CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Lexi MacInnis’ wish becomes reality tonight as she pulls on the UPEI Panthers’ jersey for her first regular season game.
The 20-year-old Stratford native and her Panthers teammates open the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season at home against the Saint Mary’s Huskies at 6 p.m.
MacInnis estimated she has been following the Panthers program for at least 14 years.
“I’ve been watching it since I can remember, since I touched a basketball,” she said after Wednesday’s practice. “I’ve been looking up to those players for as long as I can remember, just wishing to be one of them. Now that I’m finally here, it’s a pretty great feeling.”
MacInnis is a five-foot-nine shooting guard who starred at Charlottetown Rural High School and Holland College before joining the Panthers. She is taking biotechnology at UPEI and was able to do the first two years at Holland College.
MacInnis was the co-female athlete of the year at Charlottetown Rural in 2017 with Kami Chaisson and part of Team P.E.I. at the 2017 Canada Games in Winnipeg.
She was named Holland College’s rookie of the year in 2017-18 when she averaged 14 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists and led the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association in minutes played. She was among the top scorers in the conference last season when she averaged 14 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
MacInnis sees familiar faces in the Panthers’ locker room this season as the roster includes Charlottetown’s Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Sydney Whitlock.
“I played with and against Jenna Mae and I played with Syd for a long time,” she said.
The Panthers are coming off a 17-3 regular season, which gave them second place in the AUS and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Acadia Axemen, behind a 51-point effort by Haley McDonald, defeated the Panthers 88-84 in the semifinal.
UPEI returns four of its five starters and six of the nine players who played in the semifinal. Those returnees include reigning two-time defensive player of the year in centre Carolina Del Santo and former rookies of the year in guards Ellsworth (2017) and Reese Baxendale (2018). Ellsworth and Del Santo are in their fourth seasons with the Panthers while Baxendale is in her third.
The roster has more depth this season with the addition of seven rookies to the lineup.
Coach Matt Gamblin said the veterans are providing leadership and the rookies have shown a willingness to learn the university game. The squad went 3-4 in pre-season play and is looking forward to the regular season tipping off tonight.
“They’re excited to get going,” Gamblin said.
“It’s going to be a good test for both teams,” he added. “There’s good games across the AUS (during) the first weekend.”
The team is ranked No. 1 in the AUS coaches’ poll, but Gamblin said he doesn’t spend a lot of time on those polls or thinking about the past.
“All we can control is the now, so we’re trying to stay as present as we can,” he said.
MacInnis will have her family and friends in the stands tonight cheering for her and her teammates as she realizes the longtime dream.
“It’s a great feeling to have the support from your family there, and I know they’re cheering me on.”
Roster
A look at the UPEI Panthers roster for the 2019-20 Atlantic University Sport season.
Player Hometown
Jenna Mae Ellsworth Charlottetown
Ashleigh Marshall Fall River, N.S.
Madison Orser Halifax.
Lauren Fleming Sussex, N.B.
Lexi MacInnis Stratford.
Reese Baxendale Sussex, N.B.
Reilly Sullivan Quispamsis, N.B.
Karla Yepez Quito, Ecuador.
Lauren Harris Saint John, N.B.
Annabelle Charron Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
Carolina Del Santo Barcelona, Spain.
Sydney Whitlock Charlottetown.
Lauren Rainford Toronto.
Coaching staff
Head coach – Matt Gamblin.
Assistant coaches – Jay Mingrone, Carolyn Huggan and Harris Campbell.
