Big shoes to fill for returning BU hoopers

There’s simply no replicating what the Brandon University Bobcats did last year.

That’s not to say they can’t get back to the Canada West women’s basketball playoffs for the second straight season, but the means to achieve their goal have to change drastically.

Ilarion Bonhomme followed up a 2-18 campaign in his U Sports head coaching debut with a 7-13 record in 2025-26, the program’s biggest improvement from one season to the next since 2013-14, when Novell Thomas took a winless group one season to 6-16 the next.

However, it looks like the Bobcats will have to figure out how to follow that up without their three top scorers from last season. Their first test is Friday at 6 p.m., as they open the regular season against the Winnipeg Wesmen at the Healthy Living Centre.

For Bonhomme, last year’s success still carries through with a new-look lineup.

“There’s stuff you can build off of. It’s different in a lot of senses; obviously Piper Ingalls isn’t here, Ella Averill’s not here, Macaya (Copeland) in and out of the lineup,” Bonhomme said.

“That core group that has been here since I’ve been here … they’re still here, so with them it’s building on stuff and taking a step back, letting them have the responsibility when new people join our space of how to get them up to speed.”

KEY DEPARTURES

The Bobcats averaged about 70 points per game last year, but three players who accounted for 48 of those are gone.

Ingalls finished her eligibility and is playing professionally in Ireland. Averill transferred to Fordham University’s NCAA Division I program, and Copeland went back to Minnesota during the pre-season.

According to Bonhomme, she isn’t injured and is still taking classes online at BU, but stepped away for personal reasons. Copeland declined to comment on the situation.

“I’m just happy she’s doing better; that’s the main thing for us. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know. She could be here on Friday, or she could never play basketball again,” Bonhomme said.

“She’s trying to navigate a bunch of different stuff. We’re in an uncertain position for sure … but you’ve got to decide what’s best for you and your life, and there’s stuff that’s bigger than Brandon University basketball, which I understand and have respect for.

“I like our outlook with what we’ve got now. I like our outlook if we have a conversation and Macaya comes back. There’s maybe a world where Macaya doesn’t come back and we add someone else in the second semester.”

PRE-SEASON PERFORMANCES

The Bobcats travelled to Vancouver for exhibition games against the UBC Thunderbirds and Fraser Valley Cascades.

They lost the first one 85-62 to the T-Birds, with Copeland netting a team-high 17 points. Brandon put up a better fight in the rematch but fell 87-79, with Jayna Maytwayashing leading the way at 18 points on nine shots.

Copeland dropped 14 in a 76-62 loss to UFV.

BU lost one more 71-66 to UFV in Winnipeg on Oct. 3 as Abbey Shand posted a game-high 19 points in her hometown.

Brandon rattled off three wins after that, beating Algoma University 64-53 and 82-42 before dropping Canadian Mennonite University 77-37.

The Bobcats lost 78-72 to the host Minot State Beavers to close the pre-season last weekend.

In the last four games, new Australian Josephine Odude broke out with 15, 17, 20 and 35 points, respectively.

“The goal was just to get a relatively new group … used to each other, get people comfortable with the new offensive and defensive stuff we’re trying to do and get an understanding of our culture off the court, who we want to be when we’re together and in the community,” Bonhomme said.

“In that sense, I think it went good, and we got some really good competition, so it was very valuable.”

LIFE WITHOUT PIPER

While it took Ingalls a few years to blossom, her shooting ability turned broken possessions into back-breaking three-pointers that kept BU in games last year.

Shand was a similar player in high school and has shown in flashes that it can translate to this level. But Bonhomme won’t consider anyone a replacement for BU’s second all-time leading scorer.

“What Piper is able to do is a very special talent. We don’t have someone who can do those things, but we have players who are better in other areas,” Bonhomme said.

“We’re a little more defensive-minded, so a Taya Clark is great for us. Taya Clark is great at pushing pace, putting pressure on other teams’ guards. She’s taking a big leadership role for us for sure.

“(Amaya McLeod), first year, she had a much bigger role. Second year, her role looked a little different. Maybe this year she falls back into that role she’s more comfortable with.”

McLeod averaged more than 12 points per game in 2024-25, but saw that cut in half when Copeland and Averill arrived. She’ll likely bounce back closer to her first year at BU, production-wise, while the Bobcats will look to improve upon a league-worst 81.7 points per game allowed.

Their guards are bigger this year, with six-foot second-year Jessie Sumner playing more consistent minutes, and five-foot-11 rookie Halle Penner joining the rotation.

“She’s been awesome for us. She’s started games for us; she’s so impactful to winning. For someone to be so young and understand winning basketball is really impressive,” Bonhomme said of Penner.

“A big emphasis for us has been trying to dictate what the offence is trying to do with our ball pressure and being disruptive.”

PAINT PRESENCE

Forwards Maytwayashing and Odude have earned starting roles in the pre-season, and have proven to be a solid complementary tandem.

Maytwayashing has been a steady presence in the post on both ends, while Odude can truly guard any position.

Like last year, Renee Dauphinais and Ivy Bestland offer depth to the forward group.

“Everybody got better, and I don’t say that just to say that. Renee got a lot better, shooting 70 per cent from the field,” Bonhomme said.

Jayna’s like 45 per cent, 42 per cent from three, hasn’t missed a free throw yet. Josephine scores 35 points against Minot State; Ivy Bestland has a career-high (six points) this season.”

COACHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Bonhomme is incredibly grateful for the staff around him, with Matt McLeod and James Forrester back for a third season.

Keisha Cox has taken on a bigger role with the group. She has done individual skill work for years now, but as a vocal leader on the court when she played, she’s bringing the same energy from the bench.

Another former Bobcat, Josie Grift, is back with the program this year. She left the team early a few years ago when she was accepted into a specialized radiation therapy program in Winnipeg, but has returned to Brandon to work.

Katelynn Visser, who played a few seasons but never quite saw the minutes she’d hoped for, has moved into a role Bonhomme isn’t quite sure how to describe.

“She literally does everything,” he said. “If we need Viss to practise, she’ll practise. If we need her to run Junior Bobcat practice, she’ll run Junior Bobcat practice. If I need her to cut video, she’ll cut video. If I need her to talk to a player who’s dealing with a situation I couldn’t help with, she’ll talk to them.

“She’s almost the head coach; she does so much.”

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

The Bobcats visit the Manitoba Bisons on Nov. 1, for another single-game weekend before nine doubleheaders.

They host the Alberta Pandas on Nov. 6-7, and the Bisons on Dec. 4-5, with back-to-back road trips to MacEwan and Calgary in between.

The second semester is as light as it gets travel-wise, as BU goes to Regina on Jan. 8-9, then has three home weekends and a bye before visiting Winnipeg to close the season on Feb. 12-13.

Seven of 10 teams in the Prairie Division (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) make the playoffs, while five of seven in the Pacific Division (British Columbia) qualify for the post-season.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com