Women’s Basketball Finishes .500 as Program Enters New Era

The Georgian Grizzlies women’s basketball team finished the 2025-26 regular season at 7-7 overall, earning a playoff spot while producing several standout individual seasons.

The season also marked the final year behind the bench for Head Coach Brian Hutton, who stepped down at the end of the season after four years leading the Grizzlies women’s basketball program. Since taking over in 2022, Hutton helped elevate the program, guiding the Grizzlies to multiple playoff appearances while building a strong team culture focused on athlete development both on and off the court.

The Grizzlies posted a 4-3 record at home and a 3-4 mark on the road, finishing with 875 points scored, 853 points against, and a +22 point differential. The Grizzlies went 4-3 before the December break, picking up wins over the George Brown Huskies, Centennial Colts, St. Lawrence Surge, and Durham Lords. After the break, the Grizzlies added wins on the road against the St. Lawrence Surge and at home against the Centennial Colts and Algonquin Wolves. The team’s top results included an 85-41 win over the Surge, a 92-62 win over the Colts, and an 88-78 win over the Wolves.

Sydney Shawyer led the Grizzlies and the league with an outstanding scoring season. She finished with 229 points across 12 games, averaging 19.1 points per game, while also adding 70 rebounds and 28 steals. Her season earned her OCAA Women’s Basketball League and East Division Scoring Champion honours, as well as OCAA East Division First Team All-Star recognition.

Ami May was another major contributor, finishing with 181 points, 73 assists, 78 rebounds, and 41 steals. Her playmaking and defensive impact earned her OCAA East Division Second Team All-Star honours.

Sophia Syal added a strong rookie campaign, scoring 145 points and knocking down 35 made threes at 2.9 threes per game. She was named to the OCAA East Division All-Rookie Team and also earned OCAA Star of the Week recognition. Emma Vale led the team on the glass with 139 rebounds, averaging 9.9 rebounds per game, while Lily Roberts-Neef added 98 points, 73 rebounds, 63 assists, and 36 steals.

At the 56th Annual Grizzlies Varsity Awards Banquet, Sydney Shawyer was also named Georgian’s Female Athlete of the Year and Team MVP, while Lily Roberts-Neef received the team’s Coach’s Award.

Following the season, Georgian College Athletics announced Troy Joseph as the new head coach of the women’s basketball program. Coach Troy brings extensive experience as the founder and head coach of Breakthrough Athletics, along with a playing background at the NCAA Division I, U SPORTS, and professional levels. He has also supported Team Ontario’s U15 and U17 programs in elite athlete identification and development.

Coach Troy takes over a program with a strong foundation and will look to lead the Grizzlies into a new era built around accountability, resilience, pride, and player development.