2009-10 QSSF major awards and all-stars announced

Photo crédit Yan Doublet

MONTREAL - The Quebec Student Sport Federation (QSSF) is pleased to announce its 2009-10 women's university basketball major award winners and all-stars.

For the second time in her career, Laval's Marie-Michelle Genois  * (Cap-Santé, Que.) has been selected as Quebec's most valuable women's university basketball player. The former CEGEP de Sainte-Foy Dynamiques standout, Genois was previously named Quebec University Basketball League (QUBL) player of the year at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. This year, Genois finished 2nd in league scoring, averaging 13,8 points per game. The graduate student in molecular and cellular biology shot 77,8 % from the charity stripe and dominated the glass, hauling in 146 rebounds for an average of 9,1 per contest. The former QUBL rookie of the year (2006-07) led the conference in blocked shots with 26 in 16 games. As a result of being named QUBL player of the year, Genois will move forward as the conference's nominee for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) player of the year award. She previously won the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) women's basketball player of the year award in 2005-06.

Laval teammate Marie-Pascale Nadeau * (Lévis, Que.) has been named the circuit's rookie of the year. The first year centre dominated the glass finishing her inaugural campaign 4th in league rebounding with an average of 7,4 boards per match. The 6'2'' microbiology student was a defensive force for the Rouge et Or blocking 21 shots in 16 games played. At the other end of the court, Nadeau shot 50% from the field and averaged 8,9 points per game, ranking her 16th overall in the QUBL. Last season she was named as the most valuable player at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) women's basketball championship in addition to earning the nod as the Female Athlete of the Year Across All CCAA Sports. Nadeau and current Rouge et Or teammate Marie-Michelle Genois represented Canada at the Francophone Games in 2009.

For the second straight season and tenth time in her illustrious career, Laval Rouge et Or bench boss Linda Marquis was the unanimous selection for coach of the year. In her 25th season at the helm of the Laval squad, Marquis guided the Rouge et Or to a QUBL regular season championship posting a 13-3 record. Having previously been named as the CIS women's basketball coach of the year in 2000 and 2001, Marquis was presented with the national governing body's Jean-Marie De Konick award in 2007 for her exceptional contribution to coaching in university sport. Marquis also has extensive international coaching experience, having served as an assistant coach for the Canadian Olympic basketball team at the 2000 Summer Games, 2001 FISU World University Games in China and most recently as a co-head coach for Canada at the 2009 FISU Summer Games.

The defensive player of the year award has been presented to Stéphanie Youakim of the UQAM Citadins. The Montreal native and former Edouard-Montpetit Lynx finished the season ranked 4th in the QUBL having averaged 1,8 steals. She also finished 1st in the conference with 42 assists. During her collegiate basketball career, Youakim won a pair of silver medals at the CCAA championships.

McGill sophomore Anneth Him-Lazarenko (Ste. Dorothée, Qué.) has been selected as the QSSF nominee for the 2010 Tracy McLeod Award presented annually to the CIS player who best demonstrates determination, perseverance and unwaivering spirit. Him-Lazarenko, an education and history major, returned to the Marlets less than nine months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. Her return to the CIS was on course when her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July. That forced the 22-year old to forego her therapy in order to spend more time with her family. She eventually returned to the gym in September and re-joined the Martlets on November 20, 2009. She recorded a trio of double-doubles and four 10+ rebound games over the final 13 contests this season, finishing second in the QSSF scoring with 15 points per game and rebounding with 7.8 boards per game.

Most Valuable Player
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Centre, Marie-Michelle Genois, Laval (MA - molecular and cellular biology), Cap-Santé, Cégep de Sainte-Foy *

Rookie of the year
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Marie-Pascale Nadeau, Laval (Microbiology), Lévis, Cégep de Sainte-Foy *

Defensive player of the year
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Stéphanie Youakim, UQAM (Administration), Montreal, Collège Édouard-Montpetit

Tracy MacLeod Award nominee
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Anneth Him-Lazarenko, U. McGill, Education (Secondary Soc. Science), Sainte-Dorothée, Vanier College *

Coach of the year
Linda Marquis, Laval (unanimous selection)

Official of the year
Mario Boutin

First team QUBL all-stars
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Centre, Marie-Michelle Genois, Laval (MA - molecular and cellular biology), Cap-Santé, Cégep de Sainte-Foy *
Shooting guard, Chanelle St-Amour, Laval, (Intervention sportive), Montreal, Cégep de Sainte-Foy *
Forward, Anneth Him-Lazarenko, McGill, (Education - Secondary Soc. Science), Sainte-Dorothée, Vanier College *
Gaurd, Katy Germain, Bishop's (Education), Val-d'Or, Cégep de Sherbrooke
Shooting guard, Elyse Jobin, Laval (Physiotherapy), Moncton, NB, NEDA

Second team QUBL all-stars
Position, name, University (Program), hometown, last team
Garud, Jill Verhesen, Concordia (Environmental Science), Edmonton, Alta., Grant MacEwan College
Guard, Jessica Bibeau-Côté, UQAM (Communications), Sherbrooke, Cégep de Sherbrooke
Forward, Irline Noël, UQAM (Psychology) Montreal, Dawson College
Forward, Kristin Portwine, Concordia (Marketing), Kirkland, Vanier College
Guard, Stéphanie Youakim, UQAM (Administration), Montreal, Collège Édouard-Montpetit

* Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence bursary winner

Source:

QSSF