When the Saskatchewan Huskies won the 2020 U Sports women’s basketball national championships, head coach Lisa Thomaidis praised fifth-year seniors Sabine Dukate, Vera Crooks and Megan Ahlstrom.
“For our fifth-years to come in and win a national championship in their first year and to go out national champions, it couldn’t be any more special,” Thomaidis said. “They really earned this.”
Saskatchewan wasn’t the only team relying on experience. All eight teams at the tournament in Ottawa had at least one graduating senior player.
They came from all across Canada and even the world, each with different roles and different personalities. Some played a lot, some didn’t. Some couldn’t. Nevertheless, they all shared a common experience–this was their last U Sports nationals.
This is the story of the national championships through the lens of a senior player on each team.
Carleton Ravens: Alyssa Cerino
Leading up to nationals, the question for the hosting Carleton Ravens was whether forward Alyssa Cerino would play or not.
Cerino, who transferred from Windsor back in 2017, was an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and the lone fifth-year on a young team full of promise. She led U Sports in boxscore production but couldn’t play in the playoffs due to illness.
However, she made her comeback for nationals. The Stoney Creek, Ont., native couldn’t produce on the court as she usually did–going scoreless in limited minutes in two games before not playing in the consolation finals.
But she still had an impact, with her “wise words and experience,” Brian Cheng, Ravens head coach.
“I just said, ‘Listen, you understand that our players, you’re still the leader of this team, and when you spoke, we practiced better,’” he recalled telling Cerino. “She’s appreciative of that and she’s fully cognizant of that.”
Teammate Jaclyn Ronson noted how the team was motivated to play for her, when Cerino couldn’t.
“She always brings us back to earth in a sense if we’re all chaotic and she’ll just help us get back on the right page,” said Ronson.
After her final university game, Cerino expressed excitement for her team’s future while reflecting on her past, including “many great moments,” such as winning the national championship in 2018. Now, she’s looking at playing professionally or going to teacher’s college.
“I’m so happy I transferred here,” Cerino said. “I’ve only been here for three years but I feel like I’ve been here for five. All my teammates over the last few years and coaches are honestly just amazing and I’m super grateful for the opportunity I got out here.”
Calgary Dinos: Erin McIntosh
In her final game for the Calgary Dinos, wing Erin McIntosh led her team to victory–scoring 15 points in the process.
A self-described “soft spoken” person, the Calgary native has made a loud impact. Head coach Damian Jennings noted her leadership became a critical element for the team.
“Erin’s quietly led us really from year three onwards and she was a wonderful serving teammate from year one,” said Jennings. “Her story is a great one because she’s genuinely contributed every year for five years.”
In her third year she reached nationals for the first time in her career, where the Dinos went on to claim fifth-place. In her final two seasons, McIntosh developed into a Canada West all-star, helping the Dinos reach nationals this year.
Despite a “super disappointing” loss to Brock 72-71 in the quarterfinals, the team rebounded with victories over Ryerson and Carleton, once again claiming fifth place.
Looking back on her career, McIntosh said basketball has taken a toll on her physically, but added the mental and emotional development she gained as well.
“You just get a lot wiser by the end of it,” she said. “You just realize how to handle your own emotions, other people’s emotions and just people are the most important thing at the end of the day. It might be about the shot in the moment but it’s the people you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”
She wants to play professionally and become a physiotherapist.
Ryerson Rams: Hayley Robertson
After playing at the University of Vermont for three seasons, Toronto guard Hayley Robertson’s time with the Ryerson Rams was a homecoming.
“It was really hard leaving those friends but I wanted more for my basketball career,” she said.
On the court, she became a leader and one of the top players in Ontario, including being a third-team OUA all-star.
Rams head coach Carly Clarke called her the “best team-first player I’ve had at Ryerson.”
“She has a will to win, a compete to work. She does so much for our team and wills our team to success,” Clarke said.
Against UPEI in the quarterfinals, with the Rams trailing, Robertson showed that will. She played all 40 minutes and knocked down numerous three-pointers to try to make a comeback. However, her and her teammates’ efforts fell short.
In the consolation semifinals against Calgary, she scored a team-high 20 points in another losing effort.
Robertson still has school to finish up until December, but hasn’t decided what to do for a career yet. Playing professionally, coaching or sport business are all on the table.
