We are delighted to announce that American forward, Mari Stewart, has re-signed with the club, as well as being honoured with the role of Captain by Coach Karen Burton.
This coming season will be Stewart’s third season in the WBBL and the second with the Wildcats, after her debut season with Sheffield Hatters.
Californian Stewart is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College where she was a member of the 1000pts club. After graduating from WWVC she did a Masters at Nottingham Trent University, joining the Wildcats for season 2022-23 averaging a double/double of 13.6pts and 11.5 rebounds per game.
Since Mari joined the club, it has been clear that she is the kind of person and role model we are always searching for in our professional players. Aside from the professionalism she brings to her job every day, she has also embraced being part of the wider club. She enjoys interacting with players in our junior programme, so much so that this season she will be Head Coaching our U14s team.
Stewart had this to say about her return to the Wildcats. “I’m thrilled to play for Coach Karen this year. Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the privilege to play against her teams at BUCS, so I got a glimpse of how talented she is and I am looking forward to being under her leadership. Coach Karen is the type of coach that continuously works and scouts and does all the small things to make her teams more successful. I think we have a lot of work to do this season but I know Karen is the right person to push us in the right direction. I can’t wait for this season!”
Stewart also said about her role with the U14s, “I’m very excited to take on a new role within the Nottingham Wildcats Community as the Head Coach of the U14 team. I believe the club has put together a strong core of female coaches throughout the entire program, who are great role models and will help empower the girls to reach their full potential on and off the court”.
As Coach Burton is building her new team, which she looks to be competitive in an ever-changing WBBL, she is putting culture and professionalism at the forefront.
Burton, commenting on Stewart’s return, added “Mari will be our only returning senior player. Her return is important for the way we want to move forward. She is a great role model and leader. I am confident in giving her the captaincy role, a privileged role within our club and I know she will take this privilege seriously. She has been given this role because of the way she carries herself, both on and off the court, and the energy and professionalism she brings to the club each day. Mari’s work rate and energy, combined with her offensive skill set, are going to be a big part of us being competitive this season.”
More news and signings will be announced in the coming days. Keep your eyes and ears open!