Shelburne, Vermont native Catherine Gilwee is back for her sixth year of college basketball with the University of Vermont women’s basketball team.
Gilwee enters her final year of eligibility as the team’s veteran leader and top returning player. The former Burlington Free Press’ Miss Basketball winner of 2021, suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury 10 games into the 2025-26 season. Gilwee tried to rehab her injury, but ultimately decided in January 2026 to redshirt for the second time in her career. Last year, Gilwee averaged 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
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Gilwee is still working her way back from her injury. She is doing some live half-court drills and non-contact full-court drills, but “looks great,” according to head coach Maureen Magarity.
“Even without her playing, the first couple of weeks when I took the job, she’s so vocal and been here so long,” Magarity said in a July 14 interview in her office. “Everyone looks up to her and to her … she’s been dealt with a very tough adversity card during her six years and we are doing everything in our power as coaches to make sure she feels really good come the season.”
Gilwee previously suffered an ACL tear prior to the 2023-2024 season. There will not be too many more players like Gilwee after the NCAA’s Division I Cabinet approved a new eligibility model in June, which starts in the fall of 2027. The new policy eliminates redshirts, limits athletes to just five years of eligibility and enforces rules about a maximum age when enrolling.
Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Former CVU star Catherine Gilwee returns to Vermont women’s basketball
