The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team has received several Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East all-star awards.
Elizabeth Roach, a graduating member of the team, was both named to the first all-star team and recognized as the OUA’s 2013-14 East division player of the year, marking the second year in a row that a Carleton player has been recognized with the title.
The team picked up a handful of other awards as well.
First-year forward Heather Lindsay was recognized as the rookie of the year and named to the all-rookie team with fellow first-year player McKenzie Sigurdson.
Second-year forward Lindsay Shotbolt was also named to the second all-star team.
“I was really excited for [the first years] to win their awards,” Roach said. “It’s really well deserved . . . being in first year they really stepped up.”
And while the team was relatively young this season, Roach said their commitment and coaching helped them be in a competitive spot this season.
Ravens head coach Taffe Charles agreed the first-year players put a lot of work into this season.
“[We] had two of them starting and that’s a lot of responsibility for them in their first year,” he said. “They handled it really well.”
While Charles said it was a steep learning curve for the first-year players this season, he said it may just as well benefit the team in the future. But the future is now, he said.
“Next year is already this year and they’re training over their summer, so how they prepare themselves for that role is key,” he said.
As for more senior departures from the team this season, Charles said it will leave an opening for other players.
“In university sports you have graduating athletes all the time so people have to step up,” he said. “When the voids need to be filled there’s an opportunity for it to be filled, and we’ll see who that wants to be.”
As for Roach, she said her five years playing on the team have been memorable ones.
“It was a great experience. All the girls and the coaches are great,” she said. “It’s a really great environment to be around.”
And while the team failed to qualify for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Final 8 by losing in the OUA bronze medal game, Roach said it was still a good year.
“It’s disappointing that we had to go out on that double overtime but I think everyone really worked hard and we had a great season,” she said.
Roach said she also leaves the team having made numerous memories and close friends.
And while she may not be playing anymore as a Raven, Roach said she will continue to cheer the team on.
“I’ll definitely be out supporting them next year at the games, it’ll be weird to be not playing,” she said.
