Roberts-Hare returns to New Zealand

The Southern Hoiho are delighted to announce the signing of New Zealand guard Gracie Roberts-Hare for the 2023 Tauihi League season.

Roberts-Hare set sail straight out of high school to college in the USA, spending time with University of Detroit Mercy and University of Charleston.

After college, Roberts-Hare joined Netherlands team Batouwe Basketball where she played for three years, before one season with Triple Threat also in the Netherlands.

After eight years abroad, Roberts-Hare is ready to return to her home country and excited to get to Dunedin. 

“I'm excited to kind of get to know the city a bit,” she said.

“Especially after being out of New Zealand for eight years now, I kind of want to explore New Zealand a little bit more so it'll be a nice opportunity to see a new city.”

With the Tauihi League not existing when Roberts left New Zealand, she is looking forward to being a part of the competition.

“It was kind of like the States/Australia was the thing to do if you were serious about basketball, so hearing that Tauihi League was a thing made me super excited,” she said.

“I jumped at the opportunity to play in the professional league here in New Zealand.”

“I'm just super grateful and feel really blessed to get the opportunity to play for Hoiho.”

Speaking on her goals for the season, Roberts said she just wants to enjoy it.

“I’m just super excited to play in my home country and play with some of the girls that I've kind of grown up playing against or with,” she said.

“I want to go out there and have fun, do as well as I can, and have a really great and really successful season with Hoiho as a team.”

The Southern Hoiho’s first game of the season comes against the Tokomanawa Queens on the July 12, get your tickets now.