It's going to be difficult for Kelly Fagan to top her rookie year with the MacEwan University women's basketball team.
Last season, in her inaugural year with the squad, the Griffins were Alberta Colleges' Athletic Conference champions for the first time in school history with 24 wins and no losses.
"We had so much skill that pretty much no one in the ACAC could really compete with us," Fagan says. "Which I guess in the end probably wasn't the best thing that could have happened because when we got to nationals it kind of left us a bit unprepared."
The Griffins wound up finishing fourth at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 2012.
The Griffins are off to another good start at 8-1, which has them in third place, but with a significant number of veterans graduating and eight newcomers it's a different team this year.
"This season is definitely a lot different," Fagan says. "We definitely don't have the team where we can go through the entire league undefeated and just kind of cruise, so we have to work a lot harder to get where we want to be."
They may not get there with a perfect record, but the six-foot-one forward says her squad has the commitment and talent that can make them a team to be reckoned with.
Augustana, ranked No. 1, is the Griffins' biggest threat.
"They have almost all of their players back from last year which gives them a huge leg up in terms of experience," Fagan says. "They're obliterating teams so I think they're going to be a big contender."
Fagan is averaging almost nine points per game in the nine games she's played so far. The science major came to the Griffins last year from Paul Kane High School. She chose MacEwan because of what Rob Poole brings as the head coach and thought the team's strength and dedication would provide a good atmosphere in which to play basketball.
Fagan picked up a basketball for the first time in Grade 3 and has been playing ever since.
"I love the physical aspect of it, of course. I mean it's just such a great game," Fagan says. "But at the same time one of the best things about basketball is the team aspect, especially going into college and being on a basketball team you automatically have 12 girls that are there to support you and are going through the same thing you are."
Now in her second year and no longer a rookie, Fagan is part of the support system for new players.
"I try to be as supportive as possible and help out the girls who are having a hard time and really kind of make myself available to them if they need me," she said.
MacEwan newcomer
One of the eight newcomers on the Griffins is Katie Burak, a three-time 3A provincial champion and two-time metro Edmonton premier champion at St. Albert Catholic High School.
"We graduated a ton of people last year so I think that has made it easier not being the only rookie," Burak says. "You have lots of people to go through the new experience with you, and our veterans are awesome. They're very understanding and patient with us."
Burak played two games this season before she was sidelined by a back injury in practice.
"I've been out for almost the whole first semester, so hopefully I'll be back practicing over Christmas break, and then be back for our opening game next semester," said the five-foot-eight shooting guard.
Despite the injury, Burak's first year at MacEwan is going very well and she loves being a Griffin.
"The program here is great. They won the ACAC last year and I know they have really strong coaching and I just felt like it was the best choice out of the schools here."
Burak added the transition from high school has been pretty easy, but there are certainly differences at the university level.
"I'd say the biggest difference is the commitment that you have to make to yourself and to your team," she said. "There's just a lot more time you have to put into things to get where you want to be. I'd say the competition is a lot higher and everyone is a lot better here so you have to work that much harder."
The Griffins are currently on break for exams and the Christmas holiday, but the pressure will be on when they resume their schedule on Jan. 10. The Canada West application committee will observe MacEwan's men's and women's basketball teams when they take on Augustana that day.
The university's basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross-country and the women's hockey team are hoping to earn Canadian Interuniversity Sport status by next season.
"We're playing Augustana and we have people coming in who are judging whether or not we're ready to go CIS, the next level in terms of sport, so it's definitely going to be a big night January 10," Fagan says.
Next season may also see another rookie from St. Albert join the MacEwan ladies. Poole said the team has received a commitment from St. Albert High's Paige Knull to join the Griffins in September.
