NOFUENTE CONTINUES TO ADD TO LEGACY
EDMONTON, Alb -- Humber's Ceejay Nofuente continued quite the impressive trophy haul Wednesday when she was named the 2017 National Player of the Year, as announced by the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) committee.
Receiving the coveted award at the annual CCAA All-Canadian banquet in Edmonton, Alberta, Nofuente sounded as if she wanted to cut up the trophy into pieces to share with teammates and coaches.
"This is more of a team award," said two-time All-Canadian Ceejay Nofuente. "We are all a family and I wouldn't be where I am today without my family."
The five-foot-eight point guard finished fifth in the nation in scoring with an average of 21.9 points, while leading in assists (124) and steals (101). Nofuente's steal and assist totals were new OCAA records; making her the first student-athlete to finish with 100-plus assists and steals in a season.
Nofuente was also named an All-Canadian for the second time in her career, joining Tanya Sadler (1997 and 1998) as the only Hawks to be named twice in a career.
Over the course of her Humber career, the Toronto native has developed from a physical defensive specialist into a deadly accurate perimeter threat. In the win over Niagara in January, she became the Humber career scoring leader with 784 points. She won the conference's Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season by leading the Hawks to a 18-0 record, the third in program history.
WBB | With that three, Ceejay Nofuente becomes the all-time leading scoring for @HumberBBall pic.twitter.com/Hb2fQZAOqw
Nofuente had several signature performances throughout the season, seizing the provincial spotlight with a 55-point outburst in Humber's 92-62 win over Redeemer on January 11.
Despite being the target of opposing defences, Nofuente once again flourished in the OCAA championship tournament, scoring at least 20 points in all three games.
This season, Nofuente recorded a career-high eight double-doubles and shot 47 per cent from the floor.
Other finalists for the award were: Logan Moncks (Lethbridge), Carmelle M'Bikata (Capilano), Carrie-Ann Auger (Trois-Riveres), and Jayla Verney (Holland).
Nofuente and the rest of the Hawks will now turn their full attention to defending its national title, beginning with the quarter-final showdown with the hometown NAIT Ooks (25-2) on Thursday, March 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET.
