BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Laurentian University women's basketball
veteran Tierney Hoo wants to end her career with no regrets,
and that means tasting championship glory.
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As she enters her fifth and final season, Hoo
is looking to help lead the Lady Vees to an Ontario University
Athletics (OUA) championship, and then the national
title.
Â"Coming into this season, it's the best
feeling I have had so far in my career,Â" said Hoo. Â"Everybody
has come together and bought into the team this year. It looks
like a promising season for us.Â"
Over the last two seasons, the Lady Vees have
been a perennial powerhouse, but have faded in the OUA
playoffs.
Winning it all will not be an easy road to
travel because the competition is so tough, says Hoo.
Â"It's a progressive thing,Â" said Hoo.
Â"We want to win our league, host OUAs, win OUAs, get to
nationals, win our first two games, get to the championship
game and win it.Â"
Hoo's thirst for ultimate victory has
helped galvanize the squad.
Â"Tierney gives us a lot of leadership,Â"
said head coach Mike Clarke. Â"She has an amazing work ethic
and sets the example for every player on this team. She has
become better in each of her last two seasons, and we are
looking for her to continue that development.Â"
As it is her final year, Hoo will spend
plenty of time passing on her knowledge and tricks onto the
younger players.
Â"I am definitively in a leadership role,Â"
said Hoo. Â"They're going to be a young team next year, so
I , along with the other graduating girls, will pass on as much
as we can to help them prepare for next season.Â"
Hoo, Laurentian's career scoring leader,
knows what it takes to pull on the Voyageur jersey, compete
with a great deal of pride, and sees it as an honour.
Â"Really, it's all about putting in the
extra time,Â" said Hoo. Â"If you're not shooting the ball
well, get into the gym and practice. If you're not strong
enough, lift weights, and really focus on how you can help the
team.Â"
Hoo has had an incredible journey as a Lady
Vee.
Â"My whole career here has just been a great
experience,Â" said Hoo. Â"I have learned a lot on and off the
court. My hard work on the court has helped me off it.Â"
Like most university athletes, Hoo will miss
her teammates, especially good friends Brianne Henry, Caitlin
Blackadder, and Kate Walker.
The awesome foursome started, and will end
their careers at the same time.
Â"We are all the best of friends,Â" said Hoo.
Â"We work well together and know each other inside and out, and
now we are all playing a lot together, so that's
great.Â"
With each passing game, Hoo takes another
step towards claiming the all-time women's OUA career
scoring lead.
As of the end of November, she had more than
1,000 points and was in the top seven in the history of
women's university basketball regular season scoring.
