Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – One of the conference's top defenders in her first two Canada West women's basketball seasons, Shannon Majeau is ready to add that all-important offensive piece to her repertoire in Year 3.

The 6-foot-1 Spruce Grove product certainly has the size and ability to provide a key inside scoring presence for the Griffins.

"I think the last two years, I've been working on things and it's right there," said Majeau. "I'm doing it in practice but haven't necessarily being able to do it in games. But this year I feel … it's party confidence and the confidence my teammates have in me. This year they know I can do it, so I feel like I can do it for them."

Majeau's contributions on the defensive end are a big reason why the Griffins were the seventh stingiest team in the conference last season, allowing just 67.2 points per game.

"We've always relied on her to defend tough," said MacEwan head coach Katherine Adams. "She's a great athlete, good strong presence inside. We've relied on her to defend the other team's best big and be a great rebounder, but now she has worked hard to increase her overall contribution at the offensive end.

"So far in the preseason, she's been a consistent scorer inside for us, which has really helped our overall team game, having that inside-outside presence across the board."

Which is much needed, considering the Griffins were the weakest offensive team in Canada West last season, averaging just 52.0 points per game. And that was with Kayla Ivicak, who produced nine double doubles.

Ivicak has since graduated and there are big shoes to fill as the Griffins kick off the 2019-20 season at home against Mount Royal University on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (12 p.m., both games David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).

"Kayla brought so much to the team, obviously," said Adams. "Her stats and on-court performance speaks for itself, but just her voice and off-court leadership aspect that she brought to the team as well.

"We're filling that role by committee, but it's been really good to see different people step up and find their voice and different areas they can contribute. Obviously, we miss Kayla, but that's the nature of the beast. We're really looking forward to seeing the evolution of us post-Kayla."

Majeau will be key in that, even though she plays a different position. If the Griffins can get more from their post position offensively this season, it will open up opportunities for the guards to replace Ivicak's production and maybe even make the Griffins a more dangerous attacking team across the board.

"We don't have very many senior players, so being one of the older players and one of the leaders on the team, being able to contribute on both ends has been big for me," said Majeau. "People this year are looking for me to score and that's part of my role. So, it's exciting for me to feel confident in what I'm doing on both sides. I feel I can contribute in both ways."

While the Griffins will be a young team this year without any fifth-year players, they do have 10 returning players besides Majeau, including point guards Mady Chamberlin and Hannah Gibb, and 2018-19's second-leading scorer Mackenzie Farmer.

"Our starting group last year – Shannon, MacKenzie, Hannah, Mady, Darian (Mahmi) and Monika (Curtis) – we have a group of six third-years who are kind of leading the charge. But we've added some key pieces and our second-years are a year older now and have really stepped up and shown they're ready to contribute in our preseason play so far."

That includes Rachel Hare and Hayley Lalor, who both showed signs late in their rookie seasons that they'll be contributors moving forward.

Fourth-year transfers Drew Knox (formerly at MRU) and Kariya Bruised Head (Ambrose University), as well as rookie Noelle Kilbreath will also factor into MacEwan's score-by-committee approach.

"Part of the fun is seeing what we look like now because people know we don't have Kayla to rely on," said Adams. "So, people have taken it upon themselves to step up and say 'I can score, I can rebound and I can defend tough.'

"Our style's a little bit different because it's not that one player that we're relying on. We've got a lot of people finding their way and learning how to be that different person at times."