Brianna Iannazzo on graduating and her time at Laurier

Photo by Darrien Funk

Brianna Iannazzo, star student-athlete and a soon-to-be graduate, has had an outstanding career at Laurier, receiving multiple awards for both her academic accomplishments and athletic success.

The Thornhill, Ontario native is in her fifth and final year  at Wilfrid Laurier University, making her one of the many pandemic graduates. Despite missing out on her final basketball season and normal classes, she has found the silver lining in all of it to focus on her future. 

“I’ve been focusing on the future. I’ve also switched gears to focus on personal things I enjoy doing outside of basketball.”

As co-captain of Laurier’s women’s basketball team and Health Sciences major, Iannazzo has just about perfected her time management skills to become a leader in both areas. She was awarded the Outstanding Women of Laurier Award (OWL) this past year for her dedication to both sports and her academics as well as her commitment to the community. 

Sports will always be a part of my life. It’s just not my main goal right now, but I can see myself getting into it more recreationally, like a women’s league to keep basketball a part of my life.

Brianna Iannazzo

“Time management was something I developed early on in life, in both academics and basketball, which helped in the transition to university. Class and school always came first, I always prioritized that; basketball was a fun thing I got to add on if all my schoolwork was completed.”  

Playing as starting guard, Iannazzo claimed the fifth spot on Laurier’s all-time scoring list with 915 points, averaging 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal per game. Iannazzo has also been named Athlete of the Week at least once per season and named USports Academic All-Canadian for two years in a row for her accomplishments on and off the court. 

While Iannazzo will not be able to partake in her final season of eligibility with the Golden Hawks due to the cancelation of all sports by Ontario University Athletics (OUA), she will be leaving the Hawks as the Most Valuable Player from the season prior and with a bright perspective on the future. 

“Sports will always be a part of my life. It’s just not my main goal right now, but I can see myself getting into it more recreationally, like a women’s league to keep basketball a part of my life.”

With sports on the back burner and graduation looming, Iannazzo has been busy applying to Masters of Public Health programs and jobs. Both basketball and health sciences have interested Iannazzo from a young age; being immersed in both helped spark her passion to pursue a career in health sciences.

“I knew in high school that I wanted to get into the health sciences.Being an athlete helped push me forward because I understood how important physical and mental health were not just in sports, but for everyday life.” 

During her five years at Laurier, Iannazzo has become an invaluable member of the Golden Hawk community both on and off the court.

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