Axewomen add European experience to their roster

German guard Bianca Helmig excited to be part of team’s culture

A member of Germany’s under-20 national basketball team will suit up for the Acadia Axewomen this fall.

Bianca Helmig is one of the Axewomen’s first announced recruits for the 2022-23 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) season.

“I'm excited to meet new teammates, learn from them, and from new coaches,” Helmig said in a recent news release. “I love basketball, I have a lot of fun and I always give my best on (the) court, so I feel like Acadia's culture is the perfect fit for me. I hope to be a part of a great team that will fight for the national championship.”

The five-foot-six guard is currently a member of the Eigner Angels Nördlingen of the Bundesliga (Germany’s top division). She brings a wealth of experience to the Axewomen, having played in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) under-20 European Challenge in 2021 and the FIBA under-20 and under-18 National Team games in 2020 and 2021.

“She obviously has been playing at a very high level, both for her national programming in Germany, as well as in the Bundesliga, so that experience will help her transition quickly,” said Axewomen head coach Len Harvey.

"Bianca is a player who I think can help us defensively, but also help push our tempo handling the ball and setting the table for us offensively.

“We talk a lot about attitude within our team concept, and Bianca's attitude has won me over. She is energetic, and brings a positive, team-first approach to every interaction we've had. I'm excited about getting the opportunity to coach her, and think she'll be an excellent fit with our team as we continue to evolve and improve."

U Sports teams are allowed to have three international players on their roster. The Axewomen didn’t have any on the 2021-22 roster en route to winning the AUS championship, their third conference title in the last four seasons.

Helmig, who is enrolled in the business administration program, said she hopes coming to Canada will offer a new and rewarding experience within the Axewomen team culture.

“Len was extremely nice and welcoming,” she said. “I loved how he spoke about Acadia, their basketball program, and his players with so much passion. He really showed me how much he wanted me to join the team and the whole system sounded like a perfect fit for me to continue to develop as a player and as a person.”