Madalyn Weinert has gone back to back.
For the second straight year, the 21-year-old St. Catharines basketball player was named the Ontario University Athletics Player of the Year and a First Team All-Canadian.
“It feels really good. It has been such a neat opportunity to obviously win the awards but be a part of teams which have supported me through that process,” she said. “Every day the girls come in and it’s not just a reflection of the work that I put in but also the work of the team and how I am not me if they are not them. It is a true testament to all 15 girls and the coaching staff we had this year.”
Her teammates and coaches help in so many ways.
“My name goes on it but there is so much more that goes into it. There’s coaches that come for individual practices. There’s coaches that cut film for you and have those film sessions with you. There are teammates who pick you up when you are feeling down. There’s teammates that come and get extra reps with you so you don’t have to do it alone. Teammates who do the un-fun cardio with you,” 5-foot-10 guard/forward said. “It is in those tough moments that it shows how much bigger it is than just one person.”
This past season, the Eden alumnus led the nation in points per game (21.8) for the second straight year and was second in blocks (42) and third in rebounds (262). She led the OUA in total points, point per game, free throw percentage (87.7) and three-point percentage (39.0).
“Throughout this year, I have been really challenged to look on the mental side of the game more, introspectively reflecting and the whys behind what we do on the court. That has been a big thing because playing and being in the gym comes naturally but sometimes it’s the finer details that separates good athletes from great athletes. It’s getting better at those in-between pieces.”
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