Carleton Ravens women's basketball explained

Women:yes
Carleton Ravens women's basketball
University:Carleton University
Conference:OUA
Location:Ottawa, Ontario
Coach:Dani Sinclair
Tenure:Since 2021-22
Assistant Coaches:Michelle Abella, Dean Petridis, Nick Westcott
Arena:Ravens’ Nest
Nickname:Ravens
Conference Tournament:2017, 2018, 2023
Conference Season:2018
Usports Championships:2018, 2023, 2024
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The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team represent Carleton University in the Ontario University Athletics of U Sports women's basketball. The Ravens have won two national championships, in 2018 and 2023. The Ravens have also won the OUA Critelli Cup conference championship three times, in 2017, 2018, and 2023. Between 2009 and 2018, the Ruth Coe Award, recognizing Carleton University’s Female Athlete of the Year, was won by seven female basketball players. Additionally, the program served as host team for the 2020 U Sports Women's Basketball Championship, contested at Ottawa's TD Place Arena.

In 2023, both the women’s and men’s teams won the national titles, something no school had accomplished since 1985, when the Victoria Vikes were double champions.

History

From 2007 to 2019, the Ravens were coached by Taffe Charles. An assistant coach with the women’s program in 1995, he would join Dave Smart’s coaching staff with the Ravens men’s team in 1998, enjoying five U SPORTS national championships, before returning to the women’s program in 2007.

Under Charles’ leadership, the women’s team captured the 2010 OUA East Division title, qualifying for the OUA East postseason finals. It would mark the first of five division titles. The Ravens would top the East Division in 2013, 2014 and 2018, while the 2016-17 season saw a first place finish in the OUA North Division. Clinching its first appearance in the U Sports Final 8 in 2011, the program would return to the biggest stage in Canadian university basketball in 2013, 2017 and 2018.

The 2012-13 season saw the Ravens among the top five in the national basketball rankings, defeating the Ottawa Gee-Gees to win the East Division Final. Finishing the 2016-17 season with an 18-1 mark, its highest win total in the 45-year history of the program (since broken), the Ravens would enjoy the milestone of a number-1 ranking in the national polls, reaching the summit on November 15, 2016. Reaching the U Sports Final 8, the Ravens defeated the Victoria Vikes in the quarterfinals, enjoying their first-ever win at the tournament.

Winning the OUA conference title in 2017 and 2018, the Ravens enjoyed a perfect 29-0 record, for their first-ever undefeated season, capturing the Bronze Baby for the first time in 2018.[1] Defensively, the Ravens stymied their competition during the championship season, averaging merely 45.9 points per game, resulting in the finest defense in U Sports.

Elizabeth Leblanc was a key player during the 2017-18 season, culminating in a perfect 29-0 season, highlighted by the program's first national championship. Statistically, Leblanc averaged 26.7 minutes per game, signifying her third straight season of leading the team. With 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, Leblanc also won the U Sports Defensive Player of the Year Award, the first player in Ravens history to do so.

The season also saw Heather Lindsay garner some hardware, capturing the Carleton Ravens Athletics Outstanding Graduating Female Athlete award. In what proved to be her last campaign as a Raven, Lindsay reached the plateau of 100 regular season appearances, complemented by 82 starts. With career averages of 11.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, she graduated by surpassing the 1000-point career mark.

During the 2018-19 season, Nicole Gilmore reached career-highs in many categories. Starting with 14.3 points-per-game, 7.7 rebounds per game, plus shooting 40.5 per cent from the field, she received the Carleton Ravens Outstanding Graduating Female Athlete Award.

Season-by-season record

National championsLost championshipConference championsLeague leader
SeasonWLPFPAFinish
2003–04 7 15 1198 1273 7th, OUA East
2004–05 5 17 1120 1281 7th, OUA East
2005–06 10 12 1268 1267 5th, OUA East
2006–07 5 17 1272 1477 6th, OUA East
2007–08 8 14 1280 1307 5th, OUA East
2008–09 14 8 1388 1184 3rd, OUA East
2009–10 18 4 1473 1119 1st, OUA East
2010–11 18 4 1430 1209 1st, OUA East
2011–12 17 5 1494 1157 2nd, OUA East
2012-13 15 5 1337 1048 2nd, OUA East
2013-14 16 6 1290 1172 1st, OUA East
2014-15 9 10 1113 1047 2nd, OUA North
2015-16[2] 14 5 1289 1061 2nd, OUA North
2016-17 18 1 1296 970 1st, OUA North
2017-18 23 0 1666 1055 1st, OUA East
2018-19 18 5 1532 1242 2nd, OUA East
2019-20 15 7 1498 1273 2nd, OUA East
2020-21Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 11 5 1129 901 2nd, OUA East
2022-23 19 3 1646 1264 2nd, OUA East
2023-24 21 1 17741178 1st, OUA East

Capital Hoops Classic

See main article: Capital Hoops Classic.

