Huskies in the Pros: Team captains McMillan, Kasongo to play professionally in Europe
A pair of Huskies team captains will be continuing their playing careers in Europe, as they have recently signed their first professional contracts.
Read on to find out where Huskies women's hockey player Alexa McMillan and men's basketball player Nikita Kasongo will be playing this fall!
Alexa McMillan
A few months ago, Huskies women's hockey team captain Alexa McMillan expected she would be in a classroom in the western United States this September.
Instead, McMillan will be spending the fall in hockey rinks across the Atlantic Ocean, thanks to her hard work both on the ice and in the classroom over her time at Saint Mary's.
"I've been accepted to chiropractic school at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon. It's a fantastic school and they've agreed to let me defer my acceptance for a year so I can take this opportunity to play pro in Sweden," says McMillan.
A defenceman from Edmonton, Alberta, McMillan will be suiting up for Göteborg HC of the Swedish Women's Hockey League.
"It's a really exciting opportunity for me," says McMillan. "It's a relatively new team, they're rebuilding and bringing in a lot of new players, so it's pretty exciting that we'll be able to make an impact from day one and build a culture there."
"We are very proud of Alexa and happy to see her continuing on to play professional hockey in Sweden, and getting a chance to represent our women's hockey program on an international stage," says Huskies women's hockey head coach Chris Larade. "Alexa has carried herself as a true pro on and off-the ice for five years here at SMU, and I have no doubt she will bring the same solid habits and values she displayed here, to her new team."
McMillan, who graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and was awarded the Sobey School of Business gold medal for academic achievement in May, says she values the opportunity to experience a new culture and thinks it will benefit her career path.
"From some connections that I've had that have played in Sweden previously, everybody has fantastic things to say about Swedish culture and I'm really looking forward to experiencing it myself" says McMillan. "I also think that this experience will give me a leg up when I return to school, because my future goal is to be a chiropractor, probably with a sports focus, and I'd like to use my business degree from Saint Mary's to open up my own practice eventually."
McMillan is currently coaching power skating at Quantum Speed and training in her hometown of Edmonton and expects to head overseas in July, with her season scheduled to start in September.
"I'm so grateful for the relationships that I built during my time at Saint Mary's, and all the development that I received as a player and a person. My coaches and teammates pushed me every day to be the best version of myself, and I think it's really prepared me to take that next step, not only in hockey, but in life."
Nikita Kasongo
After a decorated career with the Saint Mary's Huskies men's basketball team, Nikita Kasongo, has signed his first professional contract to play in Portugal.
A 6'4" guard from Chateauguay, Quebec, Kasongo will be suiting up for Alianca Sangalhos, a historic team that has recently been promoted to the country's top division Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol.
"I'm very excited to start my professional career, and I hear Portugal is an amazing country," says Kasongo, who has never been. "Sangalhos is a small, ocean town, and I hear it's beautiful there, with an incredible climate and culture. I like the fact that it's a smaller town where I can make connections with the fanbase and the community there."
"With their recent promotion to the top league, the team has been heavily recruiting some talent. They have two American players now, and I'll be joining as the third import on their roster," says Kasongo. "I want to make a name for myself as a professional, so it's a great opportunity to play at a league with a high reputation, and if I do well there, then the sky is the limit."
Kasongo, who was a team captain this past season, capped off an outstanding career with the Huskies, being named team MVP and a second team AUS All-Star, while leading the team in total scoring, rebounding and assists.
"I'm excited for Nikita to begin his pro career in Portugal," says Huskies head coach Jonah Taussig. "He was a great player and also a fantastic ambassador for our program. He was also strong student and someone who was always willing to give back and help out in the community, and I'm sure he will succeed in his pro career and beyond."
Kasongo says his years with the Huskies prepared him to take the next step in his basketball career.
"First and foremost, I learned how to be a leader at Saint Mary's. Over my time there I grew as a basketball player and a man, and I'm super grateful to Coach Taussig and his staff for putting me in a leadership position," explains Kasongo, who was named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year in 2017-18. "And then as a player, my time with the Huskies really helped improve the versatility in my game. I played different positions every season, even every game. I feel like I can fill in any role, defend any position, and that will translate really well at the professional level."
Despite all his on-court achievements with the Huskies, Kasongo says his proudest moment during his time at Saint Mary's was graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, double major in Sociology and Criminology this May.
"The most important thing for me was to get an education," says Kasongo. "Because playing basketball isn't everything…I'm very committed to the game, but I know it won't last forever, but my education will. So for me and my family, getting my degree was the most important thing."
Kasongo is currently training in Montreal and expects to head overseas in August, with his season scheduled to start in October.
"I'm super grateful for all my experiences at Saint Mary's, and want to thank all the coaches, players, faculty and staff that helped me. I'll always cherish my time at Saint Mary's, and I'm going to carry that Huskies pride with me, hopefully around the world."