GENOIS WINS SECOND QSSF MVP

Rouge et Or also take three First Team selections, R.O.Y., C.O.Y.

Universite Laval's Marie-Michelle Genois has won her second QSSF Most Valuable Player award in three years after a brilliant campaign in which she led the league in rebounding and blocks while placing second in scoring average.

Genois, of Cap-Sante, led the Quebec conference in blocked shots with 26 in 16 games as her Rouge et Or (13-3) ran away with the league title.

The former CEGEP de Sainte-Foy standout finished second in league scoring (13.8 ppg) and first in rebounds (9.1 per game) while shooting 77.8 per cent from the free-throw line.

Her MVP award automatically qualifies her for CIS Player of the Year.

Genois led he league in rebounding and blocks as her

team won the league by a whopping five games.

Genois is no stranger to national honours, having won CCAA Player of the Year in 2005-06.

ULAVAL DOMINATION

The Rouge et Or dominated the post-season awards, with two of Genois' teammates snagging first-team honours. Shooting guards Elyse Jobin and Chanelle St-Amour also made the first All-Star team. Rounding out the first team are forward Anneth Him-Lazarenko of McGill and guard Katy Germain of Bishop's.

And capping the award tour for Laval players was Marie-Pascale Nadeau, who was named league Rookie of the Year. The 6-2 centre finished fourth in the league in rebounding (7.4 rbs) while blocking 21 shots in 16 games.

Nadeau also shot 50 per cent from the field and averaged 8.9 points per game.

COACH MARQUIS IS TOPS

As if all the player awards weren't enough, Rouge et Or Head Coach Linda Marquis was named the QSSF Coach of the Year for the second straight season and tenth time in her illustrious career.

The bench boss was a unanimous selection in her 25th season at the helm of the Laval squad.

STORY OF PERSEVERANCE

McGill sophomore Anneth Him-Lazarenko has been selected as the QSSF nominee for the 2010 Tracy McLeod Award.

It's presented annually to the CIS player who best demonstrates determination, perseverance and unwavering spirit.

Him-Lazarenko, an education and history major, returned to the Marlets less than nine months after tearing the ACL in her right knee.

Just as her rehab was underway, her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July.

Him-Lazarenko has overcome injuries and her father's cancer scare. (McGill Athletics).

That forced the 22-year old to forego her therapy in order to spend more time with her family. She eventually returned to the gym in September and re-joined the Martlets on November 20. She recorded a trio of double-doubles and four 10+ rebound games over the final 13 contests this season, finishing second in the QSSF scoring with 15 points per game and rebounding with 7.8 boards per game.

Here is the complete list of QSSF postseason awards:

Most Valuable Player

Marie-Michelle Genois, Laval

Rookie of the year

Marie-Pascale Nadeau, Laval

Defensive player of the year

Stéphanie Youakim, UQAM

Tracy MacLeod Award nominee

Anneth Him-Lazarenko, McGill

Coach of the year

Linda Marquis, Laval (unanimous selection)

Official of the year

Mario Boutin

QUBL All-Stars

First team

Marie-Michelle Genois, centre, Laval

Chanelle St-Amour, shooting guard, Laval

Anneth Him-Lazarenko, forward, McGill

Katy Germain, guard, Bishop's

Elyse Jobin, Laval (Physiotherapy), Moncton, NB, NEDA

Second Team

Jill Verhesen, guard, Concordia

Jessica Bibeau-Cote, guard, UQAM

Irline Noel, forward, UQAM

Kristin Portwine, forward, Concordia

Stephanie Youakim, guard, UQAM

- With files from the QSSF -