Former Acadia women's basketball star signs contract with professional German team

For four seasons, Elizabeth Iseyemi poured out her heart and soul on the basketball court for the Acadia women's basketball team.

Now she plans to do the same as a professional player in Europe. Iseyemi has signed to play for Heidelberg in Germany.

"I'm super excited but there is a part of me that is a little bit nervous too because I'll be living in a new area and playing with a whole group of people that are new to me," said Iseyemi, a six-foot forward from Dartmouth, N.S.

Iseyemi proved she was one of the top players in the country last season. She ranked second in the nation with 22 points per game and was named a U Sport second team all-Canadian.

Len Harvey, her coach at Acadia, connected her with an agent who helped her clinch the deal with the German club.

Heidelberg is a city of about 160,000 people.

Iseyemi doesn't speak German but most of her teammates and team staff speak English.

"That is a big plus for me," said Iseyemi, who played at Dartmouth High School before heading to a U.S. prep school for two seasons. She graduated from Acadia with a bachelor of science degree.

She's been trying to improve her German but expects a language barrier when she arrives. She leaves today and will have a few weeks to get settled before the season begins in September.

"That's the perfect amount of time I think I'll need to get myself acclimated," said Iseyemi. "I'm looking forward to finding my own rhythm and routine."