Keishana Washington's jersey to be retired the same year she became the top Canadian woman hoops scorer in NCAA history
November 1, 2023
Most athletes’ jerseys are retired at the end of their playing careers.
Just a year after leaving Drexel University as the second all-time scoring leader with 2,363 points, 410 rebounds, 368 assists and 157 steals, Keishana Washington’s jersey will be retired before the season opener on November 8.
It is quite the honour for the Pickering resident who is the all-time leading scorer among Canadian players in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history and the first Canadian to play for the private research university in Philadelphia.
She joins retired National Basketball Association (NBA) players Malik Rose and Michael Anderson, hoopsters Barbara Yost and Gabriela Marginean who is the university’s leading woman scorer, soccer’s 1984 Most Valuable Player Tony Bono and Kris Doiron who is the all-time baseball leader in career batting average and hits in a season as the only Drexel players to have their numbers raised to the rafters.
Drexel’s Head Coach Amy Mallon said Washington’s impact on the program was ‘extraordinary and special’.
“We were a championship team with her during the five years she was with us,” she said. “That alone combined with what she did on the court for us should be recognized.”
Mallon, a fixture on Drexel’s bench for 16 years before becoming head coach in March 2020, was part of the recruiting process that brought Washington to the university.
“Keishana really shone in her junior year during our championship run and just kept getting better,” she added. “She is one of the hardest working players I have coached. When you talk about someone who excelled in so many areas and wants to be the best they can be on and off the court, she is a prime example.”
The team captain the last three years, Washington – who reached double figures in 63 consecutive games -- recorded 27.7 points in her final season that was third in NCAA Division 1 and her four games with 40 or more points tied for first.
Her scoring increased exponentially each year from 7.4 to 10 to 14.6 to 19.2 and 27.7.
Keishana Washington left Drexel as its second all-time leading scorer (Photo contributed)
The Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year and Becky Hammond Mid-Major Player of the Year finalist went undrafted in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft.
She signed a training-camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx, but was released two weeks later.
“I am happy I got an opportunity and I gave it my best shot,” the 2017 Team Ontario captain and daughter of Guyanese immigrants said. “Hopefully after playing a year overseas and acquiring more experience, I can get back there.”
Washington, who received All-America Honorable Mention from the Associated Press, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the United States Basketball Writers Association while securing Second Team Academic All-America College Sports Communicators honours in her last season, is playing for Torun in Poland.
“My agent thought that was the best fit for me in terms of trying to get back to the WNBA,” she said. “Teams in other countries expressed an interest, but I trust his opinion.”
Playing for the first time at home in five years, Washington put on a show in the GLOBL JAM Under-23 tournament in Toronto last summer.
Keishana Washington shone for Canada in this year’s GLOBL JAM competition (Photo contributed)
She scored a game-high 25 points for Canada in their 68-66 loss to the United States, represented by the Louisville Cardinals, in the championship game.
“It’s hard to follow her in Philadelphia,” coach Christa Eniojukan said after the thriller. “You just hear she keeps putting up big numbers, but now you see how dynamic she is. She is a three-level scorer. She is getting downhill, she is getting to her pull-ups and she is getting to her threes. She’s really a phenomenal player.”
The performance did not shock Washington who won national championships with Team Ontario in 2015 and 2016 and was a member of Canada’s Under-18 team at the FIBA Americas tournament in Mexico in 2018, averaging seven points per game.
“I have been under the radar my whole life,” she said. “While I may have surprised a lot of people with my play, I did not surprise myself. It was a young team and my goal was to be a leader. It was a great experience and I am happy I got to put on a show for the people in Canada.”
On her way to Poland last August, Washington represented Canada in the FIBA 3x3 tournament in Debrecen, Hungary.
The team fell 18-15 to Lithuania in the quarterfinal.
The pure scorer who can get to the rim, hit a pull up jumper and shoot from beyond the three-point line, singles out the mid-range game as her strength.
