Thunderwolves women’s basketball team adds Hana Whalen of Thunder Bay to 2019 recruiting class

The Lakehead Thunderwolves women’s basketball team is proud to announce the signing of 5’9 guard Hana Whalen of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

“We are thrilled that Hana has decided on basketball and to play for the Thunderwolves next season,” women’s basketball coach Jon Kreiner says. “She has great length and athleticism at her position which I firmly believe will translate well in our system at the USPORTS level. Hana is an extremely smart and gifted athlete.”

Whalen is currently in her final year at Hammarskjold High School in Thunder Bay, where she’s been captain of the girls basketball team for the last two years. During those two most recent seasons, Whalen was named MVP of the Lakehead University Basketball Tournament twice, MVP of the 2018 Westgate Tiger Fall Classic, MVP of the 2018 St. Matthews Fall Classic championship game, MVP of the 2017 Sault College Cougar Classic championship game, a two-time SSSAA All-Star, and a two-time Hammarskjold Varsity Girls MVP. Whalen averaged 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals per game.

“Hana knows what it takes to be an elite athlete and has trained hard to get to this point,” Kreiner says.

The 5’9 guard is the fifth recruit added to the Thunderwolves women’s team’s 2019 recruiting class.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play a sport at the university level and the fact that I get to start this journey in my hometown, at a school that has a great science program, is going to make this transition that much easier,” Whalen says. “I’ve been so inspired by the previous and current players on the varsity women’s basketball team through their help in the Jr. Wolves program and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to play alongside these role models.”

Whalen, who holds a 96% high school average, will enter Lakehead’s General Science program in the Fall.

“The Wolves are getting a character player with a tremendous work ethic that helped the Hammarskjold Vikings win two of the past three NWOSSAA Championships,” Hammarskjold girls coach Bruno Corbin says. “Hana is a versatile player who has a broad range of elite skills that can be utilized at the University level. I am certain that under coach Kreiner’s tutelage Hana will continue her development and be a contributor to the continued success of the Thunderwolves program in the near future.”

“Hana has a chance to contribute early in her career,” Kreiner adds, “and I am extremely excited to start coaching her.”