WBB: Huskies lead preseason poll

Nov. 1, 2023 - Coaches from across Canada West have once again voted the Saskatchewan Huskies as favourites this season, as the conference has released its 2023-24 women's basketball preseason coaches poll.

The Huskies topped the poll in commanding fashion with 13 first place votes. Defending conference champion Alberta placed second and received three first place votes, while last year's runner-up Calgary Dinos were third and also received a first place vote.

The regular season schedule kicks off Thursday night with Brandon visiting Manitoba, with a full slate of games to follow on Friday and Saturday.

Saskatchewan will be hungry to get back on top of the conference after suffering playoff disappointment last season. The Huskies enjoyed a terrific 17-3 regular season campaign before ultimately being upset by Alberta in the semifinals. They'll be led by forward Carly Ahlstrom, the 2022 Canada West MVP who returns for her fifth year. Ahlstrom averaged 19.8 points per game last season and also represented Canada this summer on the 3 x 3 national team.

In Edmonton, expectations are high for a Pandas team coming off their first Canada West title, and as the host for the upcoming U SPORTS Championship in March. For the Pandas to remain among the best in U SPORTS, they will need forward Claire Signatovich to again be one of the best players in the nation. Signatovich was named the Canada West and U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, while also contributing offensively to the tune of 13.8 points per game and 12.6 rebounds per game.

After reaching the CW final, expectations will also be high for the the Calgary Dinos. With a young group that features six newcomers, the team will look to the veteran leadership of fourth-year local product Mya Proctor. Last year, Proctor played a big role in helping Calgary earn its third trip to nationals in the past five seasons,

UFV set to host CW WBB Championships

The UFV Athletic Centre will be rocking next February as the UFV Cascades welcome the conference’s best women’s basketball talent to the Fraser Valley. The championship tournament moves to a single-site location this year, which will create an exciting atmosphere for fans and teams alike.

“Given the great history of high school and club basketball in the Fraser Valley, we plan to invite all ages to experience the excitement of competition in a smaller venue,” says Steve Tuckwood, Cascades Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation. “Adding live entertainment, great food, participation of our alumni and our community, we will be able to showcase Canada West’s amazing athletes to our fans and the basketball enthusiasts we have in the Valley.”

UFV came in fourth in the pre-season poll and will look to enter the tournament as a title contender. The Cascades went 14-6 last season and were nationally ranked for most of the year. Head coach Al Tuchscherer indicates the program will return every player for the 2023-24 season, including first team Canada West all-star Maddy Gobeil.

View the complete 2023-24 Women's Basketball schedule here.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON CANADA WEST TV

Fans can catch all the action through the new look CanadaWest.TV, which now allows fans to watch games on popular Connected TV apps like Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.

2023-24 CW WBB PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Team - Points (First-place votes)

NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-16. First-place votes worth 16 points, second-place worth 15 points, etc.