TWO-SPORT FRESHMAN
St. Clair lands top recruit
Holy Names high school product Shae-lyn Murphy won’t have to give up anything when she heads to St. Clair College this fall.
The 18-year-old Murphy is a standout on the basketball court and an equally talented softball player and the Saints have provided her an opportunity to do both.
“I was, overall, going to pick one sport, but once I got the offer, I couldn’t beat it anywhere else,” Murphy said. “It was important to me, as an individual, to proceed in both because I love them both.”
A 5-foot-2 point guard, Murphy helped Holy Names to the 2017 WECSSAA title and is a four-time WECSSAA first-team all-star. She also played club ball with the Windsor Valiants and Tecumseh Saints.
“Shae is a natural athlete with a high IQ for the game and plays a true point guard with the ability to orchestrate on the floor,” Saints women’s head basketball coach Andy Kiss said in a release. “She is a two-way player who is not only a difference maker on offence, but also a stout defender. Can’t wait to add her to our basketball family this season and beyond.”
But before she hits the hardwood to try to help the two-time defending OCAA silver-medal-winning women’s basketball team, Murphy will take her swings for the St. Clair women’s softball team, which has medalled three straight years at the OCAA championship and 13 times in the last four seasons.
“I know they’re both very successful and I’m so excited to be part of that,” Murphy said. “It’s awesome that I get to be part of such great teams.”
Murphy, who can play shortstop or centre field, was also a four-time WECSSAA first-team all-star in softball. She competed for Windsor West and the Windsor Wildcats programs while winning the provincial Women’s Softball Association top player of the year award three straight years from 2015 to 2017.
“I see Shae being an immediate impact player in the OCAA,” Saints head softball coach Doug Wiseman said in a release. “She has a great work ethic and an infectious personality that will influence her teammates in a positive manner. We are really glad to have her in Saints colours.”
And the Saints will be getting Murphy for five seasons as the honour roll student at Holy Names is studying pre-health sciences at St. Clair and then moving into the collaborative nursing degree program.
“I would say that (both sports) help each other because you need to work on agility for both, especially softball because you need your legs for power and that will help in basketball for endurance,” Murphy said. “It’ll be great (playing) sports and it was very important to me.”