Caledonia Pride are delighted to announce a double-signing as Erin McGarrachan and Dee Hayward both join Pride from Leicester Riders for the team’s second season in the WBBL.
Scotland and GB international, Erin McGarrachan will join Pride after two seasons with the Leicester Riders. McGarrachan, who averaged 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 25 games for the Riders last year is an excellent acquisition for Pride who continue to make strides in their 2017-18 preparations.
Erin travelled to the US in 2011 after playing for the Lady Rocks at youth level. After a brief stint playing for the University of Texas-El Paso, Erin transferred to Houston Baptist University. McGarrachan joined the team for the 2012-13 season and was awarded the All-Conference Honourable Mention and was named to the All-Newcomer team that season.
In her final season with the Houston Baptist University she started all but one game as team captain and finished the season with All-Tournament Team and Southland Conference All-Academic Team honours before joining the Leicester Riders the following season.
On top of this, Erin has represented both GB and Scotland on numerous occasions. As well as multiple appearances for the GB U20’s, she has 12 caps for Great Britain’ senior side having represented her country in their 2015 Eurobasket campaign.
McGarrachan has also represented Scotland since she was 18 and was one of the key contributors in Scotland’s recent Malaysia tour, finishing as the team’s leading rebounder and averaging 14.3 points throughout the tournament.
Speaking about returning home to play in the WBBL, McGarrachan said: “I’m really looking forward to joining Caledonia Pride. Having played with most of the girls during the national team’s tour of Malaysia this summer, I believe we can really do damage in the league this year! Being back on home soil is going to be great too. I can’t wait to play in front of my family and friends again.”
Fellow Riders team-mate Dee Hayward will also join Pride for the upcoming season. Dee has spent the last two seasons at Leicester where she averaged 12.5 points across 30 games in 2016/17.
Hayward’s playing career started with St Mirren where she was awarded Player of the Year in 2009. Hayward then moved to Beckett University to continue her studies and play basketball before earning herself a scholarship to play for Armstrong State University in the US.
She played four years with the Armstrong State Pirates, topping it all off with a stellar final season where she averaged 14.9 points to go along with 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game which resulted in her winning Third Team All-Conference hounours.
Hayward has also represented her country for both Scotland and Great Britain. During the 2011 season Dee played for GB U20s and competed with them in the 2011 U20 European Championships where they finished 8th. Scotland’s leading scorer in their recent tour of Malaysia, Hayward averaged 20.7 points throughout the campaign.
She said: “I am looking forward to this opportunity to be closer to my friends and family. It is exciting to be part of new programme as it goes into its second year. Despite obvious disappointment about the Commonwealth Games, I am excited to see the team come together this year. We have a young but enthusiastic team with a great set-up and with that behind us, we have every chance to succeed in the WBBL.”
Pride fans will get the opportunity to see the new signing in action on the opening weekend of the WBBL season as the team welcome Nottingham Wildcats to Edinburgh. Season Tickets for next year are on sale NOW and are available HERE.