KELOWNA, B.C. - For the first time in 2024, the UBC Okanagan Heat basketball and volleyball teams are both in action this week as the 2024-25 Canada West basketball season officially tips off for the Heat with an away games at Thompson Rivers on Thursday followed by the Heat's home openers on Friday night against Thompson Rivers. Meanwhile, the volleyball teams will both be in action in Kamloops against the WolfPack as well, with both teams in a potential position to win their gender's respective Presidents' Cups.

The golf teams also close out the Fall portion of their schedule in Arizona at the Firestorm Fall Invite.

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Women's Basketball
November 1st vs UNBC Timberwolves - 5:00 PM - UBCO Gymnasium

Women's basketball kicks off their 2024-25 season with an away game in TRU Wolfpack territory and then are back in The Furnace this Friday night as they tip off against the UNBC Timberwolves for their home opener.

The Heat wrapped up their preseason against the MacEwan Griffins at home last week and dominated as senior guard Lauren Foullong went off for the Heat, scoring 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Fans will also get their first look at a number of new faces in the Heat lineup this season highlighted by rookie guards Tsuki Tsuzuki and Kiana Kaczur, along with transfer forward Lily Pink.

Men's Basketball
November 1st vs UNBC Timberwolves - 7:00 PM - UBCO Gymnasium

Like the women, the men's basketball team will also tip off their season against the TRU Wolfpack in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday night and then come back to Kelowna to face the UNBC Timberwolves in their home opening match on Friday night.

UBCO had a preseason tour in Ontario earlier this month as they played against some of the best talent in the OUA, posting close results against both the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks and the Laurier Golden Hawks. The team will look to Jalen Shirley who in the match against the Golden Hawks had a dominant game for the Heat, shooting over 50 percent from the floor to finish with 29 points, along with five assists and four steals. 

The team will also be debuting a number of new faces, highlighted by transfer guard Jeffrey Tezo and transfer forward DJ Frye and Winsdom Sunday.

AWAY
Women's Basketball
October 31st vs TRU Wolfpack - 5:30 PM - Kamloops, B.C.

Men's Basketball
October 31st vs TRU Wolfpack - 7:30 PM - Kamloops, B.C.

Men's Volleyball
November 1st vs TRU Wolfpack - 5:30 PM - Kamloops, B.C.
November 2 vs TRU Wolfpack - 3:00 PM - Kamloops, B.C.

Men's volleyball is on the road this weekend as they travel to Wolfpack territory with the potential to clinch the President's Cup for the men's side with the Heat leading 2-0-0 thanks to a pair of wins from men's soccer this Fall.

Coming off an explosive weekend sweep against the MacEwan Griffins, the Heat will look to Thys Weststrate and Zach van Geel to continue their strong play to start the year. Westrate finished Friday's match against the Griffins with 10 kills on 11 attacks, hitting .909 percent, the best single-game hitting percentage in program history while van Geel, the Canada West men's volleyball Player of the Week, put up 35 assists on Friday, tying him for the fourth-most in a three-set match in team history.

Women's Volleyball
November 1st vs TRU Wolfpack - 7:15 PM - Kamloops, B.C.
November 2nd vs TRU Wolfpack - 4:45 PM - Kamloops, B.C.

Women's Volleyball is also on the road this weekend as they are up against the number nine U SPORTS nationally ranked TRU Wolfpack. The women also have the potential to clinch the President's Cup this weekend thanks to a 2-0-0 advantage provided to the Heat by women's soccer.

Last weekend the Heat went 2-0 against the MacEwan Griffins as Olivia Boulding, in her first season with the Heat after transferring home from the University of Montana, was nearly unstoppable in her first regular season contests with UBCO. The native of Victoria hit .351 on 37 attacks with 16 kills while adding eight digs, an ace and a block in the team's home opener on Friday night.

Men's & Women's Golf
November 4th & 5th - Firestorm Fall Invite - Buckeye, AZ

Both golf teams have their final tournament of the fall season as they travel down to Arizona to participate in the Firestorm Fall Invite. 

The last time the men's golf team participated in an NCAA II golf tournament they were just one stroke short of a third-place tie at the Western Washington Invitation. Third-year Andrew Rouble and second-year Ryan Gillis led the way for the Heat as both golfers finished at five-under par 211.

Julia Alexander-Carew posted rounds of three-over-par 75, four-under-par 68 and even-par 72 to capture her third career university title the last time she participated in an NCAA II tournament, leading UBCO to a third-place finish at the True North Classic