(FREDERICTON, NB) Reese Baxendale is coming home. Sort of.
The Sussex native has been accepted into the Education program at the University of New Brunswick and will join the UNB REDS women’s basketball team for the 2023-2024 Atlantic University Sport season.
Baxendale, a former AUS Rookie of the Year, AUS All-Star and AUS Championship Tournament MVP, previously played four seasons with the UPEI Panthers, helping the Panthers win the 2019-20 Atlantic conference championship and the bronze medal at the 2020 U SPORTS Championship.
“I’m excited to play in my home province and represent UNB,” said Baxendale. “I grew up attending UNB summer camps and UNB has always felt like a home gym, even as an opposing player. I’m looking forward to making it my actual home gym this season and will be proud and excited to play in the Currie Center, one of the nicest facilities in the country.”
In her four seasons with the Panthers (2017-18 - 2021-22), Baxendale, a 5’8” guard, played in 69 regular season games, scoring 984 points, shot 33.5% from the field, grabbed 269 rebounds and dished out 183 assists.
Her 292 free throws-made ties her for 23rd on the AUS all-time free throws-made list.
“I’ll bring experience,” she said. “It’ll be my fifth year and I’m familiar with the AUS and the hard work that is required to be successful in this league. I’ll also bring an up-tempo game, adding speed, vision and a positive attitude, contributing to the team on and off the court.”
“To say we’re thrilled to land a player, student-athlete and person like Reese is an understatement,” said Jeff Speedy, UNB’s Associate Director of Athletics and former women’s basketball coach. “She was really hard to coach against, so it will be amazing to have her on our side now.”
Before her years at UPEI, Baxendale was a standout performer at Sussex Regional High School, where she played four years with the Sonics.
She was named the province’s high school player of the year in 2017, scored more than 2200 points during her high school career, represented New Brunswick at four national championship tournaments, two at the U15 level and two at the U17 level, and played on two juvenile provincial championship teams.
“Reese can do so many things on the court,” said Speedy. “She can defend well, can shoot it and score at a very high level, and plays the game with an edge that will definitely help our team. We already have a lot of returning players who can put the ball in the basket. Adding Reese is going to make it very hard for teams to match up with us.”
Baxendale, who took the 2022-2023 season off, says she always planned to return and play her final season of U SPORTS eligibility, and that, for an Education degree, UNB was her first choice.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to the AUS and representing UNB as a member of the REDS.”
STORY BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletis
PHOTOS: File/from Atlantic University Sport and U SPORTS