Ranking Every Logo In The PACWEST (Including COTR)

Logos are cool. They reflect not just a team's nickname and location, but also a team's identity. Maybe it's the autism in me speaking, but I can make assumptions about a team's playstyle based solely on their logo.

Unfortunately, making them actually look good, especially in the CCAA, is a different beast entire.

Today, I will rank how well each team in the PACWEST has done in the latter category, then suggest ways for them to improve.

#8: COTR Avalanche

This is the first time I've ever talked about COTR, mainly because they only field teams in volleyball. I know almost nothing about the intricacies of volleyball (I didn't even know what a dig was until I started writing this), but I probably know more about it than COTR's graphic design team knows about logo design.

I get it. You don't want to rip off the Colorado Avalanche. But is this really the best you could do? Don't get me wrong, the teal is fantastic, but all I see is missed potential.

Slapping the full title of the university on top is the icing on the cake. You could've just put "COTR" at the start, or better yet, omitted it entirely.

How I'd Improve It: Wipe it Clean and Start Over

Avalanches usually happen on snowy mountains, which are said to be the home of the mythical yeti. I know the Colorado Avalanche have used yeti imagery in the past, mainly with the foot logo, but they've never used the head of a yeti before.

I propose that COTR does something similar to what the Utah Mammoth do: Use the side profile of an animal and combine it with a landmark. In this case, merge the yeti's head with a snowy mountain. Maybe you could combine it with the "A" of the original logo and turn the swoosh into a slick hairdo. Or maybe turn the swoosh into an actual avalanche, and the rest of the "A" into a mountain.

You could also use a head-on shot of a yeti, like the Vancouver Titans did. They're not around to sue you, so you don't have to worry about that.

I see potential, COTR. Make it happen.

#7: Okanagan Coyotes

The Coyotes are the youngest team in the PACWEST, but have already branded themselves better than their spiritual predecessor in KPU. They took inspiration from a similarly named team that once called Arizona home, depicting a wild desert dog howling at an unpictured moon.

The predominantly red logo, a rarity among many historic teams in the conference, is visually appealing, and the coyote itself is in the perfect middle ground between howl and bark.

Unfortunately, the large "Coyotes" wordmark does nothing but steal attention, and it feels redundant when paired with the block "OC" in the background, which could either stand for "Okanagan College" or "Okanagan Coyotes." When the two are put together, not only does it feel obsolete, but also somewhat demeaning.

Yes, we know what a coyote is. You don't have to spell it out for us.

How I'd Improve It: Remember, You Play in Kelowna

I'm still unsure of the affiliation between the two, but the Coyotes could learn a thing or two from the BCIHL's Okanagan Lakers. Adding orange to the team's color palette brings to mind the hot and dry atmosphere of BC's Interior, why not lean into it? Throw some yellow in there, and now you've got a color scheme to work with.

Instead of putting the coyote head on top of the two initials, combine the two elements. Turn the O into a mark around the coyote's eye, and curve the C to fit the jaw. Put a setting sun behind it, and you've got a logo that blends nickname, school, and location into one.

Make it happen. It's too good to pass up.

#6: Langara Falcons

The Langara Falcons are historically the most successful team in the PACWEST, boasting the most combined titles across all sports.

Their graphic design team, however, would seldom be in conversation for such an honor.

The intent is clear: The black symbolizes a night sky, and the lines are meant to convey the general shape of a falcon locking eyes with its presumed prey.

The orange contrasts beautifully with the black, and it creates an aura of efficiency and fear, fitting of Langara's storied history.

Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but this hardly looks like a falcon. Because the lines are abstract, it's hard to tell where certain body parts begin and end. The wings look strangely like antlers, and the falcon's head seems to evaporate into thin air one you get below the neck.

That small line at the bottom of the circle helps create the suggestion of a body without stealing attention, but it doesn't do enough to make it look like a freakish deer-bird hybrid taxidermy.

How I'd Improve It: Give the Bird a Body

Tech companies hear it all the time. Minimalism does nothing but remove personality.

All you have to do is take the full-bodied bird you have on your basketball court and put that inside the circle. Now you have a falcon that actually looks like a falcon while maintaining the structure of the original logo.

#5: VIU Mariners

For reasons I shouldn't have to explain, I will always love this logo.

But I have to admit that it isn't perfect.

I know for a name that applies to both men's and women's teams, you can't have a humanoid mascot, at least not an overtly gendered one, and the logo isn't exactly cluttered, but think about it. You're called the Mariners. You have the entire ocean to pull from, and the best you can do is an italicized star behind a generic block serif wordmark.

How I'd Improve It: Lean Into Your Name or Go Back In Time

There's two options for making a more fitting logo. Either use the upside-down trident that your baseball compatriots have used for the better part of a decade, or use the likeness of a large watercraft. I propose either some variety of boat, like a ferry or clipper (Love Boat, anyone?), or a submarine fit for the deep sea. It would be great opportunity to reintroduce dark blue into the team's current color palette. A boat would fit especially well, given Nanaimo's status as the Harbour City.

