Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – When it comes time for a well-placed joke to lighten the mood for the MacEwan Griffins women's basketball team, it's often Ellie McCarthy making it.

But don't mistake that for a girl who isn't invested in the team and their mission.

"She's certainly one of the loudest voices in the locker-room and she keeps us laughing, just brings a light-heartedness, which we need, and we love," said head coach Katherine Adams. "But she also is incredibly invested in this team and our journey. She's the definition of a team-first player. When the time is right, she knows what needs to happen and she uses her voice to make sure we're all on the same page."

McCarthy notes she uses humour to help deal with the stresses that wear on every student athlete – performance anxiety and academic workload among them.

"I'm not a super emotional person," she said. "I'm not one that's going to hug you and tell you it's going to be OK. For me, making a joke and trying to lighten (the mood) is the best way I handle situations like that."

With that in mind, McCarthy's invested in the Bell Let's Talk initiative – in support of mental health – which will be highlighted during the Griffins' action against UBC on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).

"I think it's very, very important and a good conversation to have not only on Bell Let's Talk day," she said. "I think especially for athletes, there's a lot of weight and stress of playing sports. I think it's not always talked about as much as it could be. So, I think Bell Let's Talk day gives athletes a chance to bring up that conversation that it's OK to have these issues, there's help and people to talk to about it. I think it's sometimes a lot for athletes and they don't talk about it as much as they could."

For McCarthy, her battle has always been about confidence.

As a rookie post entering Canada West in 2016-17, she knew she wanted to play basketball at this level, but she often found herself silently wishing her coach wouldn't put her on the court.

"In my first year, it was 'please don't put me out there, I'm too stressed,' " she recounted. "But now I'm like 'put me out there. I'm ready to go.' That's taken a lot of work."

And help. McCarthy cited Adams and the entire Griffins' coaching staff as crucial to the process of gaining confidence.

Now in her fourth year, she's settled into an important role for the team, using her 6-foot-2 frame to grab rebounds, create space down low and make life difficult for opposing teams in the post.

"Just knowing what's going on and how things work a lot more really helps with that confidence," said McCarthy, who is averaging 3.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 14.6 minutes a game so far this season. "I just feel like I can compete with everybody and I'm ready to go. We're playing a tough post this weekend – Keylyn Filewich – and I'm excited to play against her. She's so good."

Filewich is averaging a double double every time out – sitting second in the conference in rebounds (10.3) and third in points (19.1) per game.

"I think it will be fun to play against Keylyn because I don't know how often she's had to play against big defenders inside that will push her out and make her work hard for everything," said McCarthy. "I think that will be the key, just making her work hard for every catch, everything she wants to get."

Adams notes McCarthy's contributions to the team go beyond what fans see on the floor.

"She doesn't get a lot of credit, but the little things she does and brings to the table are invaluable," said Adams. "It's a lot of things that people watching in the stands or aren't involved with our team would know. There's such a huge value that she brings that we're grateful for."

The Kelowna product set the standard for her family when she became a U SPORTS athlete in 2016. A year later, her younger brother Fynn McCarthy joined the UBC men's volleyball team and helped them win a national championship. He has since turned pro and plays in France, and Ellie McCarthy had a chance to travel over there over the semester break.

"It's interesting to see how much hard work goes into (playing pro)," she said. "It is their job, and much is expected of them.

"It's just fun to watch him. There was so much energy in the gym. There were dudes with big drums, and they were chanting."

Also on the trip was younger brother Roan, who next season will become the third McCarthy sibling to become a U SPORTS student-athlete when he suits up for UBC's men's volleyball team.

"I think me being the first one really opened the door that this is something we all want to do," explained Ellie McCarthy. "Just knowing how the whole process works and being able to tell them about recruiting trips … and giving them advice about how university works is fun.

"I think it's been awesome to all have the same kind of goals and being able to relate and talk about them altogether."