CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Jenna Mae Ellsworth’s remarkable year on the basketball court has been recognized across the spectrum of university sports in Atlantic Canada.
The 21-year-old UPEI Panthers’ guard is the Atlantic University Sport’s top female athlete for 2019-20 as determined by a selection committee of athletic directors.
“It’s incredible,” Ellsworth said after the news broke Tuesday afternoon. “There’s great athletes at every school.”
She was shortlisted for the award last week along with Dalhousie volleyball setter Courtney Baker and St. FX hockey forward Tyra Meropoulis. All three were U Sports player of the year in their chosen sport.
“So, to be picked from amongst them is incredible. I couldn’t be more honoured for this award,” said the fourth-year sciences student.
Ellsworth, the daughter of Paul and Tracy Ellsworth of Charlottetown, helped lead the UPEI Panthers basketball team to its first conference title since 1997-98. The next week they brought home bronze medals from the nationals in Ottawa. The ultra-competitive Ellsworth, who is driven by team success, was named an all-star at both tournaments.
Ellsworth, who was named the UPEI female athlete of the year in April, found out about the AUS honour Tuesday afternoon when she was tagged in a social media post by the AUS.
And before long, her phone started buzzing with well wishes.
“I have a crazy amount of support on the Island,” she said. “You always get messages from so many people here on the Island. It’s awesome to see the amount of support we have at UPEI.”
The five-foot-10 guard won the Nann Copp Award as U Sports player of the year and became the final member of the U Sports top 100 female players of the past century. She is only the third AUS player to win the Nann Copp Award.
She won the AUS women’s basketball player of the year award and was named the top defensive player in the conference after averaging 20.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Keevan Veinot from the Dalhousie men's basketball team won the AUS male athlete of the year award.
Ellsworth and Veinot will be the conference’s nominees for Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards as U Sports athletes of the year.
The female award is the Jim Thompson Trophy while the male award is the Doug Mitchell Trophy. The national awards will be announced on June 25.
Ellsworth is the fourth Panthers to be the conference’s nominee for the national award but the first in 24 years.
The previous nominees for the award were Alanna Taylor (soccer) in 1992-93, Katherine McNally (field hockey) in 1993-94 and Curtis Robinson (basketball) in 1995-96. The award was first presented in 1992-93.
Award worthy
A look at some of the awards Jenna Mae Ellsworth has won this season.
• AUS women’s basketball championship with her UPEI Panthers teammates.
• U Sports bronze medalist with her UPEI Panthers teammates.
• U Sports women’s basketball player of the year.
• Named one of U Sports top 100 women’s basketball players of the past century.
• AUS female athlete of the year.
• UPEI female athlete of the year.
• AUS women’s basketball MVP.
• AUS women’s basketball defensive player of the year.
