Surrey hoopster Harleen Sidhu signs up with UBC

harleensidhu

UBC Thunderbirds women’s basketball head coach Deb Huband has strengthened her team’s frontcourt with the signing of three forwards.

Leading the latest recruiting class is Surrey native Harleen Sidhu, who returns to B.C. after spending the last four years with the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers (NCAA Div. I). A graduate of Surrey’s Fleetwood Park Secondary, she was one of the top Canadian grade 12 prospects in 2008.

“Harleen is an exceptional individual on and off the court and she caught my attention at a young age,” said Huband, who tried to recruit Sidhu to UBC five years ago. “Harleen brings a versatile skill set, a strong basketball IQ and is an excellent inside-outside player. The team will benefit from her experience and tremendous leadership abilities. She has some unfinished business on the court and we are thrilled that she is finally a Thunderbird.”

The 6-foot-1 forward suited up in 69 games for Nebraska but her time on the court was limited by injuries. Her total career stats translate to 6.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per 40 minutes as a Cornhusker.

Even when she wasn’t on the court, Sidhu was still an invaluable contributor to her team’s success, playing a major role in mentoring younger players. She also earned academic all-conference honours in her final two seasons.

In her spare time, Sidhu volunteered at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb. to work with patients in specialized rehab programs for traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke and pulmonary conditions.