The Fredericton Freeze is preparing to celebrate its fifth year anniversary next season.
With the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association turning five-years-old in 2026, the Freeze has had a number of players go through its system since opening day back in the spring of 2022.
What have the lineups looked like over the past four seasons?
Well, some names remain, with three players appearing in all four years of Freeze operations, but let’s take a look this week at the players who came before the players of today – and some still contributing mightily on and off the court.
The Freeze’s inaugural lineup had a sister act with the Corby stars – now Megan Arseneault and Leah Bowers – headlining a veteran cast. They were joined by Bailey Black, who won an MWBA Legacy Cup championship in 2025 with her hometown Miramichi Her-Icanes. Sisters Katie and Robbi Daley, who have appeared all four seasons with Fredericton, were joined with Ashley Bawn, Katie McAffee, Nicole Esson, Grace Simpson, four-year veteran Eva Tumwine, Torrie Janes, Emily MacLeod, MacKenzie Gray, Katelynn Mangold, Kylee Speedy and Jill Durling.
McAffee played two seasons with the Freeze before moving to the Yukon. She is back in Fredericton, playing her fifth year of eligibility with the University of New Brunswick Reds, where she will be teammates with Speedy.
Esson played in 2022 and returned to provide a veteran leadership role this past season with the Freeze.
Bowers actually started the 2022 season as a player coach, joining Colleen Daly and Julie McAllister as the coaching staff. Bowers elected to concentrate on playing, allowing the Freeze to bring in veteran coach John Hickey.
Off the court, familiar faces remain through four seasons including play-by-play voice and assistant general manager, Bill Gibson, photographer Fran Harris, athletic therapist Caitlin Marshall and former marketing manager Ashley Smith, who eventually joined the coaching staff in 2024.
– Megan Arseneault was an inaugural Freeze team member. (Fran Harris Photo)
