CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Jenna Mae Ellsworth capped off a great season by winning the UPEI female athlete of the year award.
It comes after being named Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and U Sports women’s basketball MVP and the AUS defensive player of the year.
But more importantly for the 21-year-old Charlottetown resident was the AUS title and U Sports bronze medal her team earned.
“It’s been awesome,” said the fourth-year guard, who expressed her gratitude for everything her parents, coaches and teammates have done for her. “It was an amazing year.”
Frances MacWilliam (rugby) and Camille Scherger (hockey) were the finalists for the distinguished UPEI award.
“It’s such an honour,” Ellsworth said. “We have so many great athletes at UPEI. I play with a lot of great athletes on my (own) team.”
Ellsworth’s numbers speak for themselves – 20.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game – but they only tell part of the story.
“Everything she’s won this year is a testament to her work ethic,” head coach Matt Gamblin said. “She’s the only kid that I have coached that's been the MVP of the country in her sport. She’s also the hardest-working kid I have coached.”
Ellsworth is gifted athletically but continues to push herself to improve. She’s ultra-competitive with a winner’s mentality. She is as locked in when there are thousands of people in the building as when the gym is empty except for her teammates.
“When she’s in a shooting drill in practice, she’s just as engaged as she is at nationals,” Gamblin said.
The magical season the Panthers had this season came after being eliminated in the semifinal a year earlier as Acadia won three straight games to repeat as conference champs.
“That motivated her, I think, from the minute that game was over until this point,” said Ellsworth’s mother, Tracy. “It just shows hard work does pay off.”
While it was a remarkable season, it wasn’t without a nervous few weeks.
Ellsworth sustained a right knee injury on Nov. 9 at St. FX University in Antigonish, N.S., when an X-Women pushed a Panthers player into the side of Ellsworth’s leg. She came out immediately but wanted to re-enter the game. The coaches held her out and a series of doctor appointments were required to determine the severity.
There were a couple possibilities.
A medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain would see Ellsworth miss a few games while if it was the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) her season would be over and surgery would be required to repair the damage.
“I was just trying to keep a positive mentality and do everything I could to stay in shape … and get back for my teammates,” Ellsworth said, “(but) if I wasn't back, I was going to be there on the bench cheering them on.”
Some star players sulk when injuries strike. They want to be on the floor, helping their team. Ellsworth did, too, but she showed her leadership skills by being as engaged on the bench as when she was on the floor.
The news was the best Ellsworth could expect under the circumstances – an MCL sprain. She missed the final three games of the 2019 portion of the schedule, but when the second half began, Ellsworth was ready.
The Panthers jumped out to a 15-0 lead on Acadia on Jan. 4 in Charlottetown and cruised to victory.
Wearing a knee brace, Ellsworth had 21 points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds in 37 minutes.
It didn't change her approach and by mid-January the injury was a thing of the past.
“She doesn't know any other way but 100 miles an hour,” Gamblin said.
The Panther won 12 of the 13 regular season games in the 2020 portion of the schedule to earn first place in the regular season. In the playoffs in Halifax and in Ottawa, the Panthers saved some of their best basketball for clutch time in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.
Ellsworth is appreciative of the awards she has received but is driven by trying to help her team win games and banners.
She'll get another in the upcoming season as she plans to return for her final year of eligibility.
“For her it’s all about team success,” Gamblin said. “She just wants to win another championship.”
Looking back
Here are the recent winners of the UPEI female athletes of the year awards.
2019 – Bailey Smith, track.
2018 – Bailey Smith, track, and Alysha Corrigan, rugby.
2017 – Marie-Soleil Deschenes, hockey.
2016 – Katie Donahoe, basketball, and Alysha Corrigan, rugby.
2015 – Amy Gough, basketball.
2014 – Sarah Stanley, soccer.
2013 – Marina MacAulay, field hockey.
2012 – Janet Gamble, swimming.
2011 – Sara Stewart, soccer.
