While the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball season came to a disappointing end, the year-end Ontario University Athletics (OUA) awards were good to the Ravens’ star players.
Both Elizabeth Leblanc and Lindsay Shotbolt were named to OUA all-star teams. Shotbolt qualified for the main all-star list, while Leblanc was named to the rookie squad.
For Shotbolt, the all-star award came as a surprise. She was out of action for almost half of the season with a knee injury that requiring surgery. Despite this, her efforts were still recognized by the OUA.
“First thing I did was thank everyone around me that was able to help me grow as a basetball player and as a person at Carleton,” she said. “I give all the credit to the people around me, the ones that have helped me throughout the program.”
Shotbolt, 19, was still able to put up good numbers despite only appearing for just over half of the season. In 14 games played, she finished 10th in defensive rebounds with 89. She also was near the top in rebounds per game, finishing fourth with a total of nine.
Ravens head coach Taffe Charles had good things to say about Shotbolt’s contribution to his squad, which lost its first round playoff game to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Feb. 25.
“Her presence on our team, her basketball knowledge, her toughness, her competitiveness, they really carry a long way in the league,” Charles said. “I think the OUA recognizes that, and that we struggled after she went out with an injury.”
Carleton’s struggles without Shotbolt didn’t mean she left the team when her injury came around. She said she provided the coaching staff with help whenever she could.
“I had to be as positive as I could for my teammates. I didn’t want any negative energy that I would potentially be giving off to affect the girls, so I stayed positive as much as I could,” Shotbolt said. “I gave them times, I watched extra film on the teams that we were playing, and gave them little tips on things that we could do to help us win.”
While Shotbolt identified as a leader of the women’s basketball roster, Elizabeth Leblanc had a much tougher role to fill as a rookie. Charles said he was impressed with her work ethic.
“Whenever you play as a rookie it’s always something that’s a great honour, just because there’s so much adjustment as a first-year player and as a first-year kid,” said Charles. “These guys that are able to establish themselves early are the future of our league.”
Leblanc put up 12 points in her only start of the season against the Gee-Gees on Feb. 25. She was a perfect 100 on field goal percentage, also blocking two U of O scoring attempts.
Both Leblanc and Shotbolt will return to the team next season.
