For Kathleen and Norah Quinlan, basketball has always been more than a game. It has been a constant in two’s lives ever since they were just two small kids growing up on the rock.  

 

Kathleen Quinlan, a fourth-year guard at St. Thomas University, has had a basketball in her hands since she can remember, and almost always with her older sister nearby. From driveway 1v1 to organized teams, Kathleen’s basketball journey has been shaped by Norah, her big sister who she has always looked up to.  

 

“We grew up on the basketball court together, and I always looked up to her as a role model,” Kathleen stated “so getting to play this year together just makes my young self so proud.” 

 

Basketball became something deeper for the Quinlan sisters during one of the most difficult times in their lives, as their family navigated their father’s journey with terminal cancer. In the uncertainty of that period, the game offered consistency and comfort. 

 

“We would just go out into the driveway and play one-on-one,” Kathleen recalls. “It gave us a few minutes of normalcy. Having that shared love for something that could stay consistent during such an unpredictable time really brought us together.” 

 

That shared appreciation for the game and the work it demands has shaped not only their bond as sisters, but their respect for each other as athletes and people. 

 

The idea of playing together again at the university level had lingered quietly in the background for years. When it finally became reality, it didn’t feel surprising, it felt right. 

 

“When I found out it was actually going to happen, it felt like it was meant to be,” Kathleen says. “I knew she was going to fit into the program easily. It just made sense.” 

 

For Norah Quinlan (she/her), a first-year shooting guard, the moment of realization came unexpectedly — and memorably. The sisters were on the phone together when Norah opened her acceptance letter to STU’s Bachelor of Education program. 

 

“We both realized at the same time that it meant I’d be coming to Fredericton and getting to play with her,” Norah says. “We’d been supporting each other from afar for our entire university careers, so knowing we’d finally be close again was really special.” 

 

The Quinlans are no strangers to sharing the court. They played together as children, on club teams, and even overlapped for a year in high school — Norah as a senior captain, Kathleen as a rookie eager to prove herself.  

 

That competitiveness still shows up daily at practice. 

 

“She knows all my moves,” Kathleen laughs. “Anytime we’re guarding each other, it gets aggressive.” 

 

Norah agrees. “Your sister can make you angrier than anyone else. Things definitely get intense.” 

 

But it’s that edge that pushes them both forward. 

 

Kathleen has watched Norah succeed from the sidelines before, including celebrating Norah’s 2024 championship win with her former team. While bittersweet, that moment stands as one of Kathleen’s proudest as a sister. 

 

“She has been such an amazing support for me throughout my university career,” Kathleen says. “I wouldn’t be the athlete I am today without her.” 

 

Now, their goals align in the same place, at the same time. 

 

“This season, I want to see us both win a championship — together,” Kathleen says. 

 

For Norah, the motivation is just as clear. 

 

“I want to win for our team, but I especially want it for her,” she says. “I really want Kathleen to get a championship.” 

 

Beyond wins and banners, both sisters understand how rare this moment is. Practices, road trips, shared routines. All of these are memories they’ll hold onto. 

 

“I want to really appreciate being on a team with my sister and make sure this season is something I look back on fondly.” Said Norah.  

 

After years of parallel paths, different provinces, and separate journeys, the Quinlan sisters have found themselves back where it all started, together on the court, chasing the same goal.