Monday, May 03, 2004

Contact: Mark B. Kosak

University College of the Fraser Valley

Director of Athletics

Phone: 604-854-4583

Email: mark.kosak@ucfv.ca

Final stage for UCFV’s Canada West membership application

Abbotsford – The outcome of a membership application process that initially began in January 2002 – and the future direction of the athletics program at the University College of the Fraser Valley – hangs in the balance of a decision expected on May 5, 2004.

That is the day that a delegation from UCFV, including Board of Governors Chair Rob Nicklom, President Dr. H. A. (Skip) Bassford, Vice-President Tim Segger and Director of Athletics Mark Kosak, will make a final presentation of UCFV’s application for probationary membership in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association.

The presentation will be made at the 2004 annual general meeting of the Canada West Association hosted in Langley at Trinity Western University.

Following the submission of the application document in January, which responded to a list of demanding criteria, the Canada West executive conducted a preliminary review in February. In March, the president and executive director of Canada West conducted a site visit to the Fraser Valley communities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack. The application has subsequently been circulated to all Canada West member institutions providing each university the opportunity to closely scrutinize the application.

“The membership criteria for Canada West is stringent, and rightfully so,” says Kosak. “This is the top university athletic conference in the country, and prospective new members should be expected to prove themselves. We feel that we have met or exceeded the standards that were placed before us, and we’re confident that UCFV will be a productive, contributing member of Canada West. The possibility of joining this league has created a great deal of excitement on campus and in the community”

UCFV first expressed interest in joining the Canada West Universities Athletic Association in January 2002. A series of events over the next two years forced the delay of the formal application submission until January 2004. The opportunity to apply was granted by the Canada West as a special consideration since a four-year moratorium on new membership applications had been imposed in May 2003 at the annual general meeting.

UCFV currently competes in the BC Colleges Athletic Association. The application for probationary membership in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association is for the 2005-06 season and includes men’s and women’s basketball and soccer.

This past year, the Cascade men’s basketball team earned its third National Championship crown in the past five years, while the Cascade women’s team won a fourth consecutive Conference Championship and is riding a 57-consecutive BCCAA game winning streak.

As a member in Canada West, UCFV would be competing against Western Canadian universities from Victoria to Winnipeg. Provincial rivals would include Simon Fraser University, UBC, Uvic, and Trinity Western. The main campus of UCFV is located in Abbotsford, B.C.

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