Alternatively, if you want to keep the star, why not just go back to the logo you had in the 2010s? It was dated beyond belief, but it had a personality to it that the current one can only dream to have. You could even make it primarily blue, like it was during the Todd Warnick years.

I know you can do better. Prove it.

#4: Douglas Royals

Here's where we get into the good logos.

Mind you, we're still grading on a pretty heavy curve.

The lion head is a good visual centerpiece, and the wordmark is clean without feeling dated, but the two elements are just far enough apart to feel like they're fighting for attention. I would've liked to see the two integrated a lot more; maybe the wordmark could arch around the lion.

How I'd Improve It: Where's the Crown?

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the name "Royals" is supposed to reflect the lion's status as the king of the jungle, but I feel like including an actual symbol of royalty would tie everything together.

Everyone and their mother has seen at least one image of a lion wearing a crown for the exact same reason. All you have to do is give the lion a crown (preferably the same lion from 2008), and you have a logo that would probably find its way to at least one subpar music video filmed in New Westminster.

Make sure you keep the green, too.

#3: Capilano Blues

Capilano has been known as the Blues for most of their existence, yet they didn't adopt their two-tone blue until 2001. That's like if Notre Dame didn't use gold helmets until after Joe Montana graduated.

Regardless of how long it took for them to make the switch, Capilano's logo is the good kind of simplistic. It doesn't do too much, but it's not overtly bad.

The slanted wordmark is a nice touch.

How I'd Improve It: No Idea

There's not really a lot you can do with a name like "Blues" without copying from someone else. If there is a way to improve it, I haven't thought of it yet.

#2: CBC Bearcats

This just looks clean. The typography doesn't feel redundant like on Okanagan, and the bearcat looks appropriately fierce.

Not much else to say, honestly.

How I'd Improve It: No Idea

I thought about trying to insert a cross somewhere in the logo, but not only would that be too overt for a religious school like CBC, but I also have no idea where you'd put it.

This can stay like it is for now. Maybe increase the saturation.

#1: Camosun Chargers

In the past, I've given the Chargers a lot of grief. Maybe it's for me being a Victoria son. Maybe it's for their inability to beat VIU in crucial games. Maybe it's a combination of the two, or something else entirely.

But even I, the voice of Camosun's biggest rival, have to admit that this logo is incredible.

It manages to strike a balance between minimalism and looking like an actual ram head, using the negative space in the white outline to color in the shadows.

It also helps that the combination of blue and white is simple, yet eye-catching, and the light green accent gives it a proper outline.

How I'd Improve It: I Wouldn't

This is the only logo that I feel doesn't need any changes. It works well as a primary logo, a mid-court logo, and for any other purpose.

Well done, Camosun. I'm proud of you.

Mariners Drum Up Hype, Sign Winston Cole

With the recent announcement that Brad Lansdell and Max D'Amato would not return to the Mariners for the upcoming season, VIU was quick to strike, landing a highly-regarded player from down south.

A 6'3 specimen from southern Seattle, Winston Cole is a well-travelled defender who brings a winning mentality to VIU. He spent his first season with Yakima Valley College, where he averaged 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game across six games with the Yaks. Unflattering numbers, to be sure, but given that he only started three games, promise was still there.

Tacoma Community College seemed to agree, and they scooped up Cole for the 2023-24 season. In his lone season with the Titans which saw him start 26 of a possible 33 games, he averaged 13 points per game, punctuated by a career-high 28 points against Everett, but his main calling card was his defense. He averaged 1.4 steals per game, including an otherworldly 7 steals in a game against Everett, to go with 4.4 rebounds per game.

After his stellar season with the Titans, where he led them to within one game of an NWAC title, Cole took his talents to Florida Memorial University of the NAIA.

Unfortunately, Cole failed to recapture his prior success with the Lions, only averaging 5.2 points per game. Dissatisfied with his lack of playing time, he heads north of the border for the first time as he tries to rebuild his stock.

He is expected to star alongside Markus Modrovic in VIU's forward room, forming the closest thing basketball has to a penalty kill. I predict that he'll lead the team in steals. Lofty expectations, but not impossible, given his pedigree.

Behind Enemy Lines: Okanagan Coyotes

The Okanagan Coyotes are the youngest team in the PACWEST, playing their first season in 2018-19. They took the place of two departing teams, the Quest Kermodes and the KPU Eagles, the latter of which I hope returns to the conference one day.

Unfortunately, the Coyotes have filled Quest's spot in more ways than one.

We've done this five times before, do I even need to explain how this works?

Women's

Season recap

Despite their brief time in the conference, the Coyotes began the 2024-25 season aiming to build on their impressive track record. Last year, they entered the playoffs as the final seed but managed to upset both CBC and Capilano on their way to earning a conference silver medal. With their 2022 conference title and the recent addition of Faith Hunter, Coyotes fans had plenty of reasons to be optimistic, despite their massive roster turnover.

