Finishing with an 11-9 record, .4898 win percentage and 11th overall, the Cougars women's basketball team has secured a playoff berth in the 2023 Canada West Women's Basketball Playoffs. This marks consecutive seasons in which the women's team has earned a playoff position.
The Cougars will cross town to the University of Calgary to play the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, who are ranked sixth overall, for a play-in game on Friday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. at Jack Simpson Gymnasium. If the team is successful against the Wesmen, they would face the third seed Calgary Dinos in a quarter-final game at 1 p.m. on February 18. From that point, the Cougar's opponent would be determined by the remainder of seeding competition to identify who they would face in the single-elimination semi-final games.
You can catch all of the women's basketball action on Canada West TV.
The women's team has continued to build off its success from the 2021-22 season where they finished with a 5-11 record and in the second round of the Canada West Playoff tournament bracket to a 11-9 record this season. Head coach
Robyn Fleckenstein continues to transform the squad, continuously motivating the women and keeping the energy high in all aspects of the game.
Leading the way for the women's team is forward Maddison Hooper, who ammases 232 points in 19 games.
Tanis Metcalfe and
Jenessa Ramsoomair follow closely behind with 164 and 144 points, respective and put together with the team's top offensive power. Playing both sides of the court with dominance,
Jamie Lalor, Hooper and Ramsoomair top the Cougars' chart with 52, 39 and 23 steals through the regular season. Hooper and fellow guard
Jordan Blaskin have also had instrumental moments in the team's success, earning MRU Athlete of the Week nods in November and January.
Last year, the Cougars made big strides, entering the Canada West Women's Basketball Playoff tournament defeating the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack 75-54 to move on to the second bracket and face the University of Winnipeg Wesmen who were placed second in the tournament. With a tough battle in front of them, the Cougars took on the Wesman and put up a valiant effort. Ultimately, it wasn't enough to get past Winnipeg and the Cougar's 2021-22 season came to an end at the hands of a 77-65 loss.
This year, the women will look to change history against the Winnipeg Wesmen at the University of Calgary. Wesmen players Kyanna Giles, Robyn Boulanger and Julia Schatkowsky will be ones for the Cougars to watch out for as the team's leading scorers, each with 369, 275 and 235 points.
Don't miss a minute of women's playoff basketball by catching their play-in game on Friday, February 17 at 1 p.m. on Canada West TV.
