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University of New Brunswick - Saint John
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Seawolves sights set on Nationals following historic win 

Photo by: Kevin Barrett
Photo by: Kevin Barrett
March 4, 2025

(Saint John, NB) Seawolves men's basketball reached a historic milestone by capturing their first-ever Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) men's basketball title. This remarkable achievement comes after more than 25 years since a UNB Saint John men's basketball team last advanced to an ACAA final.  

The championship game, held at the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre, was an unforgettable experience for both the players and the fans. "The excitement in the gym was amazing! I think if people were here and experienced that, they are going to have totally different views of athletics at UNBSJ and hopefully the men's basketball program. Hopefully, it becomes 'Oh, I want to go play there," expressed Head Coach Paul Vaughan.  

The Seawolves showcased exceptional defensive and offensive prowess in front of their enthusiastic home crowd. In the final match against the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics, who were undefeated and ranked No. 2 nationally, the Seawolves proved they were a force to be reckoned with.  

Not only did the team make history with the first-ever men's basketball ACAA title, but they also showcased extraordinary individual performances. Aj Nash (St. John's, NL) delivered an exceptional game, achieving a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Player of the match, Ben Power (Grand-Bay Westfield, NB), also impressed, contributing 17 points and 5 assists.  

Captain Jack Fury-Miller (Grand-Bay Westfield, NB), named to the ACAA First Team, played a crucial role, scoring 21 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Co-captain Ethan Szemerda (Saint John, NB), a strong contributor named to the ACAA second Team, added 10 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds.   

Paul Vaughan, in his second year as the head coach, has led the team to this historic victory and hopes that it will have a positive impact on the Seawolves Athletics programming as a whole. "It's going to change the perception and make local kids want to come and watch and hopefully someday participate. I think a lot more people are going to say 'Hey, what are they about? What do they do? What can I take there? Can I make that team?' You know, so hopefully, that translates into even better teams," Vaughan said.  

With this win, the Seawolves are set to compete in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Assocation Championship (CCAA) from March 11-15 at Vanier College in Saint – Laurent, Quebec.  

This is yet another milestone for the UNB Saint John men's basketball program, marking the first time in its history that the team has advanced to nationals. Vaughan commented on the upcoming challenges "You will deal with teams that are probably just a little bit more athletic, a bit bigger, but that's fine. We've played some AUS teams, so they were good, we know what that's all about. And it's not like these guys haven't played against that type of athlete before, so it will be an adjustment probably just as much the whole experience going to nationals," he said.  

The Seawolves are set to face the Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association's (OCAA) Durham College Lords in quarter-final number one. The Lords also had a historic win capturing their first men's basketball title since 2011 and defeating the No. 1 nationally ranked team, the Humber College Hawks. With both teams pulling off incredible victories, this promises to be an exciting matchup.