D'Ettorre named OCAA player of the year, all-Canadian

NEWS RELEASE ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION *********************** OCAA Announces Womens Basketball All-Stars & Major Award Winers OTTAWA, ONTARIO With eight teams from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

***********************

OCAA Announces Women’s Basketball All-Stars & Major Award Winers

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – With eight teams from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women’s Basketball League converging at Algonquin College for the Championship this weekend, the OCAA is pleased to announce the 2006-07 women’s basketball league all-stars and major award winners. The OCAA handed out the 2007 Women's Basketball League awards last night at the Women's Basketball Championship Banquet.

Taking home OCAA Player of the Year and CCAA All-Canadian honours is Danielle D’Ettorre from the Algoma Thunderbirds. D’Ettorre had a phenomenal year for the Thunderbirds as she won the OCAA scoring title setting a new OCAA standard averaging 26.0 PPG. She was also second in the league in points scored with 312, an amazing accomplishment as West Region teams only play 12 games compared to 16 of the East. After joining the OCAA in 2001-02, the Thunderbirds struggled as a program finishing near the bottom of the West Region. With the help of Danielle along with other key recruits, the Thunderbirds climbed from last to first place in the West Region posting a record of 9-3 this season. Athletic Director Mark Kontulainen comments: “Danielle is a highly motivated and focused individual on and off the court. Her leadership on the court have contributed immensely on our team’s turnaround in performance this past season. She always plays the game with the utmost integrity and fairplay.” The Thunderbirds will make their first appearance at the OCAA Championship today against the Humber Hawks in quarter-final action.

Joining Danielle as a CCAA All-Canadian is the 2005-06 OCAA Athlete of the Year Natasha Thombs. This marks the second straight season Natasha has been named as a CCAA All-Canadian, becoming the second Seneca Sting women’s basketball player to accomplish this feat (Hilary Watson – 1989 & 1990). The OCAA first-team all-star finished the year recording the most total points in the OCAA (336) and second in the scoring race averaging 21.0 PPG. In four seasons with the Sting, Thombs has accumulated 931 career points, moving her into second place in OCAA career scoring leaders. Thombs will look to lead the Sting to their second consecutive OCAA title and another berth in the National Championship.

Britt Pegg of the St. Lawrence Vikings received top honours as she was named OCAA Rookie of the Year. The first-year guard had an outstanding season leading the Vikings in scoring averaging 15.1 PPG. The St. Lawrence Vikings of Kingston will look to right their ship in the school’s ninth Championship appearance this weekend in Ottawa.

Marcy Skribe of the Seneca Sting and Kevin Gordon of the Fanshawe Falcons both received OCAA Coach of the Year accolades for their respective regions. Head coach Marcy Skribe led the Sting to a 16-0 East Region record as they head into the Championship as the favourite to win gold. Skribe also received her second CCAA Coach of the Year Nomination to represent the OCAA. Fanshawe College’s Kevin Gordon and the Falcons enter the OCAA Championships with an 8-4 record, finishing third in the West Region.

The 2007 OCAA Men’s Basketball Championships are set to tip-off today at 2:00pm. To view a championship schedule visit the OCAA Website at www.ocaa.com or the championship host website at http://www.algonquinsa.com/DefaultSite/thunder/index_e.aspx?articleid=78.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

OCAA Player of the Year – Danielle D’Ettorre, Algoma Rookie of the Year – Britt Pegg, St. Lawrence (Kingston) CCAA All-Canadian – Danielle D’Ettorre, Algoma CCAA All-Canadian – Natasha Thombs, Seneca OCAA West Coach of the Year – Kevin Gordon, Fanshawe OCAA East Coach of the Year & CCAA Coach of the Year Nominee – Marcy Skribe, Seneca

LEAGUE SCORING CHAMPION:

Danielle D’Ettorre - Algoma (26.0 PPG) REGIONAL SCORING CHAMPIONS:

East – Natasha Thombs - Seneca (21.0 PPG) West - Danielle D’Ettorre - Algoma (26.0 PPG)

East Region

ALL-STARS FIRST TEAM

Heather Elchuk, Seneca Samantha McConnell, Durham Chieko Moriyama, Georgian Britt Pegg, St. Lawrence (Kingston) Natasha Thombs, Seneca

West Region

ALL-STARS FIRST TEAM

Danielle D’Ettorre, Algoma Jessica Finlay, Fanshawe Taylor Knipe, Fanshawe Kaitlyn McKenna, Niagara Lara Stilin, Algoma

East Region

ALL-STARS SECOND TEAM

Jenny Allen, Algonquin Felon Harris, Humber Sara Maybee, Algonquin Kara Muhlhausen, Loyalist Niveal Pastrana, George Brown