Simon Fraser's Jasdeep Gill knocked down a huge triple with under two minutes remaining to help SFU past Cal State Dominguez Hills in its 2021-22 debut Friday in Carson, Cal. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Simon Fraser athletics 2020. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

SFU men’s basketball opens with win at CCAA/GNAC Challenge: Simon Fraser shows a new defensive edge in victory over Cal State-Dominguez Hills Toros!

It’s been so long since the Simon Fraser men’s basketball team last played an actual game that they were bound to look a little different than their past selves.The Burnaby Mountain crew which debuted Friday night at the CCAA/GNAC Challenge in Carson, CA., however, was at first glance, a lot different.“We have changed a lot […]

Back on Oct. 1 at Thunderbird Stadium, running back Adam Machart and the Saskatchewan Huskies topped the UBC Thunderbirds by a decisive 43-15 score. On Saturday, linebacker Ryan Baker (14) and the rest of the UBC defence travel to Saskatoon for another chance at the Huskies in the Hardy Cup semifinals. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

UBC and the Hardy Cup playoffs: Despite its role as big road underdogs vs. No. 4 Saskatchewan Huskies, opportunity knocks Saturday for these young, untethered Thunderbirds!

VANCOUVER — With the ink still just five days dry on a what has been for them a revelatory regular season, the UBC Thunderbirds are being talked about in Canada West football circles as a team of tomorrow.Yet for a 3-3 team which was a fourth-quarter away from opening its six-game conference slate at 0-3, […]

Rising off the turf, UBC Thunderbirds (left to right) Trey Kellogg, Robert Lutman and Lake Korte-Moore celebrate The trio were among the 'Birds best players on Saturday in a win over Alberta. (Photo by Bob Frid property of UBC athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

TSUMURA ON UBC FOOTBALL: A reporter’s reflections on ‘Birds playoff-clinching win over Alberta, plus who’s in line for this week’s Game Balls?

VANCOUVER — A reporter’s reflections on a great day at the old ball yard on Saturday, watching the UBC Thunderbirds finish their six-game Canada West season by getting into the Hardy Cup playoffs with a dramatic, do-or-die 30-27 victory over the Alberta Golden Bears at Thunderbird Stadium.And all of this, of course, not possible unless […]

What a combo they've been! With senior setter Julia Tays (front) and freshman right side Brooke Dexter (foreground) developing a unique chemistry this season, Simon Fraser has beaten some of the best teams in NCAA Div. 2 volleyball. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Simon Fraser athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Women's Volleyball

SFU Volleyball 2021: With Seniors Night weekend on tap, who knew that Simon Fraser’s ‘X’ factor would be it’s well-hidden group of third-year freshmen!

BURNABY — When the Simon Fraser volleyball team finally de-camped from its endless months of limited practice inside the West Gym and eventually stepped off a plane in California over the first week of September to open its 2021 season, who knew that its X factor would be its inexperience?Huh?“When you have all of these […]

On three straight shots to the end zone Saturday at Western Oregon, SFU quarterback Justin Seiber, along with receivers Aidan Pearce, Caelin Johnson and Riley Morrison came dangerously close to capping what would have been an 85-yard scoring drive against the host Wolves. Can a young team fighting but falling just shy of grabbing that kind of momentum come back next season and produce different results? That's the question now as Simon Fraser football prepares to play its final game of 2021 on Nov. 13. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

A SUNDAY READ: In Simon Fraser’s Saturday loss at Western Oregon, we examine the ripple effect of three snaps, no reward and a young team’s search for momentum

It’s impossible to encapsulate all the moments which, when taken as a whole, add up to that most fleeting of sports intangibles: Momentum.The Simon Fraser football team has been attempting to find as much of it as it can with the hope that it will help lead them in the direction of their most elusive […]

Not a whole lot went right for the UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday during a lopsided loss to the host Calgary Dinos, yet rookie running back Dane Kapler announced himself as a force, rushing for 161 yards on just 11 carries. (Photo by David Moll property of Calgary Dinos athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

Playoffs hang in the balance! After horrific start in Calgary dooms ‘Birds in 53-14 loss, UBC needs a home finale win vs. Alberta, and likely a little help!

It didn’t take too long to reason on Saturday that the same youthful UBC Thunderbirds football team which had so convincingly flipped the fortunes of its 2021 Canada West campaign over a rags-to-riches two-week span, was perhaps suffering from a kind of collective swoon, the kind most commonly associated with too rapid a rise in […]

Fraser Valley Cascades (left to right) Jordyn Sekhon, Ahmad Athman and Kyle Claggett share the connections between their jersey numbers and lives spent both learning their sport and celebrating that experience with family. (Photos by Gibi Saini property of UFV Athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

On the eve of its 2021-22 hoops re-start season, trio of UFV Cascades reveal jersey number origin stories and their direct connection to basketball and family!

ABBOTSFORD — On a team of athletes, there is nothing more utilitarian than the number assigned to each player’s jersey.It’s a stamp of identification for purposes of record, whether for points scored, penalties taken or in most instances, the simple act of participation.Yet ask the athletes themselves about their true sum value, and quite suddenly […]

UBC guard Grant Audu has paid his dues and honed his game and enters the 2021-22 season as a true team leader. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC men’s hoops 2021-22: A new season tips off Thursday with game-ready additions as defending Canada West champ ‘Birds ready for small-ball or tall-ball!

VANCOUVER — They are not exactly a team shrouded in mystery, yet on the night of the final sleep before opening the 2021-22 Canada West men’s basketball season, it’s impossible to have a genuine handle on just what kind of team the UBC Thunderbirds are going to be.And you can take that right down to […]

Hailey Counsell's third season of play with the UBC Thunderbirds will sees her ascend to the biggest role of her U SPORTS career as one of the team's acknowledged veteran players. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Women's Basketball

UBC women’s hoops 2021-22: War Gym a land of opportunity as youthful, untested ‘Birds open post-Huband era Thursday vs. TWU Spartans!

VANCOUVER — Its veterans are staring opportunity square in the face, and its rookies are going to get a chance to show early all it is that they are capable of becoming,It’s not the simplest of tasks to quantify just how different the first UBC Thunderbirds women’s basketball team of the post-Deb Huband era will […]

After being forced to medically retire following a spate of injuries over the first two years of her NCAA Div. 1 career at Arizona State, Salmon Arm's own Glynis Sim has found her perfect athletic and academic fit with the UBC Thunderbirds. (Vid Wadhwani photo property of Vid Wadhwani 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Cross Country

UBC’s Glynis Sim: After injuries forced her into medical retirement almost four years ago, ex-Salmon Arm harrier back on track at Canada West XC championships Saturday!

VANCOUVER — There were times when Glynis Sim didn’t want to look over her shoulder for fear that she may well have left her competitive running career too far behind in the rearview mirror.After all, when you cut bait and walk away from a promising career in the manner she was forced to almost four […]