Sports

While travelling can impact performance, the degree of impact it can have depends on multiple variables such as the timing of the trip during the academic semester, competitions during the trip and the physical distance travelled to competitions.

Even with the USports season finished, many Thunderbirds came out to break in the new facility and use the stacked field of competition to warm up for upcoming summer international meets including the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.

For Mosher — who has been head coach since 1996 — the 2018 championship will be the first time his team hosts the nationals in over a decade. UBC last hosted the national championship back in 2007, where the ’Birds won CIS gold.

“That’s pretty remarkable,” said Primeau of the 'Birds small championship roster. “Generally speaking, the teams that are in the top four have significantly bigger rosters representing them at the NAIA championships.”

For this edition of the T-Birds 5-on-5, five athletes discuss everything from their favourite pirates to their opinions on the renowned cinematic masterpiece, Titanic. They also discuss their training regimens over the summer months.

Unexpectedly, we discovered E.C Manning Provincial Park from a totally new perspective — we entered the wondrous Realm of Faerie.The magical world of wild forests with abundant wooden bridges connecting the two sides of the lake left us speechless.

This year, the meet will be headlined by many ’Birds including olympians Markus Thormeyer, Yuri “The Missile” Kisil, Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson and senior UBC swim team members Carson Olafson and Stefan Milosevic.

As Danielle Brisebois, a fifth-year outside-hitter, served at game-point, a hush fell over the spectator-filled bleachers. The Pandas’ reception went too long and UBC left-side hitter Laura MacTaggart ended the game with a two-handed smackdown.

With impressive numbers on saddle, UBC took home their first team reserve high point — a second place finish — at the UO Hunt Seat Show in Oregon in January. The team was never large enough in past seasons to gain points for a team award.

“Professor Ono’s been really supportive of it and it’s great to have a president that’s willing to help start these talks,” said McKaig. “Then it’s up to us with the schools to see if we can make it work.”

Sunday was a proud day for Alex Morrison and his family. The Thunderbirds wide receiver was drafted 29th overall at the CFL Entry Draft by the Montreal Alouettes. Morrison was the lone Thunderbirds player to be drafted in the eight-round draft.

Disconnected, offline and just holding a camera, we explored the town with an open mind that trip. Although I frequent the Okanagan Valley every year, there is always something new and inspiring to discover.

Two months after stunning at the CFL combine in Regina, Saskatchewan, UBC receiver Alex Morrison will be improving on his professional league chances yet again as he heads to the National Football Leagues’ New York Giant’s mini-camp.

Bourcier, a Team BC and U17 national team player, was a standout point guard for his high school team: the Kelowna Owls. His signing comes amidst various offers from NCAA Division I teams. Still, he chose UBC because of its success last season.

The team held their own in the newly formatted program, finishing in second place at the National University Sevens Rugby Championships after a 16-8 record through the season. Despite their strong finish, the ride was anything but easy for UBC.