SYDNEY—In what has already been a successful season for the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team, forward Jacqueline Urban won the Kathy Shields award for U Sports Rookie of the Year at the All-Canadian awards banquet in Sydney, N.S. on Wednesday night.
Urban was also named to the all-rookie team, while guard Kali Pocrnic made second team All-Canadian. Pocrnic led the Ravens with 359 points this season and is often credited as a key player for the team by head coach Dani Sinclair.
Urban’s accomplishment follows her Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Rookie of the Year achievement she won last Wednesday.
It’s a reflection of Urban’s contribution to her team this season.
Your U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, Jacqueline Urban! pic.twitter.com/dfxZCepBGs
— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) March 8, 2023
She grabbed 238 rebounds in her first year for the Ravens. She sits fourth in the nation for total boards, putting her alongside the likes of veteran forwards Claire Signatovich from the University of Alberta, Julia Chadwick of Queen’s and Cape Breton’s Kiyara Letlow—who led the nation with an overwhelming 333 rebounds.
But there’s more to Urban’s arsenal than grabbing boards.
The rookie is top three amongst her team in field goals made, field goal percentage, minutes played, free-throws made and points scored with 219—a significant amount for a rookie.
As the Ravens floor general, Pocrnic leads the team in various statistical categories. She’s the only Raven to average more than 30 minutes a game during the regular season with 31.7. She also averaged 5.6 field goals and 1.8 three-pointers per game—the most on the team.
Pocrnic’s 698 minutes played this season is the sixth best in the nation, while her near perfect 88.1 per cent from the charity stripe is the second best season average.
With the reward now claimed for Urban and Pocrnic, the Ravens will turn their attention to the Cape Breton Capers in the U Sports championship quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. EST.
Featured image by Tayssir Benchoubane.
