Huskie Women's Basketball alumna and two-time U SPORTS national champion Ella Murphy Wiebe said she "doesn't recognize" the shy 17-year-old who first put on a Huskies jersey in 2021.

Homeschooled until Grade 11, Murphy Wiebe's basketball career started at nine years old in the SMBA (Saskatoon Minor Basketball Association) under the guidance of her coach and father, Huskie Men's Basketball alumnus and former Saskatoon Slam player, Dean Wiebe.

For the Murphy and Wiebe families, basketball and the Huskies are in their DNA.

In addition to her Dad, Murphy Wiebe's aunt Kathleen Murphy is a Huskie Women's Basketball alumna and, her brother Owen Murphy Wiebe, a guard in his third year with the Huskies Men's Basketball program.

Between that and older sister who played recreationally, Wiebe said she was "always playing with older players".

In 2019, Murphy Wiebe transitioned out of homeschooling and began Grade 11 at Aden Bowman Collegiate, immediately securing a spot on the women's team.

That same year she was named both Aden Bowman Grade 11 Female Athlete of the Year and Aden Bowman Girls' Basketball MVP.

Her skills spoke for themselves and in 2021 she made her debut as a Huskie.
  Wiebe at the 2026-27 U SPORTS National Championships (March 2026)

During her time as a Huskie, Murphy Wiebe's impressive record has continued, with two U SPORTS national championships, three Canada West championships, the U SPORTS Final 8 Tournament MVP (2026) and the U SPORTS Final 8 Tournament All-Star (2026).

As a mechanical engineering student at the USask College of Engineering, Murphy Wiebe is also a five-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, an achievement awarded to athletes who maintain an average of 80 percent or higher.

This exceptional academic and athletic success led to her to receive the Michael C. Maguire P. Eng. Huskie Athletic College of Engineering Award in 2025-26, an award allocated specifically to women in both athletics and engineering.

"I didn't really know what engineering was when I went into it. I just knew I liked science and math, so engineering was just the natural path for me."

When she began the program, she said she was surprised at how few women were studying engineering and just how important it was to have women in the field.

"In my first year we did a personality test. When they split us up into our personality groups, it was funny because most of the women and non-binary people were in my group. That was a smaller group because it's engineering - there aren't that many women. But something the professor talked about was how important it is to have engineers who are more emotional… who are more passionate and empathetic."
  Wiebe with some fellow College of Engineering students.

"It's so critical as an engineer, because engineers have so much responsibility and they have a lot of sway in how cities are built… how society is."

At first, she said, she tried to approach things in the same way she saw her male peers doing it but soon realized that embracing her own unique skill set was actually an advantage.

"I have a lot of skills that are not typical for an engineering student. I would say I don't think like a normal engineering student. I'm much more emotional. I am analytical, but I'm much more emotional, and I'm very detail-oriented. I've learned that's a very good skill set to have in engineering, even though it's not that common."

Women can bring different perspectives and that's a good thing, she said.

"You don't have to do it like men to be good at it. I still struggle with feelings of doubt when I don't know what that type of car it is… or whatever. But just because I have a different set of knowledge doesn't mean I need to fit in. I've just come to realize you've got to do your own thing."

For Murphy Wiebe, when it comes to engineering, her desire to contribute something positive to the world is what motivates her.

"That's kind of why I'm in engineering. It's not about the numbers. I'm in engineering to make a difference."

For now, Murphy Wiebe has taken a pause from her studies to pursue an athletic dream - playing professional basketball.
  Wiebe in a promotional shot for BC Alte Kanti Aarau (Courtesy: BC Alte Kanti Aaura)

In August, she departed for Switzerland after signing her first ever professional contract.

"The first step was to get an agent. It took me a while to actually sign with the agent because I didn't know what I was doing. I wanted to make sure I trusted them and they were looking out for my best interests," Murphy Wiebe said. "After I signed with my agent, they just kind of handled the rest."

By the time she signed, Murphy Wiebe had three offers on the table - her first from Switzerland, an offer from the UK and an offer from Portugal.

Ultimately, she said, the Switzerland team "just felt right".

"I took the first offer. I really liked the sports director. And when I talked to the coach, I really liked him. It seemed like he had taken the time to watch me play and watch my film. So, I automatically got a really good feeling about the team."

Still settling in, Murphy Wiebe is now in Switzerland with her new team, BC Alte Kanti Aarau.

Being ready for a pro-contract is something she credits to being a Huskie and to the team culture Huskie Women's Basketball Head Coach Lisa Thomaidis has built over the past two and a half decades.
  Wiebe with Huskie Women's Basketball Head Coach Lisa Thomaidis.

"Coach doesn't only choose people who are good at basketball. She chooses people who are good people and I think that's so important because you can be an amazing basketball player, but if you don't have the team in mind, you're just not going to do well on our team. I think that's what coach has made and I think that's why we're so unified and why we're so happy for each other when we have a great game. Even if maybe you didn't get as much playing time, we want each other to win."

Sports is about being unapologetic in your pursuit, but also about leaving your ego at the door, said Murphy Wiebe, something she said both Thomaidis and her team have inspired in her.

"I've definitely learned that from coach. She a direct person and I just appreciate that about her. The biggest reason why she's such a role model is because she's just unapologetic."

Murphy Wiebe said learning to accept mistakes and move forward is also a huge lesson she's taken from both engineering and basketball.

"Not taking things so seriously is one of the biggest things I've learned from engineering. I've spent a lot of my time being stressed and I've realized that even when things are lighter, I'll still find something to stress about. Yes, engineering is a professional degree and yes basketball is a serious thing, but we're here to enjoy our lives and to have fun too," she said. "I've struggled with giving myself some grace. It's definitely still a work in progress. I'll still think, why would you do that? But that's never how I would look at a teammate or a friend. Or even an opponent."

Having that grace for herself and from others was something Murphy Wiebe came to especially appreciate in her last year with the Huskies, when her beloved grandfather, known as papa to her and family, passed away.
  Wiebe (left) with her Papa (centre) and sister (right).

"I think it was important, like when it happened, to take time for myself. It was important for me just to be with my family and the team completely understood. It was also important to have those connections on the team, when I was ready to go to them for support. I think that's kind of how I was able to continue to improve during that. Because I felt very supported with my family and with the team."

Talking about her grandfather makes Murphy Wiebe tear up.

"He was definitely my biggest fan and my biggest supporter. I was sad that he couldn't see me become an MVP and win a second national championship, but I think he kind of already knew that that was attainable for me. I don't think he would have been surprised, even though I was quite surprised. He was definitely with me during that tournament."

As proud as her grandfather was of her athletic achievements, she said her academics made him especially proud.

"He was always happy when I got good grades. He passed away December 9^th. I was just heading into finals and I ended up doing fine and I remained an Academic All Canadian. He loved saying that I was an Academic All Canadian. I think he like helped me through that."

As for what she'll miss about being a Huskie, she said it's the lifelong bonds.

"You just spend so much time together. I was 17 in my first year - to still have those friendships and to see how everyone has grown and how being a Huskie has shaped everybody and how much confidence it has given so many people. It's just such a community. That team room will forever just hold such a special place in my heart."
  The 2025-26 Huskie Women's Basketball Team and U SPORTS National Champions (March 2026).