The Coyotes kicked off their season against the Mariners but were quickly brought back to reality. Rookie coach Vince Hunter was thrown into the deep end, and the team soon became the conference's punchline, sliding to the bottom of the standings.

Despite this, they still had a narrow chance at making the playoffs. Another Cinderella run was within grasp. With a tiebreaker over Camosun, they only needed one win. The Douglas Royals, waiting patiently for either them or Camosun, would be their ultimate challenge.

They lost.

74-64.

Not a single second with the lead.

Playoffs missed by one game.

Ouch.

Strengths and weaknesses

All Okanagan can really do at this point is unplug the router and plug it back in. Just by having an offseason with mostly the same roster, the Coyotes will have more time to build chemistry. If that isn't enough, the Coyotes brought in a sampling of new faces.

The first recruit was Coti Lopez, who returns to the Coyotes after spending time at Iowa Western, South Suburban, and the Paraguay national program, the latter of which also gave rise to point guard Antonella Luraghi. Jaidan Curteanu was imported all the way from Whitehorse to provide additional guard depth.

The lone frontcourt addition looks to be a good one. Cheyenna Wilson comes over from Britannia Secondary, where she helped lead the Bruins to an upset victory over Lambrick Park in 2024.

Topped off with Rebecca Boyes, who amassed over 1,000 points at Pitt Meadows, and the Coyotes look to be fearsome in the future.

How do they fare against VIU?

They don't.

At least, not right now.

I want to think the Coyotes have a chance. I really do. Unfortunately, asking this roster to stand up to one of the mightiest teams in the country is a fool's errand. Okanagan's frontcourt is still a massive question mark, and the Mariners famously have one of the strongest forward rooms in the province.

Every team in the PACWEST fixed their biggest need except for Okanagan, so as much as I hate to admit it, the Coyotes are in for another rough year.

Men's

Season recap

Last season for the Coyotes was one to forget. They suffered a brutal 2-22 season, which included going winless in October and February.

Even for their struggles, there was still a light at the end of the tunnel. Manny Biden was among the conference's elite, and formed a strong backcourt with Damani Green. The mid-season addition of Luke Huddlestone also provided veteran leadership.

Nonetheless, the Coyotes were unable to capture the success they had the season before, and became the lone PACWEST team to miss the playoffs.

Strengths and weaknesses

With Manny Biden's departure, Okanagan had a hole to fill at guard. In addition to the in-house options of Nathan Lamb and Brandon Porter, local guard Ryan Dekleva is returning to Kelowna after spending one season with the SAIT Trojans. The three will likely fill in for DaJuan Burke, who is scheduled to miss the first half of the season.

Dekleva was Okanagan's only addition in their backcourt, however. The Coyotes focused their offseason on becoming a defensive team, and I love it.

6’7 forward Chris Bojanowski, interior threat Tesloach Deng, and defensive anchors Timi Orifa and Trevon Roots were all brought in to help Okanagan stake a claim in the paint. If Green and Biden stay hot? Oh boy.

Dino Gini, the only head coach the Coyotes have ever known, will return for his ninth season with the program.

How do they fare against VIU?

Although the Coyotes will be much improved, particularly on defense, they’re not out of the woods just yet. The PACWEST is a gauntlet of a conference, and it’s unlikely Okanagan will make an immediate push for contention. Still, they should stay competitive and might give a #3 seed a run for their money if luck is on their side.

Where Okanagan has the strength over VIU is in their post defense. Deng and Roots form a great one-two punch of rim protection, and their guard room is capable of taking a step, but VIU has the championship pedigree to give the Coyotes fits.

For the rest of the offseason, I'll be reacting to moves surrounding the Mariners and the PACWEST at large. The first postgame recap should be out in October. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

Behind Enemy Lines: Langara Falcons

In the latter half of the 20th century, no team was feared as much as Vancouver Community College. From 1974 to 1992, the Falcons won a combined 25 conference titles, including a stretch from 1971 to 1985 where the Falcons won either the men's or women's title.

After becoming Langara College in 1994, the Falcons celebrated by winning four out of the next five conference titles, including a three-peat from 1997 to 1999, winning national championships in the latter two years. Historically speaking, the Falcons are the greatest PACWEST team of all time, and among the country's elite.

Since the turn of the millennium, the Falcons have struggled to recapture their former glory, only winning three conference titles. Their most recent national title came in 2014, and they have yet to win a conference title since then.

With the rosters they've assembled, many in Vancouver have a reason to be excited.

Women's

Season recap

Langara, while far from the worst team in the conference, was certainly far from world-beating. They finished 8-16, not finishing in the top 3 of any stat except opponent's personal fouls and turnovers forced, but the latter was neutralized by Langara committing the second most turnovers of any team in the conference.

Despite an 0-5 start, they snuck into the PACWEST championships as the #5 seed, but were made to sing the blues as Capilano quickly dispatched them, 77-51. Reegan Bond led the Falcons with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Strengths and weaknesses

Langara is confident in the roster they've built, but took a unique approach to getting there. 

