UNB Reds women's basketball player ends university career with a bang

University of New Brunswick women's basketball player Jayda Veinot has been turning heads as she racks up awards and honours as a senior player on the team.

The UNB Reds player from Nova Scotia was named the U Sports women's basketball player of the year, a national award, and the Atlantic University Sport athlete of the year, which encompasses all sports for the Atlantic region.

And on top of all that, Veinot is following in her mom's footsteps.

Just 33 years ago, Jennifer Veinot was the AUS most valuable player, an honour also claimed by Jayda, while wearing No. 9 for the UNB Reds — also Jayda's number.

During an interview with Information Morning Fredericton, Jayda choked up listening to her awards being read off and the parallels between her and her mother.

Veinot, in white, seen playing against the St. Francis Xavier University team on Feb. 9. She had a career point total of 1,695. (James West/UNB Athletics)

"We always are aware of those things, but whenever I hear it, I'm always like, 'Oh, I have a little shiver,'" said Jayda.

Jennifer said that although Jayda has always worn No. 9, it was an extra special moment to see it on the UNB Reds jersey.

For Jayda, basketball has been her life. Her mom first started coaching her at the age of three.

"So much of who I am as a person and a basketball player has so much to do with who my mother is," she said.

Jayda's recent accomplishment as AUS athlete of the year across all sports means she'll also go to Calgary next month for a chance to win the same award nationally.

Jennifer said it's a pretty special thing for her daughter and "the icing on the top of the cake" for the end of her university basketball career.

Jennifer Veinot, front row, second from right, wore No. 9 for the UNB Reds women's basketball team, just like her daughter Jayda. (UNB Athletics)

"She's put a lot of time into the sport," she said. "Although I think if none of [the awards] came her way, she would … still feel like she's got so much from the sport and given so much into it and gained even more."

Along with her mother, Jayda's father, Kevin Veinot, and her twin brother, Keevan Veinot, also made waves in the college basketball world, with her brother winning many of the same awards during his career.

Next gen role model

According to the UNB Reds website, Jayda averaged 17.5 points per game. She had a field goal percentage of 50.4, a three-point percentage of 41.6 and a free-throw percentage of 86.

Erin McAleenan, who coached the UNB Red women's basketball team for the first time this year, said she was very fortunate to walk into a program with a player and a person such as Jayda.

McAleenan said that Jayda can "do it all."

"There were times that we'd maybe be going through a lull in scoring, right, all of a sudden, Jayda would get the ball and she'd just find a way to score," she said.

Veinot, in black, seen here playing against the Saint Mary's University team on Jan. 13. She was second in the Atlantic university region for individual statistics during the 2023-24 season. (James West/UNB Athletics)

"It's pretty special when you have somebody that can really kind of take control like that, and it was definitely fun to be able to have the opportunity to coach her."

McAleenan said she thinks Jayda's awards show that she's a strong player across statistical categories, but also a great student and engaged member of the community.

Jayda finished second in the AUS for the 2023-24 women's basketball season, but she also finished seventh overall for career points with 1,695. Her university basketball career began at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.

McAleenan said while an athlete's success is often highlighted, the ups and downs and the work itself isn't talked about.

"Jayda has done it at one of the highest levels possible, like, it's pretty special what she's been able to accomplish," she said.

But she thinks it's important for the next generation of female basketball players to have someone like Jayda who can lead by example and also tell the real story of the work that went into getting where she did.

For now, Jayda will be hanging up her playing shoes. While she said she was fortunate to be able to play university basketball, she's excited to move into a "different capacity" with the sport.

"I had my parents as coaches, and there were other people in the basketball community I came up through who were really focused on player development, and I think that a lot of that is the reason why I became the player I did," said Jayda.

"So I'd love to kind of dip my toe in [to coaching] and see what happens."