Erin McAleenan, Head Coach

Bio

In 2025-26, Erin McAleenan is in her third season as head coach of the REDS.

Hired in June of 2023, the Sussex native guided UNB to a 15-5 record in 2023-24's Atlantic University Sport regular season, good for second place in the conference standings. McAleenan's team advanced to the conference championship game, somewhere UNB hadn't been in more than a decade.

In 2024-25, the REDS were 9-11, falling in the quarter-finals at the AUS Championship Tournament.

McAleenan took over the REDS having served as head coach previously at the University of Lethbridge (2012-13 through 2014-15), York University (2015-16 through 2020-21), and the University of British Columbia (2021-22 and 2022-23).

During her time at York, she guided the Lions to their first playoff win in 11 seasons, earning her York's Coach of the Year award in 2019.

While with the Pronghorns, McAleenan guided Lethbridge to their best record in almost two decades (2012-13) and was instrumental in creating an women's basketball alumni association and the Jr. Horns Basketball Club.

Prior to her first head coaching job, McAleenan served as an assistant coach at the University of Alberta for three seasons.

She played four seasons at Acadia University (1999-2000 through 2002-2003).

Along with her work in Canadian university basketball, McAleenan served as head coach of Canada’s gold medal winning women’s 3X3 team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was an assistant coach with the national junior women’s team between 2017 and 2019, was an assistant coach with Canada's women's team at the 2011 Pan Am Games, and was head coach of Alberta’s Canada Summer Games team in 2013 and was head coach of Alberta’s U17 girls’ team in 2011 and 2012.

McAleenan serves as a mentor for the Coaching Association of Canada's High Performance Women in Coaching Mentorship Program, where she provides leadership and development opportunities for other women in coaching positions.

The McAleenan name carries a lot of weight in New Brunswick basketball circles.

Erin’s father, Peter, played at UNB under legendary men’s coach Don Nelson, and the trophy presented to the top coach in girls high school basketball in New Brunswick carries her grandmother’s name.

McAleenan earned a Science degree at Acadia, an Education degree at Trent University, and holds a Masters in Coaching from the University of Alberta.