Head coach Cameron MacGillivary was let go and replaced by former UBC assistant Adriano Catena, who spent the last four years turning the Thunderbirds into a provincial powerhouse. 

On the recruiting side, Langara added guards Bianca Padolina and Kaitlyn Chan, while strengthening their forward lineup with Taegan Lee and returning player Nadia Singh. 

The Falcons' only notable loss is Katelyn Lafleur, but with their new additions, they seem well-prepared to fill the gap without much trouble.

How do they fare against VIU?

Langara still has a long way to go until they can roll with the best of them, but this does not mean that they're an easy opponent by any stretch. Catena is a proven winner in the collegiate ranks, and the roster is still relatively young.

That being said, VIU should still have the upper hand. They have a better roster at virtually every position, more proven coaches, and proven championship pedigree. Langara, at least for the upcoming season, should be just another statistic.

Men's

Season recap

Over a decade removed from their national title in 2014, the Falcons sat comfortably in the second tier of team last season. Despite a top-three offense fronted by guards Cameron Vaughn, Edriel Asirit, and Kadyn Brown, their reward was a 10-14 season and an unceremonious playoff ouster at the hands of the CBC Bearcats.

Strengths and weaknesses

Langara is in an extremely interesting situation. Last year, the Falcons lived and died by Cameron Vaughn. The Minneapolis native finished 2nd in the league in points per game, but was sandwiched on both sides by two VIU guards, Kam Bender and Kaeleb Johnson. With both of them leaving, Vaughn should stake his claim as the conference's top offensive player in what will likely be his final collegiate year.

The main reason many are expecting great things from Langara this season is their roster. Almost all of their lineup from last year is returning. This includes true sophomore guard Luka Subotic and versatile forward Patrick Robinson.

Their guard room didn’t need much improvement, but got much-needed depth by signing three-point specialist Taiga Parmar from St. Michael’s and true point guard James Zongo from Tupper, who famously dropped 56 points during an All-Star game in Vancouver last year.

Their forward room was greatly improved with the signings of true centre Charlie Comrie and point forward Justin Best, while also poaching Aaron Ungprasert from Capilano’s bloated forward room. 6’7 utilityman Hartej Aujla can play every position, but will play mostly as a forward or wing.

What worries me somewhat about the Falcons is their lack of a designated defender. Most teams employ at least one player to cover another team's best option (think of Capilano with Damein Coleman or VIU with Markus Modrovic). That role will either go to Patrick Robinson, Langara's leading rebounder last year, or Christian Archer, who led the team in blocks per game.

How do they fare against VIU?

I really like what the Falcons are building. They're trying to emulate VIU's philosophy of building your roster primarily around young players. With this being Vaughn's final year, I expect Langara to make a major push for a playoff win and beyond.

Assuming everything goes right and one of their players can step in as a defensive specialist, I think they have a realistic chance of stealing a game from the Mariners and potentially splitting the season series.

Next post is gonna be on Okanagan. After that, I'll just crank out variety content until the season begins. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

The ACSN's Rebirth

While combing Instagram for tidbits earlier this week, I found a story of the Capilano Blues responding to a post from the All-Canadian Sports Network. At the time, I didn't know what the ACSN was, but after doing a bit more digging, I found something that I'm surprised didn't exist earlier.

The CCAA had its own network.

Discussion of college sports in Canada has always a strange case. Despite relatively minimal coverage of the NCAA, college football and March Madness notwithstanding, it's still the first thing people go to in this country whenever people think of college sports.

U Sports, the highest form of collegiate athletics in Canada, somehow receives even less coverage. The only dedicated network I've even seen for U Sports is obsessedsports.ca, and most people don't naturally know it the same way that they'd know ESPN or TSN.

A fan account (a very good and extremely well-maintained one, but a fan account nonetheless) is the best U Sports has in terms of consistent and thorough coverage.

Hardly anyone at TSN even mentions U Sports unless the CFL draft is around the corner, and even then, most players selected there come from American colleges.

Most people south of the border didn't know who the UBC Thunderbirds were until Shaq namedropped them.

Now imagine the CCAA, which is considered a step below U Sports by most, trying to find a niche.

Before this week, I thought the best the CCAA had in terms of marketing and discussion was the CCAA itself.

From a university perspective, I get it. I grew up near three major post-secondary institutions: Camosun College, the University of Victoria, and Royal Roads University, the latter of which doesn't offer any varsity athletics.

The main point of universities is not to see who can throw a football the farthest or who can average a triple-double. They exist for people to further their education beyond a post-secondary level.

Most people don't go to UVic to get involved with the Vikes, they go there to get degrees. The same applies to me; I went to VIU to get a degree in journalism and a de facto practicum in sports media, not to watch the Mariners traumatize Camosun every year (though that is a nice bonus).

To my knowledge, the CCAA hasn't had a game carried on television since 1994 due to how large of an undertaking it is. TSN bled at least seven figures to help the world watch the Malaspina Mariners win their first national title.

