UPEI women’s basketball team adds Riverview native to roster

UPEI women's basketball Head Coach Greg Gould is pleased to announce Julie Hatcher, a 5'6' point guard from Riverview, New Brunswick, has committed to the University of Prince Edward Island and will join the Panthers in the fall.

Hatcher comes to UPEI as a transfer student from Saint Mary's University (SMU) where she played for a season with the huskies. She brings a wealth of experience and a winning streak. In addition to her time at SMU, she was a member of the Riverview High School team which won the New Brunswick Ladies AAA High School Championship in her senior year. She also played for the Basketball New Brunswick provincial under-16 and under-17 teams, as well as for the NB Canada Games team which finished fifth at the 2009 Canada Games in Summerside.

'I had the pleasure of coaching Julie for four years at Riverview High School and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work with her again here at UPEI. She will be an outstanding addition to our team,' said Gould. 'Julie is the epitome of what a point guard should be. She is an unselfish leader who makes all of her teammates better. Her court vision and exceptional passing skills will help make us a much better offensive transition team. Julie is also a great 3-point shooter and a solid defender with a high basketball IQ.'

'I'm very excited to be joining the Panther community in the fall. I played for Coach Gould in high school and I know his style of play is a good fit for me. I have played with some of the UPEI girls in the past and feel comfortable with them on and off the court,' said Hatcher. 'I admire the team's work ethic and commitment to excellence and can't wait to contribute to the program. The small class sizes and strong academic reputation of UPEI makes it the perfect school for me.'

'Julie is all about winning, she hates to lose and that fits into the culture we are developing here at UPEI,' added Gould. 'She will have an immediate impact on our team and I'm delighted she has decided to play here.'

'I'm happy to welcome Julie to the Panther Family,' commented UPEI Athletics and Recreation Director Bill Schurman. 'We will support her to ensure she thrives as a student-athlete here at UPEI.'

Hatcher will be enrolling in UPEI's bachelor of science program majoring in biology, with the eventual goal of a career in the medical or environmental field.