Mount Royal’s women’s basketball team experienced an impressive turnaround following a 0-4 start to the 2025-26 season.
After dropping their first four games, the Cougars won six of their last eight games, putting them at 6-6 overall and fifth in the Canada West Prairie Conference as they head into the holiday break.
The comeback has been a combination of shared production from fifth-year veterans Nora Luca and Jenika Martens, along with fourth-year guard Asha Donnelly, and third-year forward Jenessa Ramsoomair.
Martens has had a historic season so far, becoming women’s basketball all-time rebounding leader while guiding the Cougars to back-to-back wins against Lethbridge on November 21st and 22nd.
Martens has been dominant, and it’s solidifying her legacy as a legendary Cougar at MRU.
Luca has also been excellent this season, building on her 2024-25 campaign, in which she was one of the top players in the country and was named a Canada West Third Team All-Star. This season, she has built on that performance, averaging 11.8 points per game and serving as a reliable option for the Cougars.
Meanwhile, Ramsoomair and Donnelly have both broken out into valuable pieces for the Cougars, providing scoring depth from all over the court.
Donnelly has set a career high this season with 19 points in an 87-60 win over Lethbridge, where she was lethal, shooting 5-7 from deep.
Ramsoomair also had an incredible showing in a 62-47 win over Wesmen, notching 17 points, shooting an efficient 55 per cent from the field.
Both Donnelly and Ramsoomair’s contributions this season have been critical for this Cougars squad to overcome their early-season winless streak.
Coming into this season, the expectations for the Cougars’ women’s basketball were high as they were expected to build on last season’s performance, where they tied their best season since joining Canada West with an 11-9 record.
The resurgence this season has put them right back in the running to be a competitive team in the USPORTS women’s basketball division once again.
With young players discovering their identity and key contributors stepping into larger roles, Mount Royal enters the holiday break with renewed confidence.
Despite a slow start to the season, their resilience in the face of adversity is what truly defines them as a team that never quits.
As they begin the second half of the season at home on January seven and eight against Manitoba, look for this team to evolve into a legitimate contender in Canada West.
Podcast: Two of the most influential and talented basketball players in the country join The Triple Threat Podcast at the Community Podcast Initiative Studio at Mount Royal University. Sharpshooter Asha Donnelly and Cougars legend Jamie Lalor of the MRU women’s basketball team offer perspective on life as a student-athlete, reflect on the evolution of women’s sports, and share stories from their illustrious basketball careers.