The NCAA, meanwhile, has dedicated broadcasting rights to entire conferences, and in the case of Notre Dame, individual teams. If you were to ask a single person who went to UVic to name three college teams, they could probably name Alabama and Georgia before even thinking about the Vikes.

This is why the ACSN was needed. People like me care about the CCAA, and are tired of it not getting the coverage we feel it deserves. Even if insignificant in the greater sports ecosystem, there are so many moments that deserved to be immortalized.

Lloyd Strickland's heat check in 2014.

The Langara dynasty of the 1970s and 1980s.

Shun Takano's penalty kick goal against Ahuntsic in 2017.

With the ACSN, there will finally be a gateway for proper CCAA discourse, and I can't wait for it to take off.

As promised, the next post will break down the Langara Falcons. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

Behind Enemy Lines: Douglas Royals

Douglas has quietly become a thorn in VIU's side, not just in basketball, but across all sports. In the realm of men's soccer, Douglas eliminated VIU on the final day of the regular season, and in men's volleyball, the Royals rallied from a 2-1 deficit to eliminate VIU on their own court.

You know the deal by now.

Women's

Season recap

The Douglas Royals entered the season as the defending PACWEST champions, coming off of an incredible playoff run which saw them, as the #4 seed, upset the defending national champion VIU Mariners and later defeat the Okanagan Coyotes to win their first conference title since 2017.

Despite a 7th place finish at nationals that year, many still expected big things from the Royals. Jettie McLaughlin-Sakaki, who graduated that year and was a key contributor on the offensive side, joined Steve Beauchamp's coaching staff.

Throughout the season, Douglas sat comfortably in the upper tier of teams. After an unassuming 4-3 start, they would travel to Nanaimo and defeat the VIU Mariners 80-72, kickstarting a nine-game winning streak that would propel them to a top-3 seed.

That winning streak would be ended, ironically, at home against the Mariners. Douglas would finish the season 17-7, and would face a Camosun team that had to fight to even get in.

The Royals would prevail over the Chargers, but many had concerns going into their matchup against CBC. Defeating a four-win team by only six points didn't inspire much confidence.

Those concerns would be vindicated, as their hopes of a repeat title were ground into dust by the CBC Bearcats. Despite limiting CBC to only one three-pointer in the third quarter, the Royals also struggled to find their own offense, not scoring a single point until halfway through the first quarter. Their post defense, which had been their strength all season long, was neutralized.

To add insult to injury, Douglas would fall in the bronze match against Capilano, ending a disappointing season for a team that had national aspirations.

Strengths and weaknesses

Douglas's defense is a strange case. While they only conceded the third least points, the Royals were the masters of ball possession throughout the season, finishing first in both forced turnovers and steals. Their offense, while not a strength, was far from a weakness, as they averaged 73 points per game and led the conference in free throw percentage, converting two thirds of their opportunities from the charity stripe.

Second-year forward Mackenzie Dalphond has quietly put herself in talks for the best forward in the conference, as she anchors a frontcourt alongside Laini Glover, Alexis Hart, and Hannah Brar.

2025 PACWEST Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Clements leads a backcourt loaded with depth, including Avnoor Waraich, who led the team in assists, and all-purpose guard Ela Korenevskiy, Douglas' lone commitment so far.

How do they fare against VIU?

This is a strange matchup for VIU. Douglas' guard room has proven that they can go pound for pound with the conference's best, and their frontcourt is extremely talented, but VIU has the advantage in terms of depth.

The Mariners brought in several forwards this offseason, including Katie Hartig and Sarah Cook, in addition to Harriette Mackenzie and Kaia Simpson returning. As of right now, the Royals only employ three full-time forwards, not including Alexis Hart, who plays primarily as a wing.

VIU has enough of an advantage in frontcourt numbers to offset the parity in their guard room. While Douglas could eke out a win like they did last year, it will almost certainly be much harder.

Men's

Season recap

Douglas tried everything to go unnoticed last season, finishing at 8-16. Despite the subpar season, their offensive rebounding was spectacular, only finishing behind the eventual PACWEST champion Capilano Blues. The same could not be said for their offense, which only averaged 70.1 points per game, the second worst in the conference that year.

Though they snuck into the playoffs as the #6 seed, they were soon run over by the Blues, highlighted by an 18-point performance from former Royals redshirt Ajaypal Hayer. It would be the final game in green and grey for several key pieces of the Royals, including Jeevan Sidhu, who will end his time in New Westminster as the fifth-best scorer in Royals history.

Strengths and weaknesses

Per my contact at Douglas, five major pieces of the Douglas rotation are leaving: Jeevan Sidhu, Scottie Austin, Akec Ambianwol, Kai Bohmert, and Andrei Verchez. That's a majority of their leadership and skill leaving in one fell swoop.

However, Douglas isn't going to immediately crater, at least not to my trained eye. When I put together spotting boards for the weekend set against Douglas last season, I was blown away by how many redshirts they carried. Though they began the season with seven redshirts, they ended with six due to Hayer's transfer, but the Royals still have many intriguing options.

