The UBC Thunderbirds will have some new faces on the court come tip-off for the 2026-2027 season. The T-Birds look to welcome four newcomers to the squad; three recruits are joining out of high school, and one as a fifth-year transfer.
The 'Birds are coming off a campaign that saw them finish with a 22-8 record, ending the season with a second-place finish in the Canada West Final against the University of Calgary Dinos, as well as a trip to the U SPORTS Women's Basketball Final 8. Improving on those stats would be a lofty goal for head coach
Dave Taylor and his squad, especially after losing a whopping eight players to graduation. But Taylor is feeling comfortable about the path ahead after adding these recruits.
"This group basically checks off all of my boxes", mused coach Taylor. "It's more perimeter-heavy than in the post because of what we had. I'm happy with how it balances out in the short and long term and just kind of fills out what we needed, both positionally and stylistically."
Amy Stinson will make her long-awaited debut in the blue and gold after spending last season behind the scenes. Transferring from the McMaster University Marauders after the 2024-2025 campaign, the 5-foot-11 forward has redshirted with the T-Birds throughout 2025-2026, meaning she couldn't play a minute until this upcoming year. However, the Hamilton, Ont. native was tasked as a video scout for the team, so she has already integrated into the T-Bird culture and will throw on a game-ready UBC jersey for the first time come tipoff.
"Anytime you can add a former OUA all-star as a fifth year, it's just awesome", added coach Taylor. "Because she was around our team last year, it's easy to officially add her to our group. She's going to give us shooting, athleticism and some scoring on the wing and can walk in day one and help us."
In her last full season with the Marauders, Stinson started 24 games and reached career-highs across the board in minutes played (28.8), points (12.7), rebounds (6.7), and steals per game (1.7). By the end of her McMaster tenure, she solidified herself as ninth on the school's all-time lists for scoring and rebounds. A 4x U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, she closed out her time there by winning the McMaster Marauders Outstanding Female Graduate Award.
In the classroom, after completing her Bachelor of Science, Stinson made the move to UBC to pursue Education.
"Having the opportunity to continue my journey toward becoming an educator while also playing basketball for the Thunderbirds is something I feel very grateful for," said Stinson. "The team, coaches, staff, and wider Thunderbirds community have been so welcoming. I'm excited for the season ahead!"
Alongside Stinson, 5-foot-6 point guard Amanda Guss will join this year's new-look Thunderbirds roster. The Calgary native wrapped her final season with the Canada High School Redhawks, where she posted 18 points, five rebounds and four assists per game in her senior year.
"She is the prototypical old school point guard", detailed coach Taylor. "Everybody would have said she was the top graduating (high school) point guard in western Canada. She's exactly what you want in terms of making everyone around her better. Her floor vision out of the pick-and-roll is great. A tremendous long-term add for us at the point guard position."
During her time with the Redhawks, Guss was equally decorated on and off the court. Her high school squad won the city's tournament and earned a silver medal at provincials. She was even awarded the title of Miss Basketball Alberta, all while graduating as an honour roll student. Now at UBC, Guss looks to pursue her degree in Kinesiology.
"What drew me to UBC was the opportunity to be part of a globally recognized school with such strong academics and athletics, where you're surrounded by people who are always pushing themselves to be better", said Guss. "I'm also excited to join a program with an amazing group of girls and a coaching staff where I knew I could learn from others and be challenged every day!"
6-foot-1 Alfreda Okolie is also set to join the T-Birds this season. From Edmonton, Alberta, the forward suited up for Strathcona High School with the Scona Lords, where she recorded a double-double in nearly every game of her senior season. Not just showing out with her physicality and athleticism, she also finished amongst the top of her class by earning the title of AP Scholar while graduating with honours with distinction.
"She's a perfect U SPORTS post player. She's physical, can do all of the little things, and is going to be able to rebound. She's everything you want in someone willing to do the dirty work, which we know is so critical to winning", noted coach Taylor. "Even though she's young, she brings a physical presence. She'll be able to come in, compete for minutes and help us a lot in the post right away."
Coming to UBC, Okolie will keep her degree close to the court as she will undertake a four-year program in Kinesiology.
"Getting the opportunity to live out the dream I had as a kid to grow up and make something of myself. A beautiful city, different people, and a new team represent the beginning of that journey", said Okolie.
Already able to build some chemistry before joining the T-Birds, Okolie and Guss have been playing alongside each other at the NIKE EYBL circuit in the U.S. this summer, where they match up against top D1 athletes in the nation.
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Sadie Danks, a 5-foot-9 point guard, is the final recruit to join the T-Birds this upcoming season. Growing up on the North Shore and Bowen Island, she spent her high school basketball days with Argyle Secondary School (The Pipers), where she helped lead the team to a Provincial Finals win in the 4A division.
Danks closed out her high school career with an extensive resume. After being a North Shore all-star and player of the year in 2025, she followed that up with a first-team all-star selection in 2026, while earning 2026 senior basketball MVP for Argyle Athletics and was deemed Athlete of the Year for her Grade 12 season.
"What I love about her is she had great success this year; she was one of the top graduating players," reflected coach Taylor. "She is the best guard coming out of the province. She can also help give us flexibility in a few ways. She has that combo-guard skillset and will only develop it further as she progresses along."
Danks is eager to begin her stint at UBC, where she will take on a four-year Arts degree. What sold her on joining the Thunderbirds was not only being close to home, but the atmosphere and the UBC campus as a whole.
Tipoff for the new-look Thunderbirds is set for 5:30 p.m. on October 29, when they will welcome the Trinity Western University Spartans to War Memorial Gymnasium to open 2026-2027 action.
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