Editor’s Note: Thank you to Atlantic University Sport media relations department for the following information.
Melina Collins from the Dalhousie University Tigers is the 2025-26 recipient of the Atlantic University Sport women’s basketball conference student-athlete community service award and the AUS nominee for the national U SPORTS Sylvia Sweeney Award.
A fourth-year psychology student from Halifax, N.S., Collins has distinguished herself both academically and in the community. She posted a 4.3 Grade Point Average in the fall 2025 term and is a four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and Dean’s List honouree.
A leader on and off the court, Collins played in all 20 games for the Tigers this season, earning 14 starts and averaging 26.4 minutes per game. She contributed 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest.
Collins has demonstrated a sustained commitment to community service throughout her university career. She volunteers with the IWK Children’s Hospital Special Visitor Program and supports the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Low Intensity Exercise Program, assisting individuals living with chronic illnesses.
She serves as the women’s basketball representative on Dalhousie’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and volunteers with the university’s Hear Me Roar outreach initiative.
Collins also gives back to the sport through the Prospect Bulls Junior Bulls program, mentoring young athletes, and played a key role in developing the Tigers Read program—a literacy-based mentorship initiative pairing Dalhousie student-athletes with elementary school children for weekly one-on-one reading support in partnership with the Halifax Central Library.
Collins is the seventh player from Dalhousie to win this award and the first since the 2015-16 season when former Tigers standout Ainsley MacIntyre earned the honour.
Collins now becomes the AUS nominee for the U SPORTS Sylvia Sweeney Award. University of New Brunswick Reds’ standout Katie Butts is the most recent AUS conference recipient of the national honour, which she took home last season. MacIntyre is the lone player in Tigers team history to win the award nationally.
The outstanding and community-minded player also excelled in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association with the Halifax Hornets. She also played with Halifax Thunder in her MWBA career.
Collins averaged almost 27 minutes per game for the Hornets in 2025. She also averaged 10 points a game in the MWBA and has 100 career points in the circuit.
Russell Earns AUS Accolades
It wasn’t the ending Samantha Russell wanted to see unfold, but when she looks back on her career, there are certainly going to be many highlights including her final season in the Atlantic University Sport conference.
The fifth-year wing for the Acadia University Axewomen of Wolfville, NS, was chosen as this year’s AUS women’s basketball most valuable player.
Russell starred in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association with the Halifax Thunder in 2025. In nine games, she averaged just under 26 minutes an outing and scored 14.2 points per game, grabbing 7.0 rebounds.
A finance student from Dartmouth, N.S., Russell led the AUS in scoring this season, averaging 16.4 points per game. She also led Acadia in rebounding at 8.4 boards per contest and added 3.9 assists per game.
Russell started all 20 regular season games for the Axewomen and averaged 33.1 minutes per game. Defensively, she ranked second in the conference in steals with 70, averaging 3.5 per game.
Her contributions helped Acadia finish the regular season with a 15-5 record, securing second place in the conference standings and a first-round playoff bye through to the championship semifinal. Acadia would eventually fall in semifinal play to University of Prince Edward Island Panthers.
Russell was also named an AUS first team all-star this season. The honour marks her third consecutive year receiving all-star recognition and her second straight first team selection, after earning second team honours in 2023-24. In 2022-23, she was the AUS nominee for the U SPORTS Tracy MacLeod Award.
She now becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for the Nan Copp Award for U SPORTS player of the year. Four players from the AUS conference have earned the national honour: UNB’s Jayda Veinot (2023-24), University of Prince Edward Island’s Jenna Mae Ellsworth (2019-20), Acadia’s Paloma Anderson (2017-18) and Saint Mary’sUniversity’s Justine Colley (2012-13 and 2013-14).
Taylor Earns Perserverance Honour
Kristen Taylor of the Cape Breton University Capers is the 2025-26 AUS nominee for the U SPORTS Tracy MacLeod Award.
This award rewards a women’s basketball player who demonstrates determination, perseverance and unwavering spirit to continue playing the game of basketball.
A business student in her first year of eligibility from Fredericton, N.B., Taylor is competing in her first full season after three consecutive years derailed by significant knee injuries.
Beginning in 2022, she endured three separate season-ending injuries, including multiple ACL and meniscus tears, each requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Despite the physical and mental toll, Taylor remained committed to her recovery and to her team. She appeared in five games last season but was granted her year of eligibility back due to season-ending injury.
Now technically in her first year of competition, Taylor has made an immediate impact for the Capers. She started all 20 games this season, ranking third on the team in scoring and leading the squad in rebounding, averaging 8.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
“Having coached for 27 years at the U SPORTS level, I have worked with and observed many athletes overcome adversity. I haven’t seen one with the courage and resilience of Kristen,” said Capers head coach Fabian McKenzie.
“The mental and physical toll of one season-ending injury is enough to push an athlete away from their sport. Kristen has endured three in a row and hasn’t lost her passion for the game. I admire her resilience to push through and come back to lead our young team this year. She has been a key piece for us on the court and one of the best leaders I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.”
Taylor’s selection marks just the second time a Cape Breton student-athlete has earned the AUS honour and the first since 2000-01, when Capers standout Kim Reynolds was recognized.
The most recent Atlantic conference recipient of the U SPORTS Tracy MacLeod Award was former Acadia player Lanae Adams who earned the national honour in 2018-19.
Taylor has played for Saint John’s Port City Fog in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association.
– Melina Collins has produced a remarkable university career on and off the court. (DW Photo)