When I spoke with Royals forward Lorenzo Bonamin, he said that the team's biggest strength was their ability to score from anywhere on the court. Looking at their offseason moves only reinforces that belief.

Corey Moore will enter his first PACWEST season as among the conference's tallest players at 6'8", and he'll be challenged by Carter Walker, Matteo Malia, and Deni Akinmoyero for both height and a starting forward spot. Carter Reynolds, capable of playing at both guard and forward, will redshirt for the upcoming season and learn behind American JUCO transfer Derrick Monroe.

Their perimeter scoring is now in the hands of Kaniyen Duncan, though he will gain much-needed depth with Ethan Dhillon and Tanner Cruz, and he'll also have a running mate in the backcourt with Olan Smith.

With all of these moves, Douglas is trying to make their roster as young as possible while maintaining the ability to score from virtually anywhere.

How do they fare against VIU?

It's hard to say that teams ever consciously rebuild in collegiate sports, especially in the CCAA, but Douglas seems to be doing exactly that. They have six redshirts looking for a starting spot, and boast one of the younger rosters in the conference. They're primed to return to their contending ways of the late 2010s, but I don't think they're there yet.

Douglas' frontcourt could give VIU fits, but VIU has enough experience everywhere else to make quick work of the Royals. I just think losing the specific players that they did is too big of a blow for Douglas in the short term.

I'll cover the Langara Falcons later this week, but my next article will be about the newly-relaunched All-Canadian Sports Network (ACSN). Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

Behind Enemy Lines: CBC Bearcats

There's only one word to describe the relationship between VIU and CBC:

Hate.

These are two schools that, as badly as they want to win, want to see the other burn to the ground.

As per usual, I will recap both seasons for the Bearcats, go over their strengths, weaknesses, and recruits, and see how they match up against VIU.

Women's

Season recap

CBC entered the season looking to redeem themselves after a first-round exit against the #6 seeded Okanagan Coyotes.

Their road to consistent contention was far from easy. The Bearcats did not win a single game from 2015 to 2023, and many thought they would remain in the province's cellar for many more years to come.

In 2023-24, things transformed almost overnight. After hiring Taylor Claggett that offseason, the Bearcats won their opening game 60-55 over Camosun in front of a raucous Abbotsford crowd. It was their first win in almost a decade.

After an unassuming 2-0 start to 2024-25, they travelled to Nanaimo to face the VIU Mariners, who were themselves looking to rebound from a disappointing finish last year.

However, before a minute was played, trouble already began to brew. Taylor Claggett, then in her second season with the Bearcats, spoke to officials about VIU's starting centre, Harriette Mackenzie. Claggett begged to both referees and match commissioners to not let her play, but her cries went unanswered.

That weekend, Claggett sought a compromise: If she couldn't remove Mackenzie from the start of the game, remove her in the middle of it. As Mackenzie waited inside the post, Claggett instructed fifth-year forward Madeline Beerwald to grab Mackenzie and throw her to the floor.

Claggett's decision was likely rooted in religious transphobia, though it remains unclear if she was told by others at CBC to target Mackenzie or if she did it of her own volition.

Regardless, her actions would not go unpunished. In addition to CBC losing both games in Nanaimo, their second set of games, which were scheduled to be in Abbotsford, were cancelled. CBC was stripped of the right to host that year's PACWEST championships, and Claggett was suspended for the remainder of the season.

Under interim head coach Alexis Worrell, the Bearcats ended the year on a torrid streak. They earned the #2 seed as winners of their last 17 games, which included going undefeated at home.

They continued to make history at the PACWEST championships, where they defeated Douglas to not only win the first playoff game in program history, but also clinch their first bid to nationals. They would have to suffice for a wild card birth after losing to the Mariners in the gold match, however.

Despite all of the drama and the scandal still looming large, CBC would get the last laugh. First to fall were the Geants de Saint-Jean. While VIU failed to earn a medal, the Bearcats kept rolling, defeating SAIT to punch their ticket to the national championship on their very first try. Two days later, they would defeat the St. Mary's Lightning to win their first national championship, and only the second in the history of CBC athletics.

Strengths and weaknesses

CBC's offense is otherworldly. Their backcourt was led by Kagari Tomita, while the frontcourt was dominated by CCAA nationals MVP Elissa Vreugdenhil, who led the conference in rebounds per game and averaged a 16-point double-double throughout CBC's title run, including scoring 19 points against St. Mary's.

Though not as multi-dimensional as teams like VIU, CBC's production is extremely similar, averaging just over 74 points per game. While they led the conference in three-point attempts, their percentage of made threes is a less than ideal 27.3%.

The Bearcats are also skilled at finding shooting lanes, as they led the league in assists per game, with fourth-year guard Kagari Tomita leading all players in that category.

CBC finished first in rebounds per game, mostly on the back of Vreugdenhil. Unfortunately, with the graduation of both her and Beerwald, CBC scrambled to find their replacements.

