Special local connections to high-flying Ravens
Last year they won a bronze medal.
This year they won The Bronze Baby. And they held her high.
“They” are Jenjen Abella (St. Jean de Brebeuf CSS), Alyssa Cerino (Cardinal Newman CSS), Nicole Gilmore (Burlington Assumption CSS) and Elizabeth LeBlanc (Transway alum).
The Carleton Ravens (Ottawa) defeated the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 69-48 to claim the U Sports national basketball title in Regina March 11.
So much to celebrate: Carleton’s Taffe Charles OUA and U Sports coach of the year; winners of the Critelli Cup — symbolic of the OUA Championship; an undefeated season (29-0); and the first ever national championship in the history of the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball program.
The Hamilton-Carleton connection is still “on cloud nine” post their dream season.
“When we landed in Ottawa (at the airport after the championship game) family, friends, fans, reporters, cheerleaders, and young girls from our summer camps all showed up to welcome us home,” said Jenjen Abella, the Ravens consummate court commander.
Even the NHL Ottawa Senators honoured the national champions.
“Getting a standing ovation by the whole arena (at the Canadian Tire Centre) was an amazing feeling,” said the five-foot-three pistol point guard. “It seemed surreal.”
And for good reason. Abella’s journey to Carleton is one of will. Of determination.
The Mohawk grad was recognized for academic and athletic excellence as a Mohawk Mountaineer. She was twice named OCAA All-Academic and OCAA First Team All-Star.
But Abella wanted to play university varsity ball. Badly. She wanted to win a national championship.
“I took the biggest leap of my journey (in life),” said Abella when she enrolled at Carleton. “It was the best decision I have ever made.”
Indeed it was.
Like Abella, Hamilton Transway alum, Elizabeth LeBlanc, (London’s Sir Wilfrid Laurier SS) was thrilled to be honoured by the Ottawa Senators.
“It was so cool to be up there on the big screen, hearing the crowd cheering for us, and people coming up congratulating us,” said the OUA and U Sports defensive player of the year and Tournament MVP and All-Star.
“It’s kind of weird to think about our success being recognized on such a large scale.”
Cardinal Newman’s Alyssa Cerino described the Senator’s tribute as “a cool experience.”
Exciting? Yes. Almost as exciting as winning the championship. “When the buzzer sounded (in the gold medal game) it was very special,” said the ecstatic Cerino. “I was taking in the moment. It was a dream come true.”
And Burlington Assumption grad, Nicole Gilmore, too, was ecstatic about the dream season. “It is totally a dream come true,” said Gilmore.
Coach Charles described his players as “quality individuals. Their unbelievable character is what allowed them to grow and accomplish great things.”
“There was no drama,” said Cerino. “We all trusted each other.”
Added Gilmore. “One through 13 we respected one another. We were a cohesive unit. We worked together as a collective to achieve our goal.”