Although they have made two Final 8 national tourney appearances since, UBC Thunderbirds' head coach Kevin Hanson has his team at the event's traditional Halifax site for the first time since it lost in the semifinals back in 2011. It's a first-time trip for star guard Jadon Cohee. (Photo by Bob Frid property of UBC athletics 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC hoops back in Halifax! On long journey to Final 8 nationals, here’s why you can stamp these underdog ‘Birds as ‘battle-tested’

VANCOUVER — Over the course of a 17-game in-conference win streak which defined its Canada West regular season schedule, it was sometimes difficult to wonder if the UBC Thunderbirds were getting the level of competition which would best serve them on the road towards qualifying for the ultimate challenge.

UBC Thunderbirds freshman Thomas Gardner in the first player in the history of Canada West men's soccer to win Top Rookie and Player of the Year in the same season. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics)
Feature University Men's Soccer

As UBC hosts U Sports 2018 Soccer Nationals, rookie sensation Gardner embraces his new Thunderbird life on a road less traveled

VANCOUVER — Maybe the highest compliment you can pay Thomas Gardner is to say that, whether your soccer eye is completely untrained or of connoisseur class, you simply have to watch him play to love his game.

Reppin' his jersey number with pride, Tupper's Gaurab Acharya has knocked down 101 treys already this season. (Varsity Letters photo by Howard Tsumura)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

One tough Tiger: Over a season of adversity, Tupper’s compact Gaurab Acharya thinks big, plays even bigger

VANCOUVER — Jeff Gourley, like so many of our province’s veteran high school basketball coaches, is often asked the question that centres around the ‘R’ word.