To fill that role, Claggett grabbed two recruits from the west, and another from a bit further south. Katelyn Mallette and Brooklyn Klim were both brought in from the forward factory of Capilano, while Kayanna Jackson was lured north of the border after spending last season at Edmonds Community College.

The guard room was fortified with a pair of Abbotsford natives: Two-way guard Kailyn Dieleman and three-level scorer Kendal Dueck, who will be reunited in the backcourt with her elder sister Julie.

The biggest addition for CBC, however, is technically a re-addition: Jay Hildebrand, a provincial all-star at nearby Yale Secondary, is returning to the Bearcats after spending a year away.

These additions should help CBC regain their swagger, and keep them in contention for another PACWEST title.

How do they fare against VIU?

CBC and VIU are more similar than any two teams in the conference (perhaps more than they'd like to admit). Both rely on a by-committee approach in the backcourt, while relying predominantly on one post presence.

I believe that these two will split their season series. VIU wins both games in Nanaimo, while CBC takes both in Abbotsford.

Should these two meet in the playoffs, it's hard to say. Recent history favors VIU, but they only played two regular season games against each other last year. I think that trend holds, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bearcats get their revenge.

Men's

Season recap

If any team could be described as “middle of the pack,” it would be last year’s CBC Bearcats. Their roster, while respected, wasn’t truly feared outside of second-year centre Spencer Dododza and veteran guard Cam Carter. First-year guard D’andre Palmer-Ormsby was a pleasant revelation, but the three weren’t enough to keep the Bearcats from finishing 11-13.

Regardless, they finished as the #4 seed and matched up against a young Langara Falcons team in the provincial quarterfinals. Their 78-72 victory was mostly a two-pronged effort. Cam Carter led the game in scoring with 20 points, while Dododza tallied an otherworldly 20 rebounds, almost half of which came in the first quarter alone.

That would prove to be their only win of the tournament, as they were felled by VIU 77-63 in the semifinals, then again by Camosun 90-72 in the bronze match, despite a valiant 23-point effort from Carter.

Strengths and weaknesses

I had the fortune of getting in contact with D'andre Palmer-Ormsby, a rookie on last season's Bearcats. He said the team's biggest strength was their buy-in to their system, which favors a well-balanced attack. Unfortunately, with Carter leaving and Dododza likely on his way out, as well as Van Egdom heading west to VIU, CBC lacks the immediate proven talent to get them over the edge.

This is not to say that the Bearcats lack talent at all. D'andre Palmer-Ormsby, who was named the conference's best rookie, averaged the 7th most points per game at 14.1. He should be part of a fearsome guard rotation with Dane-Dre Anglin, Lakeeb Hughes, and new recruit Vinh Nguyen.

The forward room should rebound nicely, as Favour Igbinyemi assumes a larger role alongside first-year centre Griffin Bollinger. I expect to see the Bearcats utilize Bollinger in the same way that the Milwaukee Bucks utilized Brook Lopez, as a stretch big who can attack the interior if need be.

How do they fare against VIU?

CBC is probably the most interesting team in the PACWEST. They could plummet to the bottom of the conference, but just as easily rocket to a top 3 seed. Regardless, I think VIU still has the upper hand. CBC has the advantage in their forwards, but VIU's constant perimeter assault is just too strong.

Counting the playoffs last year, VIU beat CBC five times in the 2024-25 season, and I expect that trend to continue, but it all depends on if CBC's youth can develop. If they can replace the holes in their lineup, I expect the Bearcats to remain competitive. If not, this upcoming season could get ugly.

Douglas is next. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

Behind Enemy Lines: Capilano Blues

 VIU vs. Capilano has slowly become one of the more exciting games in the annual PACWEST circuit. The two have met in the playoffs every year for the past three seasons, with the winner going on to win PACWEST gold each time. Furthermore, the two are the only teams to have won more than one PACWEST title this decade, and the only two to win it since the pandemic.

In this article, I will recap both of Capilano's seasons, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they match up with VIU.

Women's

Season recap

Capilano's season could best be compared to a roller coaster that wasn't fully built before the theme park opened. Despite a strong 6-1 start, headlined by great solo efforts from Maddy Coffin and PACWEST Rookie of the Year Mia Parkin, four straight losses to CBC and VIU would derail their season. Eight straight losses, including going winless in February, was the kiss of death to their hopes of a first-round bye.

Though they were the host team at that year's PACWEST championships due to CBC's controversy, few had hope for them. They would draw the Langara Falcons in the quarterfinals, marking the first playoff meeting between the two since 2009. Unlike last time, Capilano would prevail and advance to the semifinals, but would fall to the Mariners in the semifinals as Harriette Mackenzie posted a 23-14 double double.

The Blues would go on to win PACWEST bronze over Douglas, providing a slight silver lining to a strange season.

Strengths and weaknesses

Capilano is confident in their guard room, and I don't blame them. Mia Parkin and Barcha Hnizdilova both finished top 5 in points per game, with the latter finishing top 5 in assists per game. Furthermore, Jenna Griffin, Kim Tiu, and Parkin all finished top 3 in three-point percentage.

