Southside add two key pieces for WNBL26
The Southside Flyers have added Haylee Andrews and Carley Ernst as two key pieces to their rotation for the coming WNBL26 season.
Haylee Andrews (Adelaide > Southside)
Southside will be the 25-year-old playmaker’s third WNBL home, starting her journey with the Townsville Fire as a development player. She played 11 games across 2016-2018 for the Fire before heading off to college and playing five seasons with the Portland Pilots.
After college, she returned to Australia and played with the Sunshine Coast Phoenix in the NBL1 North before she was recruited by the Adelaide Lightning last season.
In her latest WNBL campaign, Andrews played 21 games and scored a season-high of 12 points against the Perth Lynx. Going into the current NBL1 season with the Sandringham Sabres, Andrews is averaging 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Finals contender.
Flyers Head Coach Kristi Harrower is excited to bring in someone with Andrews’ energy and mindset.
“Haylee will bring energy and enthusiasm to the Flyers. As a backup point guard to Maddi Rocci, she brings her basketball IQ and strategic insight into the game,” Harrower said.
“Haylee has the ability to read the court; she is a great distributor and will play an important role for the team and for her teammates. She is a quality young person, and her dedication to continuous improvement and eagerness to learn will ensure she plays an important role in the growth of the team.”
Andrews explained playing under and learning from superstar Maddy Rocci was a major part of her decision to stay in Victoria.
“Playing under one of Australia’s greatest point guards and supporting one of the premier guards in the WNBL will be great for my continued development,” Andrews said.
“[I’m] excited to play with a new group, basketball allows you to create friendships that go further than just on the court. I’m excited to be around good people, but also learn from my new teammates as well.”
Carley Ernst (Re-signed with Southside)
WNBL veteran Carley Ernst will return to the Southside Flyers for the WNBL26 season.
The two-time WNBL Champion (2022, 2024) has become a staple of the league, as one of the most consistent scoring bigs in the competition. Last season, the 30-year-old played in 10 games and averaged 8.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while managing a back injury.
Upon signing, Ernst explained that the Southside community now feels like home.
“The Flyers have created an environment for not only me but other past and present players where we can still be athletes but, most importantly, be mums and have support around us to do so,” she said.
“Kristi and the club have put together such an exciting roster with a great mixture of players, and I’m so excited to be a part of this group and to get started to build with this group and push for a championship.”
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Ernst will reunite with Championship teammate and new recruit Cayla George, who together formed the frontcourt of the 2022 Melbourne Boomers’ Championship run.
“I’m so excited to be playing with Cayla again… She’s someone you want on your team for her experience, leadership, and competitiveness.
“She brings so much energy to a team, and I know the club and fans are going to love having her be a part of the Flyers.”
Heading into WNBL26, the season opener against the UC Capitals will see Ernst reach an enormous milestone of 300 games.
Check out the full WNBL fixture here.