Four Tri-City athletes commit to UFV — three continuing a legacy that began in elementary school

Four young Tri-City women will ascend to their respective courts next year on Canada's top stage for university sport.

All have committed to donning the green, white and black in fall 2022 with the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Cascades in Abbotsford — three in basketball and one in volleyball.

Let's break it down.

BALLER BESTIES

One can argue that Lauren Clements, Ana-Maria Misic and Alisha Weloy have been one of the most successful trios in recent memory for B.C. basketball.

In fact, the three Grade 12s have shared the same court since elementary school and hope to create one final high-school sports memory as the Terry Fox Ravens' AAAA squad are currently ranked first and are heavily favoured to win provincials this year.

Along the way, Clements, Misic and Weloy have collected impressive résumés from high-school and club-level competitions, including a silver medal as Grade 10s from the 2020 B.C. senior girls' basketball championships.

In Grade 9, they captured a blue banner with the Ravens' junior girls team and helped the team record a perfect 35-0 record that 2019 season.

"They're really familiar with each other, and still the best of friends after all that travel and all those years," said UFV women's basketball head coach Al Tuchscherer in a team release.

"They've won a lot throughout the years, and I don't think you can ever underestimate players like that who know how to win. We're excited about infusing their winning pedigree into our program."

Clements — a two-time Terry Fox Secondary female athlete of the year award winner — averages 16 points per game as a guard/forward and is described as "tenacious" on both sides of the ball.

She says she looks forward to the challenge of competing at the Canada West and U Sports levels.

"My goals are to enjoy the time I have at the school, meet new people, and try new things. I will try my best and put in the work to make my years special and worth my time."

Misic is a first-team, regional and national all-star forward from Coquitlam, known for her work ethic and diverse skill-set that could be of big help to UFV if in need of a versatile athlete.

"The Cascades' high level of intensity, work ethic and bond within the team caught my attention," the Port Coquitlam product explains.

"My goal is to expand my athletic skills while playing at the next level. I hope to gain more knowledge from my future UFV teammates and coaches, so that I can increase my basketball IQ."

Weloy, of Port Coquitlam, is described by UFV as a "dominant" player and her reputation proves that in the form of a top defender nod at 2020 provincials.

And the guard's expectations are already set for the 2022-23 campaign.

"My goals for my time with the Cascades are to become an all-star basketball player [and] to win the championship."

Clements hopes to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree off the court at UFV, while Misic and Weloy are both set to study Kinesiology.

All three officially put pen to paper today (Dec. 16).

THIS IS THE WAY

A day earlier (Dec. 15), the Cascades added a Rapid to its landscape.

Port Coquitlam's Lauren Way signed with the UFV women's volleyball team for next year on the heels of aiding Riverside Secondary to a 2021 AAAA senior girls provincial championship.

The Grade 12 middle, who stands 6'1", was part of a lasting legacy that saw the same players win a blue banner each year since Grade 9 — though the 2020 high-school volleyball season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Still, Way provided strong character and leadership en route to the trophy last Saturday (Dec. 11) and was named a second-team all-star at the tournament in Nanaimo.

"Lauren knows how to win, and she’s got a really fun personality that’s going to enrich our team culture,” UFV head coach Janelle Rozema says.

"She’s an excellent communicator and a really intelligent middle blocker, and her experience on winning teams and representing B.C. at the national level makes her a really valuable asset."

Way is also a member of the Ducks Volleyball Club, which houses athletes from Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, and represented Team B.C. across numerous events.

She believes her familiarity with Rozema's style can help the Cascades as they enter their second season as a Canada West-sanctioned school.

Way plans on taking General Studies courses outside the gym.