±«ÓãÖ±²¥ sophomore wins national award for determination and perseverance
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MONTREAL - Anneth Him-Lazarenko, a ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ University sophomore from Ste. Dorothée, Que., has become the first basketball player from a Quebec school to win the Tracy MacLeod award, a national honour from Canadian Interuniversity Sport, which recognizes determination,Ìý perseverance and unwavering spirit.
The 5-foot-10 ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ earned Quebec all-conference honours in her
second campaign after earning a spot on the CIS all-rookie team a
year ago. A 22-year-old history and geography major in the faculty
of education, she overcame a torn anterior cruciate ligament, knee
surgery and rehabilitation while helping support her
cancer-stricken father. She bounced back this season to finish
second among Quebec leaders in both scoring (15.0 points per game)
and rebounding (7.8 per game).
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"I'm really honoured to receive this award because it was a very difficult year for me, overcoming surgery and a difficult family (illness)," said Him-Lazarenko. "Thankfully, I was surrounded by my family, friends and teammates, which made it a little easier to deal with the situation."
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She managed 10 rebounds or more on four occasions, registered three "double-double" performances and scored a career-high 32 points in her final regular-season game to clinch a playoff berth for ±«ÓãÖ±²¥. In her absence afer being injured, the Martlets had dropped seven straight games over the last two seasons but following her return midway through the 2009-10 campaign, the team posted a 10-5 record and advanced to the Quebec final for the first time since 1997.
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"Anneth has been an inspiration to me, her teammates and those around her," said ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ head coach Ryan Thorne. "Though she battles physical and emotional challenges daily, her work ethic and positive attitude continues to motivate us to do all that we can and enjoy every moment we have with our loved ones."
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The award is named after a former member of the Brandon University Bobcats who broke her lower leg during a game in 1993. Five months later, after numerous surgeries, she had her leg amputated eight inches below the knee. Defying all odds, she was back on the court less than three months later, playing with an artificial limb.
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RECIPIENTS OF THE TRACY MacLEOD AWARD
1996-97Ìý Karen Arnott, Guelph
1997-98Ìý Patricia Wood, Brandon
1998-99Ìý Angela Hrkac, Lakehead
1999-00Ìý Janet Wells, Dalhousie
2000-01Ìý Nicole Poier, Saskatchewan
2001-02Ìý Debra Hidson, Calgary
2002-03Ìý Fiona Tozer, Brock
2003-04Ìý Heather Thompson, Winnipeg
2004-05Ìý Cory Bekkering, Calgary
2005-06Ìý Devon Campbell, Simon Fraser
2006-07Ìý Julia Wilson, Simon Fraser
2007-08Ìý Rachel Hart, McMaster
2008-09Ìý Vanessa Forstbauer, Victoria
2009-10Ìý Anneth Him-Lazarenko, ±«ÓãÖ±²¥
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SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ Athletics & Recreation
514-398-7012
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