Nova Scotia’s Justine Colley recently became the leading scorer in Canadian women’s university basketball history. While Colley is proud of the accomplishment, her goals extend beyond her own personal achievements; she is also focused on capturing a national title with her team, the Saint Mary’s Huskies. 

“I don't think it’s sunk in yet, just because we have daily goals, weekly goals as a team. We have our overall goal of hopefully winning AUS and then going on and winning nationals,” says Colley.

Colley’s coach, Scott Munro, calls her a coach’s dream.

"It's easy to coach when your best player is your hardest worker,” says Munro.

Colley has led the Huskies to an undefeated season so far, after finishing third at nationals last season.

"I haven't coached an athlete that's been more driven than her. Be it practice every day, be it the game, or a simple competition or shooting drill in practice, she wants to win,” says Munro.

Colley’s abilities have caught the eye of Saint Mary’s legend Mickey Fox, who is impressed by her drive and athleticism.

“Just a special individual, I've been watching women's basketball for 40 years around here and I've never seen anything like her,” says Fox. "First of all, it's her attitude and effort, her will to win. She's tenacious. Her overall quickness and love of the game and competitiveness, I mean, she does not like to lose."

"I don't like that feeling of just feeling defeated and knowing that I could have done more for my team. So every time I step on the court I try to give my all, give my best effort every single time," says Colley.

Colley’s scoring average is actually down this season but her team is stronger, in large part, because she has been joined by another standout player - Rachelle Coward of Cherry Brook, N.S.

Coward has come home to play with her childhood friend at Saint Mary’s, after an outstanding university career in the United States.

"Justine's just a special player because she never stops, she never stops going. While the other defender is standing up, you know, she just keeps going, keeps rebounding, she has unlimited energy,” says Coward. "Me personally, I know I get tired, but for some reason, when I watch J, she seems like she's never tired."

Colley, 22, credits that competitive drive to her mother and much of her basketball success to the support in her community of East Preston.

"She's even a better person than she is a basketball player, she's just an unbelievable person," says Coward.

Colley has only seven regular season games left at Saint Mary’s, then one final playoff run before her storied university career comes to an end. There is a chance Colley could get the opportunity to join the national team, having already shone on the international stage, but her future is yet to be determined.

"I might go and be a coach, I might enter the workforce like everyone else that graduates in May, I really just don't have any idea what I'm going to do yet,” says Colley.

Whether or not she decides to continue on with basketball, she has already left her mark on the game.

"I don't think we'll ever, people in the Maritimes and people in Canada, will see another Justine Colley for many years to come, if ever again,” says Fox.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jayson Baxter