The new general manager of the Fredericton Freeze has added another title to his resume.
Head coach.
Bram Russell will guide the Freeze into the 2026 Maritime Women’s Basketball Association season.
A long-time head coach with Basketball New Brunswick age class girls’ teams and a former player with the University of New Brunswick, Russell is excited to put his stamp on the Freeze.
It also allows him a chance to coach his youngest daughter, Bailey, who was an MWBA first team all-star in 2025 and one of the top three leading scorers in USPORTS with the University of Ottawa Gee Gees.
‘I’ve watched the MWBA since its inception and have certainly been impressed with the level of play and commitment of the women in the league,’ said Russell. ‘It’s high-quality basketball with some exceptional athletes. We’re really excited to get going.’
Russell will be joined with assistant coaches Paul McCarthy and Addie Mombourquette.
McCarthy is a former Scholastic Sport New Brunswick coach of the year. Mombourquette would rather be playing for the Freeze when the season opens in May, but a knee injury has her sidelined from playing with the UNB Reds, where she is a top Atlantic Univesity Sport player for head coach Erin McAleenan and the 14-1 first place Reds
‘I’ve known Paul for ages and we go back to the days of coaching against each other when our children were little,’ said Russell. ‘This gives him a chance to coach his daughter as well.’
His daughter is Allie McCarthy, also with the Gee Gee’s and the number two scorer in the country entering play this weekend.
‘I am so excited to have Addie on the bench this season,’ said Russell. ‘She is like a daughter to me. It will be great to have her on the bench and have some fun this spring.’
Russell, who took over general manager duties from Freeze founder Brad Janes, replaces Kevin Daley and his staff of Anthony Ashe and Ashley Smith.
‘I am hoping to build off of the previous Freeze coaching staffs momentum and see if we can’t make a run at the Legacy Cup,’ said Russell. ‘The decision to step in to coach wasn’t an automatic one. After discussing it with Bailey, we decided it would be fun to experience this together one more time.’
Janes, who also founded the MWBA, will remain with the Freeze in an advisory capacity.
Training camp for the Freeze will begin in April.
The MWBA will celebrate its fifth anniversary season, opening its doors the first week of May.
