CALGARY – After a record-breaking year on the court, Amélie Collin of the University of Calgary Dinos has been named the Canada West Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year.

Collin becomes just the second player in program history to earn the award, joining Tamara Jarrett, who did so back in 2013.

A 5-foot-9 guard, Collin has led the Dinos tenacious defence all season long. She stole the headlines over the course of the season for breaking the program record for career steals (259) in the first half of the season before taking down both the Canada West records for career steals (previously 308, Collin graduates with 322) and steals in a single season (98 –
 previously stood at 94). Collin also finished tied in leading the team in scoring this season with 12.1 points per game, while also leading the entire conference in three-point shooting – connecting at a 39.3% clip.

"Amélie is the most tenacious defender I have ever had the pleasure of coaching," Dinos head coach Sarah Besselink said. "She has such natural instincts when it comes to anticipating off ball. Every game we call on her to guard the opponent's best players, and she consistently holds them under their points-per-game average. Her records will stand for a long time in our program and in Canada West." 

Collin and the Dinos are in the midst of a playoff run where they have won their first three postseason games. They opened with a 91-67 win over Manitoba before defence was the name of the game in a 76-47 smothering of third-seeded Trinity Western. Calgary then took down Saskatchewan – the top ranked team in the nation all season long – with a 61-58 win in the Canada West semifinals. Calgary's defence held the Huskies to 25 points less than their scoring average in handing them their first loss in 52 games dating back to last season – ironically also in a game against the Dinos.

Calgary now gets set to take on UBC in Saturday's Canada West Final, scheduled for a 3 p.m. MT tipoff from Vancouver. 

-UC-