Wolf Depner/Black Press
The University of Victoria Vikes women’s basketball team hosts teams from across Canada to battle for the national title March 9 to 12.
While the tournament bracket remains empty, university officials, current and former players are gearing up for an exciting event.
“I can’t wait for it to start. We have been working on this for a while and I’m really, really, really excited to get it on, get the teams here, to feel that competitiveness that we all have, ” said Luanne Krawetz.
Krawetz played for the Vikes in the late 1970s and early 1980s and is part of the alumni committee helping organize tournament-related parties and ceremonies.
For team captain Jenna Bugiardini and her teammates, the upcoming tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “For us, this is an opportunity to play in a national,” she said. “It is honestly something that I have dreamt of coming here.”
Victoria has hosted the national tournament only once. The year was 1993 and the Vikes played out of McKinnon Gymnasium.
Much has changed during the following years. Since 2015, the Vikes have been playing out of the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities, an ultra-modern, multi-purpose facility that can seat more than 2,000.
The Vikes added two championship banners since 1993 to bring their total to eight, making it the most successful program in Canadian university women’s basketball since 1972.
As the host, the Vikes are already qualified. The remainder of their Canada West season will help determine their seeding and ultimately their chances of winning the national title.
“We want to show that we deserve to be here and we want to bring a national championship home,” Bugiardini said. “We don’t see (playing at home) as a pressure. We see it as a motivation.”
While the Vikes currently do not rank among the top 10 teams in Canada, the field is “pretty wide open” and anything can happen at a national championship, said Bugiardini.
“This championship is a great opportunity for UVIC, and I would say for the region,” said UVic athletics director Clint Hamilton.
The tournament marks the second time in less than a year that the university will host a national championship. Last November, UVic hosted the CIS Women’s Rugby Championship.
“One of the reasons we bid to host two women’s championships and have them here was an opportunity to talk about the legacy of excellence that is women’s sports at UVic,” said Hamilton.
Visit govikesgo.com/nationals for tournament passes. Single session ticket sales open March 1.
Passes range from $75 to $45 per adult. Tournament passes for seniors, students and alumni cost $35. Tournament passes for children cost $25. Family tournament passes (two adults / two children) cost $90.
“The feedback that we are getting is that we have made these passes very affordable and we priced them in a way that price will not be a barrier in participating,” said Hamilton. “So we bring great value. We know the quality of play will be high.”