The Thunderbirds didn’t find the win column this year, but Sadie Grawbarger still gave fans plenty to remember
Sadie Grawbarger had an impressive showing this season with the Algoma University women’s basketball team.
Though the team is looking back on a very challenging 2025-26 season, Grawbarger played an exceptionally powerful role on the club’s roster.
The 20-year-old point guard, standing at five-feet-11-inches tall, consistently scored in double digits and played more than 30 minutes per game for the Thunderbirds this season.
“I’ve always enjoyed sports. When I was younger I played hockey competitively. I didn’t really pick up basketball until Grade 11 when I started playing competitively for Superior Heights,” Grawbarger told SooToday.
After getting involved in competitive basketball, Grawbarger didn’t look back.
“I love playing basketball. In high school, Ryan Vetrie, one of the women’s basketball coaches here at Algoma, asked me to get in and start training with his club team.
“He gave me that opportunity and we had a lot of conversations about me playing at the post-secondary level.”
As an honour roll graduate from Superior Heights, Grawbarger began playing for the Algoma University Thunderbirds women’s basketball team on a scholarship.
“This year was my best so far. I had a lot of nights where I averaged a double-double in points and rebounds,” Grawbarger said.
Grawbarger is a Garden River First Nation member, currently in her third year in Algoma University’s psychology program.
“Our game against York in November was a highlight for me. I had 20 points that night and 11 rebounds. And then against Ontario Tech in Oshawa in January I had 18 points and 10 rebounds.”
Though the Thunderbirds women’s basketball team failed to secure a single win this season, Grawbarger looks back on the year with justifiable pride over her own performance.
“It feels really good because I know I put a lot of hard work in and it was nice to see the end result of that in all those games I played,” said Grawbarger, who added she enjoys the sisterhood of the Thunderbirds squad.
She also said she’s proud to be one of the few players on the team’s roster who are from this area.
Grawbarger lists Katie Hamilton, current Algoma University Thunderbirds women’s basketball team head coach, Stephen Curry of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Paige Bueckers of the WNBA’s Dallas Wings as role models.
The six-foot-tall, high-scoring Bueckers is admired for her height, skill and agility.
“I just love the way she plays the sport. I think she’s a great athlete who makes a really big, positive impact on a lot of young female players,” Grawbarger said.
Off the court, Grawbarger is a dedicated psychology student who will graduate from Algoma University in 2027.
“I’ve always been interested in the way people’s minds work and why they do things they do. I make sure that I give myself enough time to focus on homework because school does come first for me.”
Grawbarger said she has a clear career goal in mind when she graduates.
“I want to go into policing. I’ve always wanted to be a cop. That’s something I’ll be looking into after I’m done here. I think it’s a way for me to help out in the community, stay fit, stay active and just help others.”
Meanwhile, Grawbarger is hoping for a better season for the Algoma University Thunderbirds women’s basketball team and is looking forward to playing for the team in 2026-27.
“I’ll continue to play because I just love the sport. I love that it pushes me, keeps me active and I love the camaraderie of it all.
“I’ve made a lot of friends and built great relationships through this sport. I’ve always been really competitive my whole life and I love to compete at the university level.”
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