Her Rams career was over but she got to finish it in nationals in Ottawa, where some of her family live, including her grandfathers, aunts, uncles. Her homecoming was complete.
Alberta Pandas: Megan Tywoniuk
Though eliminated in the consolation semifinals, the Alberta Pandas were led by two fifth-years: Vanessa Wild and Megan Tywoniuk. While Wild was the team’s star, Tywoniuk was the longest-tenured player.
Tywoniuk played in the Junior Pandas program growing up and eventually made her way to the senior team.
“It’s been a long run,” Tywoniuk said. “All these girls now, I didn’t start with so it’s kind of cool to see the evolution of the team as I go through.”
As a rookie, she learned to set her goals from “a great seniors group” especially about leadership from guard Megan Wickstrom in particular. Over time, Tywoniuk grew as a leader and player, captaining the side for the past four seasons.
“Learning how to be a selfless person every single day in practice and off the court too,” she noted. “Just learning how to be a great friend, both with your relationships and off court stuff.”
Pandas coach Scott Edwards called her “the glue of the team.” He’s noticed how she’s gained confidence over the years.
“She finds a way to never lower the level of expectation,” Edwards said about her leadership. “On a day where everyone feels down, she comes in all positive and loud and keeps the group going…you can count on her to play at the same pace every single day.”
Tywoniuk plans to stay involved with sport and continue to support the Pandas.
“Just staying involved with the girls and being their biggest cheerleaders,” she said. Her playing career may be coming to an end but her lifelong relationship with Panda’s basketball looks set to continue.
Laval Rouge-et-Or: Khaleann Caron-Goudreau
Having the nationals in Ottawa was a homecoming of sorts for Laval forward and Gatineau native Khaleann Caron-Goudreau who won her first U Sports Defensive Player of the Year award during the awards gala in her hometown.
The homecoming had been a long-time coming. Caron-Gourdreau had played away from home since her high school days: first at IMG Academy in Florida, then Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and then at the University of Texas.
She played with her twin sister Audrey-Ann until transferring to Laval in 2018, while Audrey-Ann went to play professional basketball in Europe, who she misses playing with but still supports unconditionally. “I was always identified as twins but now, I’m my own person,” she said.
“I think I found my passion back,” she said of going to Laval. “I think I had lost it at the University of Texas. I didn’t get much playing time. I was always injured.”
“Being able to see my parents in the stands and also just being with French people,” Caron-Goudreau noted. “It felt amazing to be back home in my own thing, even though I wasn’t in my own city.”
Things changed at Laval as she found that health and playing time, filling a key role for the RSEQ champions.
“She’s a great person. She’s tough. She fights for every possession in practice,” Laval coach Guillaume Giroux noted.
In her first season at Laval, she helped the Rouge-et-Or win the RSEQ championships and reach the national finals, where the team lost to McMaster. “I don’t think you ever forget a loss like that,” Caron-Goudreau said.
After the team lost a number of seniors, Caron-Goudreau and others stepped up as leaders to bring the team together, according to teammate Carrie-Ann Auger.
Caron-Goudreau recorded 17 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks in the team’s quarterfinal victory over Alberta, before losing to Saskatchewan in the semifinals and UPEI in the bronze medal game. Despite the result, the ending to her career was still worthwhile.
Caron-Goudreau is finishing her MBA at Laval in the summer but plans to stay in Quebec afterwards. She hopes to still be involved with basketball as well.
“Whenever it was announced that [nationals] were in Ottawa, I was really really happy,” she noted. “I was like everything happens for a reason. The fact that I get to come back after six years being away from my family, play in Quebec for my province, it just means a lot to finish in my hometown.”
UPEI Panthers: Kimeshia Henry
While the UPEI Panthers made their run to the bronze medal, led by U Sports Player of the Year Jenna Mae Ellsworth, guard Kimeshia Henry could only support from the sidelines.
The team’s only fifth-year player, Henry got to witness the group’s improvement over her tenure.
The Ajax native spent a year at Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, Iowa before transferring to UPEI. “That’s kind of a long story,” Henry said with a laugh.
Spending her first year in Iowa was an eye-opening experience for Henry.
“Having a support group and stuff helps me out and it just makes me grow a lot in terms of not only on the court but also off the court,” she noted. “All my teammates and coaches, they push me to be a better person in general.”
