CAPERS Basketball 2025-26 Season Preview
The CBU CAPERS Basketball programs will begin their Atlantic University Sport regular season this weekend at Saint Mary's University. With training camp and pre-season matchups behind them, the head coaches give us some insight on what lies ahead this season.
Head Coach Fabian McKenzie is back at the helm for the women's program. His 2025-2026 roster has 6 retuning players along with 6 new faces.
"This will be a season of rebuild and growth, on and off the court," notes Coach McKenzie as he heads into his 27th year with CBU. "Patience will be the key as we introduce returning players to new roles and we guide the incoming players on their discovery of the requirements to win at the AUS level."
Third-year Amanda Cruickshank will return to the squad at the top of the key. "Amanda has done a tremendous job adjusting to a new role. Her leadership skills have improved and she has been a leading scorer for us while also running our offense from the point guard position."
Kristen Taylor is back after recovering from a season ending injury last year. "She has been progressing nicely and brings leadership, scoring and intensity to the court," comments McKenzie.
Fourth-year Alicia Bowering will don CAPER orange for the second year. McKenzie states, "Alicia is a consistent threat from the 3-point line and has been developing her abilities on the defensive end of the court."
One of the 6 new recruits comes to us from the UK. "Elizandra Costa is a dynamic first year player with tremendous quickness and great scoring ability including a tremendous touch from the 3-point line," says McKenzie. "She had a fantastic opening tournament in our preseason averaging 16 points per game but has unfortunately been sidelined by an injury."
For the men's program, 11th year Head Coach Matt Skinn has put together a roster of 9 returning players and 5 new players. Skinn and his crew feel they have an athletic team who can get up and down with anyone in the country.
Third-year veteran Aaron Cunningham has embraced his role as captain and leader for the team. "He has been a great presence and has really stepped up with the absence of 3 great leaders from the last 2 seasons," remarks Skinn.
In looking ahead to this season, Skinn states, "We feel our depth is a strength of ours, and we hope to use that over a grueling AUS schedule, and in a league that has been really close from top to bottom over the past few seasons."
Skinn is looking forward to getting the action started this weekend as his team will square up with the Saint Mary's Huskies.
You can watch these first games of the CAPER basketball season on AUStv.ca at 4:00pm and 6:00pm on Saturday, October 25 and again on Sunday, October 26 at 12:00pm and 2:00pm.
Join us on Halloween night for the home opening games at the Sullivan Fieldhouse. The women will tip off 6:00pm and the men at 8:00pm.
The teams will be back at it on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1 with games at 2:00 and 4:00.
You can purchase your tickets on-line this year to avoid waiting in line. Otherwise, tickets will still be available at the gate.
See you at the game!