(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB Reds women’s hockey team has their first Nova Scotian.

Masstown, Nova Scotia’s Lindsey Smith has signed a U SPORTS Letter of Intent, and will join the Reds beginning in the 2019-20 Atlantic University Sport season.

“I’m so excited to have chosen UNB,” said Smith. “I can’t wait to be a part of the family.”

The defender, currently skating with the Midget AAA Northern Subway Selects of the Nova Scotia Female Midget Hockey League, has an impressive hockey resume, one she’ll add to later this month.

Smith will join Nova Scotia’s women’s hockey team at the upcoming 2019 Canada Winter Games, in Red Deer, Alberta.

Previously, she was a member of Nova Scotia’s U18 team that captured the gold medal at the 2018 Atlantic Cup Challenge, and skated as an under-ager on the Nova Scotia team that earned bronze at the 2017 Atlantic Cup Challenge.

In 2016, Smith was part of Nova Scotia’s U16 team that won the Atlantic Cup Challenge.

At the club level, Smith’s Subway Selects team finished fourth at the 2018 Esso Cup national Midget AAA championship.

The team is the two-time defending provincial champion.

Individually, she was named top defender at the 2018 Atlantic Championship tournament and a 2018 first team all-star in the NSFMHL.

“I just want to be a part of the team immediately,” she said. “I love how supportive everyone is of each other, as teammates. There’s so much support from UNB, as a whole, for athletes.”

“We’re excited to add our first Nova Scotia recruit to our team,” said Reds head coach Sarah Hilworth. “Lindsey is a smart and mobile defender who will slide in nicely to our group next year. As a member of Team Nova Scotia at the upcoming Canada Winter Games, she’ll gain valuable experience.”

Smith plans on studying Psychology or Sociology while pursuing an Arts degree at UNB.

“I felt like it was the best fit for me, not only athletically but academically. The first time I visited I realized that it was where I wanted to be.”