VANCOUVER – Jessica Hanson is beginning a new chapter in her life after competing in a UBC Thunderbirds uniform for the last time in February, and graduating with a Kinesiology degree in the spring. But those milestones didn't signify the end of her time as a basketball player, or a UBC student.
 
Hanson, a 5-foot-9 guard from Vancouver, will begin her professional career next season after signing a contract with the Tipperary Knights Basketball Club in Ireland. She has also been accepted into the UBC School of Kinesiology's Master's Degree program, which she will begin online in the new school year.
 
"I couldn't be more happy to have signed with a team in a town with such a welcoming family feel already," remarked Hanson. "I am extremely grateful to my coaches and teammates over the past decade, and my parents, who have all helped me get to this next chapter. Looking forward to representing BC in Ireland." 
 

Hanson completed her university career as one of UBC's best all-around players. She excelled on both ends of the court, and started every conference and playoff game for the T-Birds in her last four years, the last three as team captain.  In 100 total Canada West regular season games in blue and gold, Hanson scored 1,108 points, dished out 320 assists, and grabbed 333 rebounds. She posted 154 points, 40 assists, and 27 rebounds in 14 playoff contests.
 
"My last five years spent at UBC has primed me for what comes next – I am extremely excited to begin this next chapter, to balance an MKIN and my first pro season overseas," said Hanson.
 
Last season, she earned a place on the Canada West Third All-Star Team after averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 assists and 5.3 rebounds a game. Hanson was second on her team and fourth in the league in assists per contest. Her points per game numbers placed her second on the UBC roster, and 12th overall in the Canada West. She also led the T-Birds in free throw percentage (80.4 per cent – eighth in the conference).
 

"Jess has always been passionate about, and invested in whatever she does," said UBC head coach Deb Huband, the winningest bench boss in Canada West history. "She is hard-working, driven and goal oriented and playing basketball at a professional level has always been a dream of hers. It is exciting to see Jess embark on this new challenge of signing her first professional contact, and playing overseas. 
 
Jess will also be simultaneously pursuing her Master's in coaching, which will help prepare for the future. I am extremely proud of Jess for always working for excellence and reaching for her goals. I look forward to following her journey as she becomes the next T-Bird to earn a contract, and opportunity as a professional athlete."
 
Hanson started at UBC in the fall of 2015 after winning Most Valuable Player honours for Vancouver's Little Flower Academy at the Double-A provincial tournament in the spring. She was not a stranger to the Point Grey campus as her father is Kevin, head coach of the UBC men's basketball team, and her mother Theresa served in senior leadership positions in the athletics department for more than a decade.
 

At the end of the 2015-16 season, Hanson was named to the Canada West All-Rookie Team, and won the Thunderbird Female Rookie of the Year award.
 
She was excellent in the classroom as well, meriting Academic All-Canadian distinction three times.
 
"(Assistant coach) Shaun McGuinness got me the original contact with them," said Hanson of the Knights, who are located in Thurles, County Tipperary, and compete in the Southern Conference of Basketball Ireland Women's Division One.  "After emailing back and forth and chatting on the phone it just felt right. I told my parents I had the same feeling about it as I did when I decided I wanted to commit to UBC five years years ago. The coach, the girls, and the family feel to it all, in the town of Thurles just feels right and I'm so excited to get started over there." 
 
Hanson signed with Tipperary as the first women's client of the Orenda Talent Agency, founded in April by several UBC alumni, including former T-Birds men's player Luka Zaharijevic. 
 
The agency also has Jadon Cohee and Manroop Clair, the two star seniors from last season's U SPORTS bronze medal-winning UBC men's team, as clients.