After a three-year commitment to help establish the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association, the only commissioner the league has ever known is moving on.
Tasia McKenna, a native of Timberlea, NS, and former star point guard with Lakehead University Thunderwolves in Ontario, was part of the startup of the six-team league.
She presided over two seasons of competition, handing out the Legacy Cup championship twice and also spent one year of planning with her fellow executive members, team representative and Sports & Entertainment Atlantic, the MWBA’s Sponsorship Marketing Service out of Halifax.
Lezlie States of Halifax also spent three seasons as vice commissioner of the league, which opened its playing doors in 2022. States did not re-offer for her role.
Jen McKenzie of Dartmouth was unanimously voted into the role of commissioner. McKenzie is a well-known official in the Maritimes, one of the top referees in the region, who has handled numerous amateur and professional games.
She was the head of officials with the MWBA.
Moncton’s Anna Lee LeBlanc was also a unanimous decision to take over the vice commissioner role. LeBlanc, who joined the MWBA in 2022 as the director of media relations for the Fredericton Freeze, spent last summer working in marketing and branding with the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
LeBlanc is pursuing her master’s degree in sport management at the University of Western in Ontario. She is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick.
Jeff White of Saint John will remain the MWBA treasurer, but the league is seeking a new secretary. Fredericton’s Cindy Levesque, who handled secretarial duties and numerous other roles, stepped down.
The MWBA is preparing for its third season of action next spring with reigning champions Halifax Thunder, Halifax Hornets, Windsor Edge, Fredericton Freeze, Moncton Mystics and Saint John’s Port City Fog set to return.
Expansion talks are on the table this fall and any announcements on new franchise information will be released later in November or early December.
An executive secretary will be announced in November.
The league is anticipating beginning its third season of competition in early May of 2024.
For further information on the MWBA, please contact mwba.league@gmail.com