Tommies basketball teams return to the court with championship aspirations
The St. Thomas University (STU) men's and women’s basketball teams are preparing to return to the hardcourt for another exciting season.
Last season was a successful one for the program. Both squads made the playoffs. STU's women's team dropped the opening game of the season and proceeded to win the next 17 straight matches.
STU ended the season at the top of the conference.
Meanwhile, the men's team had 14 wins and four losses, landing a second-place finish. STU followed that up with two wins during the postseason.
Both teams took home the Atlantic Collegiate Athletics Association (ACAA) championship.
Today, the teams have shifted their focus to the 2026-27 ACAA season. They are entering the new campaign with the same goal of finishing the season on top of the conference and booking their spot in nationals come March.
STU kicked off their season with a doubleheader last Sunday against the Mount Allison Mounties. Leading up to the game, both teams were featured in the national rankings.
Fred Connors is the head coach of the women's basketball team. He has been at the helm for the past 24 seasons. Connors is coming off a season where he won the ACAA coach of the year award.
He likes the group that STU has put together. The squad features its share of returning players, which he believes will help bring a "lot of experience" to the table. At the same time, Connors knows that it will be a "long year" that will present challenges.
"We're going to be tough to play against defensively. We've been holding teams down to some low numbers, which we did all of last year with this group," said Connors. “Early signs indicate that it could even be a tougher team defensively than last year."
Connors felt the preseason went along in a typical fashion. The team focused on getting in shape and making sure everyone was "learning to play together."
STU finished the preseason with five wins and one loss. They lost in their opening match. However, the team followed it up with four straight wins. Three of those victories came against conference opponents during the Ken Gould Invitational Tournament.
Still, Connors found the team had to "reinvent" who they were, given the roster turnover that had taken place. STU features a trio of ACAA All-Stars. However, the team lost three players. One of those was Connors' daughter and reigning ACAA player of the year, Charlee Connors.
To offset their losses, STU brought in three rookies. One of those was a local product, while the other two came from Toronto and Regina.
This season will be the first time in seven years that Connors does not have his daughters with him on the team in some capacity. He described the dynamic thus far as "odd."
“I've got such great relationships with all my players, and that’s helped quite a lot to be able to be in the gym with them,” he said. “And they're just such great people to be around.”
Katie Vidito is a fifth-year forward and wing. She is someone who Connors will rely upon for leadership and to provide offence this season.
Vidito is "super excited" to return to the court. She believes STU has a great team this year. They also have momentum from winning the league last season, combined with a certain "excitement and eagerness" to get the campaign underway.
The team's connected nature is something she feels will benefit them.
“I feel like we play really well as a group,” said Vidito. “Everyone kind of brings their own unique strengths.”
STU is hosting the ACAA Championship at the end of the season. In early March, the top six teams on both the women's and men's sides will descend upon Fredericton for a weekend of competitive basketball. Each team will look to cement themselves as the top dog in the conference.
Vidito called hosting the ACAA playoffs a "full circle moment." She was in her first season when the team last hosted playoffs, sharing the experience with her teammate, Kathleen Quinlan.
This time around, Vidito wants to win another championship. She also wants to have fun and make memories along the way.
"Last season was last season and this season is this season,” she said. “Now we have a new goal and we have a fresh start and a new beginning this season."
Meanwhile, the men's Tommies come into the campaign on the heels of a championship victory. They are confident heading into the new season, with the goal of winning the championship for a second time.
John Hickey is the head coach of the men's basketball team. He has been in the position for the past eight seasons.
Hickey believes the team features a good mix of "early and late career" players. The mix is something that will give the team a good balance on the floor when it comes to the regular season.
STU lost three starters from last season. In response, the team added two transfer players and three true rookies to the fold. The newcomers join a roster that includes players like Ceejay Hanson and last year's ACAA first-team all-star Jeven Eddy.
"We brought a couple of different guys in. They are great team players who are unselfish, who can shoot the ball and who can defend hard," he said.
STU kicked off the preseason with a win against the CEGEP de Sherbrooke Voluntaries. From there, the team swept the rest of the matches. Three of those games were played as part of the Ken Gould Tournament.
Ken Gould was something Hickey called a "measuring stick" to see how STU competes against league competition. The league is going to be tough, as teams are coached well and compete hard. As a result, games are "always competitive."
He feels the team's strengths come from their ability to "shoot the basketball."
"I believe that we can score in many ways. That type of versatility is going to be important for us and will make us very difficult to guard," said Hickey.
River Lanz is a small forward and point guard for the Tommies. The Rothesay, New Brunswick native is in his fourth season with the green and gold.
Lanz has "some high hopes" for the upcoming season. Being a fourth-year player, he has been given more of a leadership role on the team this year compared to past seasons. Still, Lanz feels that the season presents real opportunities for leadership. The team lost two of its veterans during the offseason.
Lanz wants to "build the foundation" this season for the future.
"I think every team is looking at the season differently. But, we'll have a chip on our shoulder, especially the home games," he said.
As for the team's hopes for the future, both Lanz and Hickey see no reason why STU cannot repeat as champions.
"We think that we're the best team. So, the next step is to win some important games on the national stage," said Lanz. "We're in the rankings throughout the year, so nationals just has to be the platform where we win some games and help put us on the map."
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