General 6/22/2026 9:00:00 AM

Finalists for the 2025-26 Canisius Female Athlete of the Year Revealed

The finalists for the 2025-26 Canisius Female Athlete of the Year have been announced. Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite finalist through 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 25. The winner will be announced on Friday, June 26.

In alphabetical order, the nominees are

Ella Bourque – Volleyball
• All-MAAC First Team selection
• Served as one of three team captains
• Three-time MAAC Setter of the Week (Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 17)
• Started all 30 matches
• Led the team with 1,160 assists
• Recorded 30-or-more assists on 23 occasions
• Clinched the program record for career assists during win at Niagara in the first round of the 2025 MAAC Volleyball Championship

Francesca DiCamillo – Rowing
• All-MAAC First Team selection
• Helped the 1st Varsity 8 boat to a fourth-place finish in the 2026 MAAC Rowing Championships (May
• Sat in the stroke seat of the First Varsity 8 boat that placed second in the Duquesne Invitational (May 3)
• Raced in the stroke seat of the First Varsity 8 boat that earned a spot in the petite final of the NYS Collegiate Championships (April 18)
• Helped the Varsity 8 shell post a first-place result in the Yinzer Cup (Oct. 11)
• Selected to serve as an alternate for the NCAA Rowing Oversight Committee
• Named to MAAC All-Academic Team

Ella Forcucci – Women's Lacrosse
• Tabbed Canisius Female Rookie of the Year
• Selected as the program's fourth MAAC Rookie of the Year
• Named to All-MAAC Rookie Team and All-MAAC First Team
• Appeared in all 17 games, making 13 starts
• Established the program record for goals (51) and points (67) by a freshman
• Won eight weekly conference awards, winning MAAC Rookie of the Week and MAAC Offensive Player of the Week four times each
• Was the highest scoring freshman in the NCAA in the regular season
• Scored three-or-more goals on 12 occasions
• Set a career-high with seven points (5G, 2A) versus Eastern Michigan (Feb. 18)

Shariah Gales – Women's Basketball
• Started all 25 games played
• Established career highs in minutes played (28.6 MPG), scoring (12.4 PPG), field goal percentage (48.6) and free throw percentage (78.0)
• Led the team in total points (309) and total rebounds (209)
• Ranked fourth in the MAAC in rebounds per game (8.8), seventh in field goal percentage (47.9) and 19th in points per game (11.2)
• Scored in double digits 15 times and tallied 20-or-more points on three occasions
• Recorded all three of her double-doubles in conference action which was the sixth-most in the MAAC

Lizzy Harkness – Women's Lacrosse
• All-MAAC Third Team honoree
• Preseason All-MAAC pick
• Named to MAAC All-Championship Team
• CSC Academic All-District selection
• One of two players to start all 19 games
• Played 1748 out of a possible 1750 minutes
• Recorded three goals for six points
• Notched the decisive goal in the penalty-kick shootout victory over Quinnipiac in the semifinals of the MAAC Women's Soccer Championship (Nov. 6)
• Named to MAAC All-Academic Team

Ella Johel - Softball
• All-MAAC First Team selection, becoming just the fourth Canisius outfielder since 2000 to earn All-MAAC First Team accolades in back-to-back seasons
• Preseason All-MAAC honoree
• Led Canisius in 10 different offensive statistical categories
• Finished the 2026 season ranked among the top 10 in the MAAC in eight offensive statistical categories
• One of two Griffs to play in all 44 games
•Hit a team-best .380 with 11 doubles, three triples, six homers, 20 RBI and 41 runs scored.
• Fashioned a team-best 1.091 OPS and boasted a .635 slugging percentage and a .456 on-base percentage.
• Led the Blue and Gold with 18 multi-hit games
• Closed out the season by reaching base safely in the team's final 11 contests of the year

Daphne Mead – Women's Swimming and Diving
• Swam in all 10 meets, including MAAC Championships
• Won 16 individual races during the season and added three relay victories throughout the year
• Posted individual wins in the 100 (58.15) and 200 back (2:06.98) and 200 IM (2:09.55) and swam the opening leg of the winning 200 medley relay versus Geneseo (Oct. 24)
• Established personal bests in the 500 free (5:09.88), 100 fly (56.06) and 200 fly (2:06.06) at the UB Invite (Nov. 21-22)
• Swept the 100 (58.10) and 200 back (2:06.78) and added a third victory in the 200 IM (2:08.41) at Le Moyne (Jan. 24)
• Swam anchor leg of 800 free relay that claimed third at the MAAC Championships (Feb. 11)
• Set a school mark and placed second in the 200 IM (2:02.79) at the 2026 MAAC Championships (Feb. 12)
• Named to MAAC All-Academic Team

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Players Mentioned

#6 Ella Bourque: S; 5' 11"; Senior

#8 Lizzy Harkness: M; 5' 9"; Senior

#19 Ella Forcucci: A; 5' 5"; Freshman

Daphne Mead: 5' 5"; Sophomore

#10 Ella Johel: OF; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#6 Ella Bourque
: 5' 11"; Senior
: S

#8 Lizzy Harkness
: 5' 9"; Senior
: M

#19 Ella Forcucci
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: A

Daphne Mead
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

#10 Ella Johel
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: OF