Jayda Veinot has signed with the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association’s Fredericton Freeze for the 2026 season.
She is returning to the game after her stellar university career was capped two years ago.
‘To say we’re delighted to welcome Jayda to the Freeze would be an understatement,’ said Fredericton head coach and general manager, Bram Russell. ‘Her resume speaks for itself, but bringing Jayda to our organization means a talented player is going to wear our colours. Her leadership ability will resonate throughout our entire organization. We took a big step when Jayda committed.’
The list of numbers and accomplishments for the Port Williams, NS, native is lengthy.
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She was named USPORTS Player of the Year, winning the Nan Copp Award as the nation’s top player during her final season at the university level in 2023-24 with the University of New Brunswick Reds, a season she was also named first team All-Canadian.
A member of the 2018-19 USPORTS all rookie team propelled Veinot to stardom in Atlantic University Sport play where she spent three seasons with Wolfville’s Acadia University Axewomen. Veinot would finish with two years at UNB, shining with the Reds and earning national player of the year laurels during that memorable 2023-24 run.
A multiple AUS and USPORTS all-star, she earned numerous team, league and championship MVP awards, closing the book at UNB by being named the Reds’ MVP and the university’s female athlete of the year.
She would appear in 90 AUS games with Acadia and the Reds, amassing 1,695 points for an 18.8 points per game average. Her numbers increased when the lights were brighter at playoff time, averaging 19.5 points and 19.2 points per game at two national championship appearances.
Veinot’s career high AUS mark was a 41-point outing against Cape Breton University Capers in 2019.
The six-foot wing is a game-changer.
‘Jayda has always been that athlete that can change the direction of a game, whether it’s scoring a big basket at the right time or willing her teammates to take that extra step,’ said Russell. ‘She has a love of game and is excited to be back to play with some old teammates and some familiar faces.’
The Freeze joins seven other teams in the MWBA, preparing for the league’s fifth season of action, beginning the first weekend of May.
Fredericton joins Miramichi Her-Icanes, Moncton Mystics and Port City Fog of Saint John in the New Brunswick Division. The Nova Scotia Division has Halifax Hornets, Halifax Thunder, Lake City 56ers of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Preston and expansion Truro Tidal Queens.
– Jayda Veinot in action with UNB. (James West/UNB Photo)
