Here’s to you Miss Robinson

There were a number of factors that brought Mackenzie Robinson to Brock University for her final year of basketball eligibility.

The 25-year-old Collingwood native was attracted by the school’s Teachers College, its women’s basketball program and the great outdoors.

“I am a big outdoorsy person and I just loved the area and its outdoor nature. Brock was the place to go,” the 5-foot-9 guard said.

Robinson is into hiking, swimming and paddle boarding and among her go-to spots are the Niagara Gorge and the wilderness surrounding the Brock campus.

Robinson sat her first year at Brock recovering from surgery on a ruptured ligament in her ankle and she admits it wasn’t easy being sidelined.

“More mentally than physically because I had never sat before. Even growing up, I was never injured,” she said. “Not being able to be on the floor was mentally tough and then watching them win an (Ontario University Athletics) championship and not being able throw up the ball and be a part of it was difficult.”

The Masters of Education student has made up for lost time this season, averaging 11.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 30.8 minutes of playing time a game for the Badgers.

Brock head coach Mike Rao has been thrilled at what she has brought to the court.

“She has been a super player for us this year,” he said. “She is a scorer, she is a point guard, she is a playmaker, she’s tough and a great defender and a good rebounder. She does a plethora of things for us and that’s why we were good.”

Robinson describes her one year at Brock as phenomenal.

“It has been everything about this year and just thinking about it gives me shivers. I couldn’t have asked for a better year with the girls that I played with, the program I am in, the coaching staff and the profs,” she said.

It was polar opposite to what she was feeling a season earlier.

“Because of my injury, I was really unhappy, not knowing where I stood physically and wondering if I would be able to play again,” Robinson said. “Walking into the gym this year, putting on the shoes and playing for Mike Rao has been such a blessing.”

Her and Rao have a well-developed mutual admiration society.

“It is his character and his personality. He is such a father figure. You come in and when he talks to you, you obviously have so much respect for him,” she said. “He had no idea about me coming in my first year and we built a relationship over the last three years. He always brings energy to practice and he makes people laugh.”

Robinson quickly became an integral part of her new team, much like she did during her four years playing for Laurentian. At Laurentian, she improved her stats every year and in her final season she averaged 34.6 minutes and 10.1 points per game.

“I became a vocal leader which was interesting because I came in this year and I wasn’t sure where I fit and what my role would be with the team,” she said. “I took a big responsibility that everyone could come to me if they had questions basketball-wise or about off the floor or school things. Everyone loves to call me Grandma Mac.”

Brock’s senior’s night was cancelled by COVID issues but Robinson didn’t need to be feted to know her university career is coming to a conclusion. Every game could be her last, including Saturday’s noon semifinal against the visiting McMaster Marauders.

“That will be one of the things I say tomorrow (Saturday). We literally have to play like it’s our last game because we could be done.”

That reality is not lost on Robinson.

“For the last week, I have been nervous, stressed and anxious. It is all of those feelings because it is finally hitting me now,” she said. “My final year of eligibility is almost over and I’ve got to give it my all.”

Robinson is not the only active Badger player who missed out on senior’s night. Jenneke Pilling and Megan Charbonneau would have also been honoured by Brock.

“Jenneke is our best shooter, for sure, and she has become a good defender and playmaker. She plays a lot of perimeter positions for us and she does whatever we ask her to do,” Rao said. “She is a big asset to our team and another reason why we were ranked high.”

Charbonneau has had a tough end to her career.

“Meagan started out really well for us but she has been sidelined the last two or three years with an ACL,” Rao said. “We are going to miss her because she has been here every day.”

The top-ranked Badgers will put their unbeaten 12-0 record on the line against McMaster, coming off a long COVID and bye week layoff and without the service of Sam Keltos, who is playing pro hoops in Australia.

“I’m still tweaking the lineup and trying to figure it out. We didn’t play for a week and then we were off 10 days with COVID. We are just getting everybody back this week,” Rao said.

He is not thinking about how to replace Keltos.

“It has been talked about so much and this team is just trying to focus on the pieces that we do have and what everybody can contribute,” he said. “For us, it is next one up and I like that.”

Guard Victoria Lawrence will likely move into the starting lineup.

The remaining Badgers don’t feel they have something to prove without Keltos.

“There was a bit of that when Sam first left but we came together. We had a team talk Tuesday after practice and we reassured each other that we had to stay positive now that she is gone,” Robinson said. “We know what we are capable of with or without Sam. Yes she was a big component and a huge factor but there are still a lot of key pieces on our team that can fill that void.”