VICTORIA – On Feb. 25 the Canada West announced the women's basketball major awards and conference all-stars for the 2014-15 season. First year University of Victoria Vike Amira Giannattasio was named the conference's top rookie, while fifth-year point guard Cassandra Goodis was named to the second team all-star list.

OFFICIAL RELEASE
 
Rookie guard Giannattasio exploded on to the post-secondary scene right from Victoria's opening exhibition games in early October to the post-season where the Vikes recently captured a spot in the Canada West quarter-finals. The Hamilton, Ont. native came to Victoria as a former high school teammate of former CIS All-Rookie member Jenna Bugiardini.
 
"Amira has incredible instincts on the floor and is the definition of a pure scorer," said Dani Sinclair, Vikes women's basketball head coach. "She came to our team with a lot of experience but is a tireless worker who spends hours in the gym and continues to get better everyday." 
 
This season Giannattasio has been one of the team's top scorers in over half of their games and has the second-highest three-point shooting percentage on the team behind fifth-year forward Jessica Renfrew. Giannattasio put up 36 three pointers in 84 attempts (42.9 per cent) and averaged 12 points per game.
 
The social sciences major recently put up 31 points against Trinity Western in the Vikes' final regular season game, while she is most remembered for her buzzer-beating jumper against Lethbridge that was the start of an eight-game win streak into the playoffs.
 
"Amira is a much loved player and person in our program and we are all so proud and excited to acknowledge her accomplishments this season," added Sinclair. "A great season for Amira, but you get the sense that the best is yet to come."
 
Giannattasio might be the future of the program but before the Vikes entertain that thought the team still have a long journey ahead if they hope to qualify for the CIS Final 8.
 
Senior Goodis was announced a Canada West Second Team All-Star after her impressive performance this season. Capping off her final year Goodis met many milestones including breaking the Canada West All-Time Assists record, previously held by Simon Fraser's Lani Gibbons (539). Goodis ended the regular season with 561 assists and tacked on another nine in last week's play-in series to enter this weekend with 570 career assists and counting.
 
In addition Goodis also surpassed the Victoria school record for all-time steals, surpassing former Vike Lindsay Anderson's record. Goodis ended the regular season with 274 steals to sit second in the conference for all-time steals. Goodis averaged 31.3 minutes per game this season, while also contributing an average of 9.2 points per game.
 
UBC's Kris Young was named the most valuable player while Thompson Rivers' Scott Reeves was named Coach of the Year.
 
The Vikes will play Thompson Rivers this weekend in a best-of-three quarter-finals series. In addition to Reeves, the WolfPack had Jorri Duxbury named a second team all-star and Taiysa Worsfold named to the third team. First year Michelle Bos was named to the All-Rookie team.
 
2014-15 Canada West Women's Basketball Awards:
 
Most Valuable Player: Kris Young, UBC
Rookie of the Year: Amira Giannattasio, Victoria
Defensive Player of the Year: Stephanie Kleysen, Winnipeg
Sylvia Sweeney Award: Kim Veldman, Lethbridge
Tracy McLeod Award: Megan Wickstrom, Alberta
Coach of the Year: Scott Reeves, Thompson Rivers
 
First Team All-Stars
Kris Young, UBC
Saskia VanGinhoven, Alberta
Dalyce Emmerson, Saskatchewan
Sarah Wierks, UFV
Kim Veldman, Lethbridge
 
Second Team All-Stars
Jorri Duxbury, Thompson Rivers
Harleen Sidhu, UBC
Stephanie Kleysen, Winnipeg
Cassandra Goodis, Victoria
Kelly Fagan, Grant MacEwan
 
Third Team All-Stars
Laura Dally, Saskatchewan
Charlotte Kot, Regina
Taiysa Worsfold, Thompson Rivers
Megan Noonan, Winnipeg
Megan Wood, Grant MacEwan
 
All-Rookie Team
Amira Giannattasio, Victoria
Michelle Bos, Thompson Rivers
Jessie Brown, Trinity Western
Jayla Verney, Mount Royal
Christina McCusker, Regina