While she enjoyed winning her first AUS title, she had to do it from the sidelines with a high ankle sprain.
“It was pretty challenging because I never had an injury before, especially late in the season,” Henry said. “It’s kind of tough but I have my focus, my teammates’ support, so I’m still there on the sidelines cheering everybody on, hoping for big things.”
With her support, UPEI did achieve big things, reaching their first nationals since 1998 and winning their first nationals medal since 1989. Her contributions didn’t go unnoticed.
“She’s a team-first kid and wants to help everyone be better,” Panthers head coach Matt Gamblin said. “She’s a point guard and even though she’s not playing right now, she’s trying to support as much as she can.”
“When we get too serious, I want us to calm down, relax,” said Henry.
Henry said she’s enjoyed meeting people from all over the world through basketball and hopes to work in sports business administration in the future.
Brock Badgers: Jessica Morris
Seniors Melissa Tatti and Jessica Morris are two of the longest-tenured players on the Brock Badgers and long-time friends. The success they’ve experienced–an OUA title, second at nationals–was not expected to say the least.
Morris started her career with her hometown Guelph Gryphons then transferred onto Brock’s team in 2016.
“Playing with Melissa has been awesome. She’s been there the whole time,” she said.
Morris matured in her time away from home. She remembers struggling with schoolwork in her first couple of years, but now she’s an Academic All-Canadian. She and Tatti both took a year off from Brock basketball in the 2017-18 season before coming back to Brock under new coach Mike Rao.
Two years later, they’re OUA champions.
“It was super surreal,” Morris said. “I remember I woke up the next day and looked at my medal sitting next to my bed and I’m like ‘I can’t believe we did that.’ It was incredible.”
Morris, one of the top shooters on the team, made her mark in the quarterfinals versus Calgary, scoring 20 points, including five three-pointers. She added eight points in their semi-finals to reach her first ever national championship finals where they finished second.
She and Tatti shared those moments together, sharing a hotel room in their final weekend of university basketball. The reality of what they accomplished sunk in the morning of the finals.
“We’re grateful and we can’t even believe it,” Tatti said. “Second [place], I’m not complaining.”
Though she has another year of eligibility left, Morris doesn’t plan to use it as she pursues a master’s degree in occupational therapy. But she said she’ll miss the moments with Tatti and her teammates.
“Just having teammates and people you’re going to see every day, put smiles on your faces and those friendships are so special,” Morris said. “Me and Tatti have developed such an amazing relationship over the years and not seeing her everyday next year will be a little bit weird for me, but sometimes I get sick of her still.”
Saskatchewan Huskies: Megan Ahlstrom
Megan Ahlstrom ended her final national championships with a smile on her face, bookending her career as a Saskatchewan Huskie with national titles in her first and final year. This time, she got to share it with her younger sister Carly.
As an introvert, she didn’t speak much in her early years. Instead, she listened and learned from the veteran leaders around her. She stepped into a leadership role in her later years as a captain for the past few seasons.
Her personality is opposite to Carly’s–who she calls more adventurous. “It’s really fun to put us together because we are opposites but we are very similar at the same time,” she said.
The Huskies went through a reflection period to make their team environment more enjoyable after last season.
“We kind of realized we didn’t enjoy the process as much and this year, this was our whole focus,” Ahlstrom said. “We needed to enjoy each other more, enjoy the moments more and that makes practices and games way more fun.”
Carly called it “one of her greatest experiences” to have played with Megan whom she learned many things from, including her leadership.
Thomaidis called Ahlstrom “an absolute warrior” and a great leader, someone who puts the team first. Teammate Libby Epoch called her “a competitor in every sense of the word.”
“No minute, no second goes by that she’s not putting her heart on the court and I think that shows.”
Ahlstrom’s personality also shows off the court, as she was awarded the Slyvia Sweeney award for her community work in Saskatoon and Calgary. She is involved with volunteer work with the Autism Aspergers Friendship Society of Calgary, Huskie Athletic Council, and Hugh Cairns Elementary School.
“She’s one of the most caring individuals I’ve ever met,” Carly said of her sister.
She’ll graduate as an Academic All-Canadian and has applied to work as a physiotherapist. She plans to stay in Saskatoon–but will remember that early March evening in Ottawa, where she finished her university career a national champion–forever.
With files from Mark Colley and Emily Wilson. Feature image by Spencer Colby.
