Team Northumbria have turned to Eastern Europe in their bid to bolster this season’s WBBL ranks as head coach Chris Bunten’s summer recruitment campaign gathers pace.
Bulgarian Under 20 international Kalina Axentieva is the club’s fifth signing of the summer after agreeing a two-year deal on Tyneside.
The 21-year-old has been accepted onto a Business with Financial Management Masters degree course at Northumbria University.
And coach Bunten is stoked to have the versatile guard suiting up at Sport Central this season.
“I first came across Kalina when she was captaining Bulgaria in Montenegro during 2015,” he said.
“Even as a 19-year-old she played with an old head on young shoulders. Kalina visited Northumbria University earlier this year and she made an instant impression.
“The Team Northumbria WBBL roster is really taking shape and I’m delighted with the quality and versatility that we can already count on heading into the new season.
“But there’s still work to do. There are offers on the table for more high calibre players and we’ll wait and see what the next few weeks bring.”
Axentieva graduated from Southampton University and has been playing her trade with Team Solent Suns in Division One.
The Sofia-born shooting guard will link up with her new team-mates in August ahead of the new WBBL campaign.
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