For the Seawolves varsity badminton team, success is nothing new. With a legacy of excellence, they have established themselves as a top team in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA).

Recently returning from a 16-year hiatus, the team's comeback to the varsity sport has been nothing short of impressive, made up of a group of talented athletes and bringing back a sport that has seen big achievements including Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) medals.

Head Coach, Matt Nicolle, who starred as a player for the Seawolves from 1999-2003, leads the team and says he’s happy to see the continued success of the program. “If it wasn’t for the many badminton leaders in the past who built a legacy of outstanding performance in the sport, this would not be possible," said Nicolle.

"I credit a lot to Britt MacLeod, former coach at UNB Saint John. He is someone I consider a mentor and is responsible for much of the development in the region over many years, producing banners and medals. Without him, I would not be able to have the program we have today," Nicolle explained.

The program began ACAA play in 1995-96, concluding after 2006-07 campaign. During that span, the Seawolves won four ACAA championships and two players – Jen Fox (1999-2000) and Ron Davis (2000-01) – won bronze medals at the CCAA championships, the school’s only medals at the national level. Richard Johnson and Britt MacLeod each won two ACAA coach of the year awards, while Jing Bing Lam was the conference’s player of the year in 2006-07. The Seawolves had 11 all-conference nods during their 12-year run.

The team's talents haven’t gone unnoticed, with third-year athlete Sydney Arseneault and rookie Krishna Vaibhov recognized as athletes of the week during the fall semester. Additionally, the team ranked 5th overall in the CCAA before the winter break and placed third overall in the ACAA in the latest regular season circuit.

So, what’s next for the team? With a final regular season circuit tournament on Feb. 3 and the ACAA 2024 Badminton Championships coming up, the Seawolves are eager to continue their success in the sport and hope to clinch another title.