Saint-Rambert, France Arts/English-CIS-

-CIS-