Ottawa victoriesCarleton victories
YearSiteWinning teamLosing teamSeriesAttendanceNotes
2008 Scotiabank PlaceCarleton53 Ottawa 43 CAR 1–0 9,124 Inaugural edition of Women's game
2009 Scotiabank PlaceCarleton62 Ottawa 53 CAR 2–0 10,523
2010 Scotiabank PlaceCarleton53 Ottawa 40 CAR 3–0 8,074
2011 Scotiabank PlaceCarleton71 Ottawa 63 CAR 4–0 7,565
2012 Scotiabank PlaceOttawa59 Carleton 55 CAR 4–1 7,022
2013 Scotiabank PlaceCarleton68 Ottawa 50 CAR 5–16,208
2014 Canadian Tire CentreOttawa57 Carleton 47 CAR 5–2 6,604
2015 Canadian Tire CentreOttawa46 Carleton 40 CAR 5–3 10,780 Highest attendance record
2016 Canadian Tire CentreCarleton73 Ottawa 50 CAR 6–310,105 Largest margin of victory
2017 Canadian Tire CentreCarleton57 Ottawa 44 CAR 7–310,030
2018 Canadian Tire CentreCarleton57 Ottawa 41 CAR 8–38,579
2019 Canadian Tire CentreOttawa61 Carleton 52 CAR 8–4 9,004
2020 TD PlaceOttawa 77 Carleton 75 CAR 8-5 8,103
2022 Ravens NestCarleton 63 Ottawa 43 CAR 9-5
2023 TD PlaceCarleton 66 Ottawa 60 CAR 10-5
2024 TD PlaceCarleton 78 Ottawa 72 CAR 11-5 6,137

Individual leader scoring

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MIN Minutes played
 FG Field-goals 3FG 3-point field-goals FT Free-throws
 PTS Points AVG Points per game
2015-16[3] Heather Lindsay 19 47312605030215.95th
2014-15[4] Lindsay Shotbolt 14 389 61 11 30 163 11.620th
2013-14[5] Alyson Bush 22 727107 9 100 323 15.0 9th
2012-13[6] Alyson Bush 20 592105 44 31 285 14.3 10th
2011-12[7] Alyson Bush 22 620111 27 52 301 13.7 11th
2010-11[8] Kendall MacLeod 22 516 79 19 68 245 11.1 22nd
2009-10[9] Alyson Bush 22 634 73 28 44 218 9.91

International

Awards and honours

All-Canadians

OUA Awards

OUA All-Stars

First team

Second team

OUA Showcase

U Sports Awards

U Sports nationals

U Sports All-Canadians

University honors

Ruth Coe Award

Outstanding Graduating Women’s Athlete of the Year

Team awards

This is an incomplete list

Most Valuable Player

Alumni Award

Notes and References

  1. News: Carleton beats Saskatchewan 69-48 to win U Sports women's basketball title. The Globe and Mail. 12 March 2018.
  2. Web site: Women's Basketball 2015-16 Standings . presto-en.usports.ca.
  3. News: 2015-2016 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-23. en.
  4. News: 2014-2015 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-23. en.
  5. News: 2013-2014 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-23. en.
  6. News: 2012-2013 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-22. en.
  7. News: 2011-2012 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-22. en.
  8. News: 2010-2011 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-22. en.
  9. News: 2009-2010 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics. oua.ca/. 2021-06-22. en.
  10. News: 29th Summer Universiade 2017 Main Results. fisu.net. 2021-06-21. en.
  11. News: Team Canada delegation announced for 2019 FISU Summer Universiade. usports.ca. 2019-05-29. 2021-06-21. en.
  12. News: Brock's Melissa Tatti takes part in Women's Basketball Showcase. gobadgers.ca/. May 6, 2019. 2021-06-29. en.
  13. News: Kristin Gallant to Represent Brock at OUA Women's Basketball Showcase. gobadgers.ca/. May 3, 2018. 2021-06-29. en.
  14. News: Laval's Marois headlines U SPORTS women's basketball major award winners. usports.ca/. March 6, 2019. 2021-06-22. en.
  15. News: Ravens honoured at Varsity Awards Banquet . goravens.ca/ . April 1, 2011. 2021-06-22. en.
  16. News: Carleton honours major award winners at 2017-18 varsity gala; Leblanc & Bitar named athletes of the year. goravens.ca/. March 29, 2018. June 21, 2021. en.
  17. News: Ravens celebrate outstanding seasons by varsity athletes. Stuart Miller-Davis. goravens.ca/. March 29, 2019 . June 21, 2021. en.
  18. News: Ravens honoured at Varsity Awards Banquet. goravens.ca/. March 19, 2015. June 21, 2021. en.
  19. News: Evans and Welychka named Carleton's 2015-16 Athletes of the Year. goravens.ca/. March 31, 2016. June 21, 2021. en.
  20. News: Ravens commemorate athletic excellence with annual awards. Mark Bahensky. goravens.ca/. April 13, 2020. June 21, 2021. en.