Nicola Handreck to represent Malta at Games of the Small States of Europe

VALETTA, Malta - Newberry College rising sophomore Nicola Handreck will represent the Republic of Malta in international competition next week, as she has been selected as one of 12 players on the senior women's national team at the Games of the Small States of Europe from June 2-6 in Iceland. With this selection, Handreck becomes the first Newberry women's basketball player to compete at the senior international level. Newberry men's basketball alumnus Aegir Steinarsson will represent Iceland once again on the men's side of the competition.

Handreck, who is a native of Heywood, Victoria, Australia, holds dual citizenship in both Australia and Malta. Handreck's grandparents were born and grew up in Malta before emigrating to Australia.

Handreck earned South Atlantic Conference all-freshman team honors in the 2014-15 season, starting every game but Senior Day to help lead the Wolves to the SAC Tournament championship and the NCAA Division II Tournament. She averaged 8.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game in her first collegiate season.

She scored in double digits in 13 games with a season-best 19 points in the first round of the SAC Tournament against Lincoln Memorial.

In the Games of the Small States of Europe, Malta will play three games with all games at 7:30 p.m. local (3:30 p.m. Eastern) in the Laugardalshöll Arena in Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. On Tuesday, June 2, Malta takes on hosts Iceland. On Wednesday, June 3, Malta plays Luxembourg and on Thursday, June 5, Malta plays Monaco. 

Stay tuned to Newberry's social media outlets for any live video or statistics links for Handreck's performance in Iceland as she debuts for the Maltese national team.