The former Fort Erie star point guard begins her NCAA Division I journey in Chicago after earning All-Canadian honors and graduating as a co-valedictorian.
By Rick Manahan | Full Court Dream
Some players lead a team by scoring the most points. Others lead through their voice, their defense, their preparation and their ability to make everyone around them better.
Danyelle London has always been that kind of player.
The 5-foot-7 point guard from Markham, Ontario, has taken the next step in her basketball journey, joining the University of Illinois Chicago women’s basketball program for the 2026–27 season.
London arrives at UIC following an outstanding career at Fort Erie International Academy, where she became one of the Lady Falcons’ most trusted leaders—both on the basketball court and in the classroom.
Full Court Dream had the opportunity to film London during her senior season when Fort Erie competed in Kentucky. She stood out as the player directing the offense, applying pressure defensively and bringing a steady presence to the floor.
Now, she is carrying those same qualities across the border and into NCAA Division I basketball.
A True Floor General
London’s senior-year statistics tell the story of a point guard who affected every part of the game.
She averaged seven points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds per game while helping lead Fort Erie against a demanding schedule filled with high-level Canadian and American competition.
Her production earned her 2026 All-Canadian honors and a No. 14 ranking from the National Preparatory Association. It was the second All-Canadian recognition of her high school career after she also received the honor in 2024.
London was also selected to the 2026 All Canadian Basketball Games girls’ roster, an event featuring many of the top senior high school players in the country. She gained additional experience on the travel circuit with Become One Canada Elite.
But London’s value cannot be measured only by statistics.
UIC head coach Ashleen Bracey described her as “a true floor general, a relentless defender” who takes pride in involving her teammates.
That combination of unselfishness, defensive intensity and leadership helped London become the kind of point guard coaches trust with the basketball—and with the direction of their team.
Fort Erie provided London with an opportunity to compete alongside and against Division I and Power Four-caliber players. The Lady Falcons’ structured basketball environment and challenging schedule helped prepare her for the speed, physicality and expectations of the college game.
More Than Basketball
London’s accomplishments at Fort Erie extended well beyond the court.
In June 2026, she graduated as one of FEIA’s co-valedictorians after earning 95-percent grades and receiving the school’s Academic Dedication Award.
For London, however, her three years at Fort Erie were defined by something deeper than grades, statistics or individual honors.
They were about people.
She spoke at graduation about the relationships she built with teammates, teachers, staff members and students who came to Fort Erie from different parts of the world.
“It’s been so much more than basketball,” London said. “We have so many memories to hold on to.”
That perspective reveals what makes her story so meaningful.
Basketball opened doors for London, but the journey also allowed her to grow as a student, teammate and leader. At Fort Erie, she became part of an international community built around education, athletics and the belief that young people can pursue opportunities far beyond the places where they began.
As she addressed her graduating class, London encouraged her fellow students to trust themselves as they entered the next chapter of their lives.
She was already preparing to do exactly that.
The Dream Continues in Chicago
London now joins a UIC program competing in the Missouri Valley Conference under Bracey, who has helped the Flames establish themselves as a postseason contender.
She will wear No. 1 for UIC and add another promising young guard to the Flames’ backcourt.
The transition from high school basketball in Canada to the NCAA Division I level will bring new challenges. The game will be faster. The players will be stronger. Every possession will demand greater attention to detail.
But London has spent her career preparing for this opportunity.
She has competed against elite players. She has learned how to organize a team from the point guard position. She has taken pride in defending, sharing the basketball and doing the work that helps a team succeed.
Most importantly, she understands leadership.
London’s journey from Markham to Fort Erie and now Chicago represents the growing pathway available to talented Canadian players willing to dream beyond borders. Her opportunity at UIC was earned through years of work in the classroom, on the practice floor and in games throughout Canada and the United States.
She leaves Fort Erie as an All-Canadian, a co-valedictorian and one of the most respected leaders in the Lady Falcons’ program.
She arrives in Chicago as a freshman with another dream in front of her.
Danyelle London is ready for the next chapter.
Dream Big. Work Hard. Be Kind. Keep Going.
Sources: UIC Athletics and Fort Erie International Academy.