However, Chris Weimer seemed to develop a strange fixation for wings over the offseason, as their first three recruits are capable of playing at both shooting guard and small forward (which is what a wing is).

First came former provincial champion and MVP Alanna Schieman, who spent most of her childhood in North Vancouver and is expected to fit easily in the open court.

Next, the Blues got a package deal from local club Split Second: Swiss-army knife Sasha Neuhaus and 3-and-D wing Jade de Fondaumiere.

Veteran defender Olivia Rozinsky, who had previously spent two seasons with Northwestern Polytechnic, was the final recruit. Across her 17 starts with the Wolves last year, she averaged 3.9 rebounds and over a steal per game across 20 minutes.

How do they fare against VIU?

Capilano and VIU utilize a very similar playstyle, but VIU has the edge in terms of proven winners. Counting the playoffs, VIU defeated Capilano five times last year.

Both teams are strong on the perimeter, but what separates these two is VIU's interior. Maddy Coffin is among the top players in the conference, but VIU has more immediate talent in the frontcourt, and has more coming on the way.

This is not to disregard the Blues entirely: At the tail end of the 2010s, Capilano had the upper hand, with over 50% of VIU's total losses over the last decade coming against the Blues.

That being said, VIU should still be the favorite here. The games will undoubtedly be closer, but VIU has the proven championship talent to pull out wins, close or otherwise.

Men's

Season recap

After winning bronze last year, the Blues made a coaching change. Alex Van Samang, only a year removed from winning PACWEST gold, stepped down to make way for his top assistant, Jason Price.

At a glance, Capilano’s regular season was nothing spectacular, as they finished 3rd in the PACWEST at 13-11, despite a 5-0 start. Upon closer inspection, however, the Blues began to look more dangerous. In addition to finishing second in the conference in shooting percentage and third in rebounds per game, they conceded the fewest rebounds in the conference thanks to their stifling defense, anchored by reigning PACWEST DPOY Damein Coleman, who had transferred from CBC a year ago.

Even as the host team for the PACWEST championship, many did not expect much from the Blues. Before the tournament began, Coleman won his second consecutive DPOY, becoming only the third player in PACWEST history to win the award.

After cruising past Douglas in the quarterfinals, they took down Camosun in a double overtime thriller, then upset the #1 seed VIU Mariners to win their second PACWEST title in three years, and advance to nationals in Montreal.

Nationals would not go nearly as well for Capilano, as they would finish 0-3, culminating in a placement game loss to the ACAC’s Keyano Huskies.

Strengths and weaknesses

Capilano's biggest strength is their well-balanced roster. The backcourt didn't have a bona fide centerpiece last year, but was rather led by committee. Kash Lang led the scoring with 15.1 points per game, while Arshya Ghasemi and Ahmad Athman didn't finish far behind with 10.4 and 9.3 in that category respectively, with the latter also averaging 3.9 assists per game. Ajaypal Hayer, a former redshirt with Douglas, also transferred to Capilano after the winter break and became a key piece off the bench.

The frontcourt also uses a by-committee approach, headlined by true centre Zach Klim and defensive anchor Damein Coleman. The latter led the team in rebounds while being named the conference's best defensive player for the second year in a row.

TJ Klim, a longtime assistant with the program learned from both Van Samang and Price, gets his first crack at a lead job this season, and he'll have a lot of new toys to play with.

After their return from Montreal, they hit the recruiting portal at full speed, starting by signing all-purpose guard Jayden Kenyon from Brookswood. Soon after, their guard room would flood with recruits, including high-motor guard Jacob Oreta, 6’5” wing Erik Bergman, and transition threat Afu Bullock, topped off by poaching shooter Zekun Li from VIU. Their forward room would also be bolstered with the additions of Alfonso Reyes, Zach Hamed, and Daniel Abkenar, which when combined with the returning Zach Klim and Damein Coleman, should put Capilano in conversation for the best frontcourt in the province and potentially the country.

How do they fare against VIU?

This team has the best shot of consistently beating VIU this season. Between Damein Coleman and Zach Klim locking down the frontcourt to Ahmad Athman and Zekun Li manning the offense, Capilano is arguably the most complete team in the conference.

Furthermore, Capilano has a proven track record of defeating VIU in major games, having bested them in both the 2023 and 2025 gold medal matches.

The Blues also have one of the strongest frontcourts in recent PACWEST history, and should match up nicely with VIU's relatively unproven bigs.

Capilano's by-committee approach to perimeter scoring also prevents them from easily falling victim to strong defense, whereas VIU ran most of their offense through Kam Bender and Kaeleb Johnson last season, and are projected to do the same with Nathan Pasloske and Levi Van Egdom.

This is sure to be an entertaining matchup, regardless of who wins. A fourth straight playoff meeting between these two, for conference gold or otherwise, is in the works.

We're going in alphabetical order, so the next post will be on the CBC Bearcats. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K