VOTING UNDERWAY FOR NATIONAL PLAYER OF YEAR

- Jenna Mae Ellsworth is one of four nominees for the Lieutenant Governor Athletic Award as U Sports female athlete of the year.

- The UPEI Panthers’ basketball star earned her spot on the shortlist by being the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) female athlete of the year.

- The Charlottetown native helped lead the Panthers to the AUS championship and a bronze medal at the national championship in Ottawa in March.

- The guard, who was named U Sports’ female basketball player of the year, is competing with Fabiola Forteza (Laval rugby), Lucia Stafford (Toronto cross country/track and field) and Kelsey Wog (Manitoba swimming) for the national recognition.

- The winners will be selected by a combined vote of the Canadian Athletic Foundation, a not-for-profit board chaired by Doug Mitchell, the husband of Alberta Lt.-Gov.

Lois Mitchell, and the public at usports.ca. - Online voting contributes to 25 per cent of the final decision. Voting is open until Monday at 4 a.m. Atlantic. Voting takes place at https://usports.ca/en/awards/athletes-ofthe-year.

- The two winners each receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship to attend a Canadian graduate university and a trophy. - The awards were first presented in 1993. - Ellsworth is only the fourth Panther to be nominated for the national honour. The others were Curtis Robinson (basketball) in 1995-96, Katherine McNally (field hockey) in 1993-94 and Alanna Taylor (soccer) in 199293.

- Four AUS athletes have earned the honour. They are Philippe Maillet (UNB hockey) in 2016-17, Justine Colley (Saint Mary’s basketball) in 2013-14, Rob Hennigar (UNB hockey) in 2007-08 and Adrienne Power (Dalhousie track and field) in 2004-05.