MONTREAL – Mariam Sylla, a 6-foot-1 power forward with the McGill University women's basketball  team, was named rookie of the year and was one of three Martlets to earn all-conference honours as the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec announced its major award winners and all-stars, Tuesday.

Teammate Anneth Him-Lazarenko, a native of Panama City who was raised in Ste. Dorothee, Que., joined Sylla on the first squad, while team captain Francoise Charest of Quebec City, was named to the second team. Sylla also made the all-rookie team along with McGill freshman Marie-Pier Bastrash of Trois-Rivières, Que.

Other RSEQ major awards were handed out to Concordia's Kaylah Barrett (player of the year), Laval's Marie-Pascale Nadeau (most outstanding defensive player), UQAM's Camille Michaud (leadership & citizenship), Concordia's Keith Pruden (coach of the year) and referee Eric Brouillard, who was voted official of the year.

Sylla, a native of Conakry, Guinea, becomes the second McGill player in as many years and the 10^th overall to capture rookie-of-the-year honours in the Quebec conference. The 20-year-old pharmacology freshman was third among the league's scoring leaders and second in rebounding, averaging 14.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, respectively. She ranked fifth in field-goal shooting (39.6 %), seventh in free-throw shooting (71.7 %), second in blocked shots (17 in 16 games), first in offensive rebounds (4.4 rpg), and second in defensive rebounds (5.4 rpg).

Him-Lazarenko, a 5-foot-10 forward who returned unexpectedly for a fifth season, had a solid campaign despite battling injuries. The 25-year old elementary education senior was seventh in scoring (12.1 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (6.2 rpg). She ranked sixth in field-goal shooting (39.5 %), ninth in free-throw percentage (66.2), sixth in steals (1.6 per game), third in offensive rebounds (2.3 rpg), and fifth in defensive rebounds (3.8 per game).

Charest is a 5-foot-6 point-guard who was fourth among league leaders in three-point shooting (34.3 %), third in assists (2.6 per game) and eighth in steals (1.7 per game), while averaging 8.2 points per game. The 24-year-old industrial relation senior was also seventh in defensive rebounds, averaging 3.5 per outing.

Bastrash, a 5-foot-8 guard, was 13th among league scoring leaders with an average of 8.4 points per game. The 21-year-old pre-med freshman had the second-best field-goal shooting percentage (43.8%) and was second in three-pointers at 44.1 per cent, draining 15 of 34 attempts.

 
2012-13 RSEQ WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-STARS & MAJOR AWARDS:

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Kaylah Barrett, Concordia
Marie-Pascale Nadeau, Laval
Mariam Sylla, McGill
Émie Simard, UQAM
Anneth Him-Lazarenko, McGill

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Marilyse Roy-Viau, Concordia
Elyse Jobin, Laval
Francoise Charest, McGill
Valérie Gauvin, UQAM
Gabrielle Chamberland, Bishop's

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Mariam Sylla, McGill
Marilyse Roy-Viau, Concordia
Gabrielle Girard, Laval
Marie-Pier Bastrash, McGill
Tamara Pinard-Devos, Concordia

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kaylah Barrett, Concordia
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Mariam Sylla, McGill
MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Marie-Pascale Nadeau, Laval
LEADERSHIP & CITIZENSHIP AWARD (Sylvia Sweeney Trophy nominee):
Camille Michaud, UQAM
COACH OF THE YEAR: Keith Pruden, Concordia
OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR: Éric Brouillard


RSEQ ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS FROM McGILL:
1989-90 Debbie Morse
1991-92 Melanie Gagne
1992-93 Vicky Tessier
1995-96 Alison Schafer
2001-02 Kelly-Rae Kenyon
2004-05 Julianne Noseworthy
2005-06 Catherine Parent
2008-09 Anneth Him-Lazarenko
2011-12 Dianna Ros
2012-13 Mariam Sylla
 
 
SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman,
McGill Sports info Office
(514) 398-7012
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca