Hayley Lalor wasn’t ready to stop playing basketball because her university career was over.
What to do, what to do?
Lalor began to explore some opportunities to keep playing after her 2024-25 season with Mount Royal Cougars in the Canada West conference came to a conclusion.
She had been to the Maritimes twice as a player during her university career. There was some familiarity when she began to explore the possibility of finding a place to play in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association.
‘I’d only been to the Maritimes twice for tournaments, so I was a bit busy with games to explore much of anything,’ Lalor said. ‘I’d always wanted to go back and see more of the East Coast. The MWBA was the perfect opportunity for that.’
Lalor, who hails from Red Deer, would reach out to some contacts in Halifax, eventually landing a spot with the Halifax Thunder.
She had played four seasons with MacEwan University Griffins in Edmonton before completing her fifth and final year of eligibility with Mount Royal University Cougars in Calgary.
Lalor amassed 484 points over her five-year career and added 147 assists.
She was joined in Halifax by Mount Royal teammate Alexis Evans of Edmonton during the 2025 MWBA season.
‘I wanted to keep playing after my final year and the MWBA gave me the opportunity to keep playing at a high level,’ Lalor said. ‘Getting to play with a whole new group of players was really cool fore me after being in Canada West and playing a lot of the same teams and players.’
Playing with Evans certainly helped, too.
‘It was definitely easier to come with Lex, where it helped having someone from home,’ Lalor said. ‘It made it more comfortable and familiar for me. It was also great to have a friend to do things with and go on adventures together.’
Lalor averaged 6.9 points per game for the Thunder, a team which has won two PROLINE Legacy Cup championships, but fell in semifinal play this season to the eventual champion Miramichi Her-Icanes.
‘The competition in the MWBA was good, especially considering a lot of the players are current or former USPORTS players so the level was pretty similar to what we had been used to playing,’ she said. ‘I’d love to see more leagues like the MWBA popping up in other places in Canada. There are players all over our country who would love to keep playing at a high level after university.’
Lalor was also aware of another trait outside of basketball and rugged beauty of the Maritimes.
She was certainly happy to see it was true.
‘This is something that didn’t technically surprise me because before we arrived people told me, but it was so cool experience just how kind the people are,’ she said. ‘Everyone was so welcoming. They treated us like family and were willing to help us out with anything we needed while we were there.’
New friends were made, new adventures were conquered.
Perhaps a lasting memory?
‘It was probably our road trip to New Brunswick,’ said Lalor. ‘It was the first time we spent a large amount of time together as a team. It really helped to feel more connected with the team.’
The MWBA is preparing for its fifth season in May of 2026.
The league’s annual general meeting is set for Monday, Oct. 20 and its expansion deadline is Friday, Oct. 17.
– Hayley Lawlor in action for Halifax Thunder. (DWinston Photo)
