Joyce Slipp announced as honorary chair for 2019 Subway AUS Basketball Championships

The UNB alumna led the Canadian Women's Basketball Team to their first-ever Olympic Games appearance

(HALIFAX, N.S.) Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce celebrated UNB alumna Joyce (Douthwright) Slipp as the Honorary Chair of this year's Subway AUS Basketball Championships.

Raised in Gunningsville, N.B., Slipp is a former student-athlete, coach, lecturer and Olympian. She began her UNB career as a dual-sport athlete, participating in both basketball and field hockey. She earned a bachelor of physical education and a bachelor of arts degree from UNB in 1972 and 1974, respectively.

In 1974, she was awarded the Colin B. Mackay Shield as the UNB Female Athlete of the Year.

A member of the Canadian National Women's Basketball team from 1969 to 1976, she captained Canada's first-ever women's Olympic basketball team in the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal.

Upon her return to UNB, Slipp became a lecturer in the department of physical education (now the department of kinesiology), coach of both the basketball and field hockey teams, and eventually went on to serve as UNB's assistant athletic director.  

She coached the UNB women's basketball team from 1976 to 1980 and again from 1995 until her retirement in 2006, winning three conference championship titles. 

She was named AUAA Coach of the Year in women's basketball in 1976. She earned the honour again in 1999 after leading the UNB team to a 19-1 regular season record, the conference title, and a national bronze medal.

She was named CIAU Coach of the Year in women's field hockey in 1986 and 1989. In 1992, the women's field hockey rookie of the year award was renamed in her honour.

Slipp was inducted into the New Brunswick Sport Hall of Fame in 1992, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

During this AUS championship weekend, she will serve as event honorary chair, sitting courtside and taking part in ceremonial tipoffs, awards presentations and more.

"We're very grateful to Joyce for agreeing to represent this event as the Honorary Chair," said AUS executive director and organizing committee chair Phil Currie.

"In recognition of five years of hosting the women's championship here at Scotiabank Centre, we felt it was fitting to have an honorary chair of Joyce's caliber.

In the years that I've worked with Joyce, I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for her, her accomplishments as well as her contributions to Atlantic University Sport and its student-athletes.

Joyce's efforts have significantly benefitted not only the Canadian women's basketball landscape, but women in sport on a larger level. And with all of her accomplishments and accolades, Joyce remains one of the most humble people I know.

We're extremely proud to have her participate in this year's event."

The 2019 Subway AUS Basketball Championships get under way Friday at 1 p.m. with the first women's quarterfinal game.

Game times, seeding and schedule can all be found at www.AUSHoops.ca.

Tickets to individual sessions are now on sale through Ticket Atlantic.