Brandon University Dick and Verda McDonald Sports Wall of Fame
Marie Rohleder has an impressive individual resume as a member of the Bobcats and was the ultimate team player over the course of her five seasons with BU.
The Boissevain, Man. product was named a Great Plains Athletic Conference all-star in three of her five seasons with the Bobcats. Rohleder is in select company when it comes to all-star selections of the GPAC era. She joins Linda Edwards, Sandra Hamilton and Janet Lumsden as the only women's basketball players to be recognized as a league all-star three or more times.
She was co-winner of BU's rookie of the year award in 1983-84 after a standout high school career. She was honoured as a provincial all-star in both basketball and volleyball as a Bronco before becoming a Bobcat.
Rohleder was a tenacious rebounder and was rewarded for her efforts. In her final two seasons, she finished second in the conference in that category. In the three seasons prior, she finished in the top five or better in league rebounding.
She was recognized as the 1987 Brandon University Female Athlete of the Year after leading the Bobcats in points (11.4 per game) and rebounding (8.9 per game) for a second straight season. She was also named team MVP.
Rohleder represented Manitoba at major competitions. The first was the 1985 Canada Summer Games. She scored 22 points in Manitoba's 71-53 win over top-ranked B.C., which helped propel them to a spot in the gold medal game. Rohleder was Manitoba's top scorer as they finished runner-up to Ontario in a hard-fought final. She led the team with 12 points in a 54-50 loss to bring home a silver medal. The following year, Rohleder and Manitoba earned a bronze medal at junior nationals.
She also reached the professional ranks, playing in England and Ireland.
Her coaching career started where her passion for basketball began. She led her hometown Broncos for three years, including the 1992 season when the team finished with a silver medal at AA provincials.
Rohleder later coached basketball, cross-country and track and field at Arthur Meighen School and Portage Collegiate for 13 years.
Her final coaching stop was Westmount School in Swan Lake. She led the girls and boys basketball and volleyball teams for three years, while serving as principal.
Rohleder also played a key role in the growth of basketball in the province, coaching the Central Region for three years as part of Basketball Manitoba's Development Program.