“I think the best part of my game is scoring from two-point range which a lot of people say is a lost art,” said Washington. “Anytime I can get to that range, it is a money shot for me. I can do whatever it takes to score the ball, but I try not to stray fay away from what I am good at.”
Keishana Washington (Photo contributed)
After two years at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School where she played soccer, she graduated from Durham Prep in Whitby in 2018.
Delaware, Toledo, Arizona, Kansas State, Memphis, Iowa State and Boston College were among several universities that expressed an interest in Washington who settled on Drexel where she started 30 of 31 games in her freshman season.
Looking back, she is extremely happy with the decision.
“I love the coaching staff which was a big reason why I went there, it is a winning program and the team atmosphere was great throughout,” said Washington whose 2022-23 season numbers of 858 points and 302 field goals are second in a single year in Coastal Athletic Conference (CAA) history. “I felt at home in that environment.”
Having her parents make the eight-hour drive to watch her play was another reason for choosing Drexel.
Since making history as the university’s first player out of Canada, two other Canadians – forwards Sira Ba and Clara Bergeron from Montreal – are on the roster.
“Drexel is a great place and I am going to do my part and try to recruit players for the university,” she said. “I would not be where I am at because of the coaching staff that is amazing. The university is supportive and caring. You can enter any office and have a conversation. It is a family-oriented space.”
Keishana Washington and her parents (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Morlan ‘Randy’ Washington did not hold back when teaching his daughter to play the sport.
She later learnt there was a method to his madness.
“He used to throw a football at me in front of our home,” recalled Washington. “He told me if I didn’t catch it, it is a turnover. I got hit in the face on a few occasions. Over time, I never missed a pass from a teammate because I was always ready to catch the ball.”
Amensie Washington provides emotional support.
“She encourages me to excel and do my best in life,” said her daughter who enjoys writing poems and journals and listening to hip hop, R & B and soul music. “I could always approach her when things are not going well or when I just need to hear her calming voice.”
Outside of her parents who are her role models, Washington gravitated to 11-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star and Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson who she loved watching perform on the court.
“Allen’s size, tenacity, hustle and ability to create really appealed to me,” she noted. “I saw him at Philadelphia 76ers games I attended, but didn’t get the chance to meet him.”
On the women’s side, Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale -- who was the fifth pick in the 2019 WNBA draft – is Washington’s favourite player.
“From a skill perspective, I see a little bit of myself in Arike who is extremely crafty and talented,” she said.
Off the court, the CAA Player of the Year is a standout.
Washington completed her undergraduate degree with a 3.74 Grade Point Average (GPA) and was one of only eight students accepted into Drexel Psychology Master’s program where she maintained a 4.0 GPA that is the highest possible score with a regular class load.
“Because of COVID, I had time and was able to complete my first degree before four years,” she pointed out. “My coaches suggested that if I stay for a fifth year, I could get my graduate degree. It also meant I had another year that the university was paying for.”
Completing the program online, Washington expects to graduate in June.
She was the one of two CAA representatives and the first Drexel player nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award that recognizes female student-athletes who have excelled in academic achievement, athletics brilliance, service and leadership during their collegiate careers.
At a very young age, Washington’s parents instilled that she is a student-athlete.
“Education comes first because nobody can take that away from you,” said her mother. “To see her reach high levels in both academics and sport pleases us. I have seen the hard work and dedication she has put in.”
Morlan Washington also takes great pride in his daughter’s achievements.
“When Keishana was finished playing ball in front of the house, she went back inside and dove right into her books,” he added. “We saw the effort and the commitment, so I am not really surprised at what she has been able to accomplish.”
When the playing career is over, Washington plans to coach or pursue a PhD. in Psychology.
“I really like the science behind the brain,” she said of her interest in the subject area. “I like studying brain functioning and why people do the things to they do. I love doing the research to figure out those things.”
Keishana Washington and her brother who is a rising star (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Washington’s younger brother, Morlan Washington II, is a first-year student at Royal Crown School that has an elite basketball program.
