Ryerson Rams women’s basketball team looking to return to the Critelli Cup after strong recruiting offseason
TORONTO — After an eccentric season in which the Ryerson Rams women’s basketball team finished with an impressive record of 18-4 and made their way to the Critelli Cup losing in the finals, the Rams will be looking to build on their success in the 2021-2022 season.
A season ago the Ryerson Rams team was able to beat Queens University, then go on the road and earn a comeback win against Ottawa University. A semifinals win put them in the OUA championship game played at the Mattamy Athletic Centre which they would host. What no one saw coming was the performance of Sam Keltos of Brock University.
The forward managed to score 42 points to go along with 12 rebounds and dominated the game in every way imaginable. The 6’3” forward out of Niagara is the Kevin Durant of Ontario University Athletics women’s basketball and simply out skilled the Rams using her sheer size and length advantage. The rams simply had no one of similar size or skill to match up.
The former three-year NCAA Division 1 standout transferred to the Brock Badgers for the 2019 season due to lack of playing time and wasted no time making a name for herself. Keltos’ all-around game was unstoppable showing flashes of what she can do shooting the ball off the pick and pop, midrange area as well as driving to the paint.
The Rams ended up losing the championship game to the Badgers 84-71, however, many fans feel that if they would have made better in-game adjustments to neutralize Keltos their team would have been holding the OUA banner instead. Ryerson head coach Carly Clarke used the extra time during the pandemic to even the gap between the Badgers and recruited two NCAA players as well as a two-time Atlantic University Sport all-star (AUS) to her squad.
The first of two NCAA transfers is Kaille Hall a 5’10 guard who appeared in 22 games during her rookie season at the Green State University in Ohio. The second NCAA transfer is Tiya Misir a 5’3 point guard out of Long Island University in New York. In her two seasons in the states, she has accumulated over 100 points, 60 assists, and has shown a knack for getting her hands on the ball with 20 steals.
“I never wanted to actually stay and play in Canada, but I always said to myself, ‘If there was one coach that I would want to play for, it would be Carly and it would have to be at Ryerson,’” said Misir.
The Rams hope is that Tiyas defensive intensity, as well as her leadership, can help push them over the top.
The women’s basketball program was also lucky enough to add Mikaela Dodig, a two-time AUS all-star who will join the team as a graduate player as she pursues her master’s of science in management. Dodig averaged 14.6 points last year with the University of New Brunswick Reds.
After a year off due to the pandemic, coach Carly Clarke has had time to put together a team that fits her coaching system of moving the ball and taking pride in defense. Clarke still lacks an OUA championship and after losing the finals on their homecourt to a one-man performance fans are expecting better results. Early into this season, the Rams are 1-0, winning 88-85 over the Queens Gaels. Senior transfer Mikaela Dodig scored a game-high 25 points. The team will look to continue their win streak Friday, November 12, against the Nipissing Lakers.
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