Hail to the Champs

NANAIMO - VIU men's basketball is set to finish off the 2023-24 season with a big nod to two legacy Mariners teams.

At half time of VIU's February 3 game (3 p.m.) versus the CBC Bearcats at the VIU Gym, the Mariners will recognize the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Malaspina University-College (now VIU) Mariners team and the 10th anniversary of the 2013 national championship squad. A number of players and coaches from those teams will be in attendance.

The 1994 title was VIU's first CCAA championship in men's basketball. Led by head coach Mark Simpson--who now serves as an assistant coach with the current team--the Mariners went to the national championship at Lethbridge Community College with only 8 players on the active roster. Simpson's squad defeated Grant MacEwan 83-64, three-time defending national champion Humber College 81-57, and conference rival Douglas College 80-62 in the final.

The 2013 championship team was led by first-year head coach and current VIU head coach Matt Kuzminski. At John Abbott College in Quebec, the Mariners came into the tournament ranked sixth of eight teams. VIU defeated Red Deer College 87-75, Sheridan College 80-76, and in the gold medal game, defeated Holland College 77-70 to bring a championship banner and trophy back to Nanaimo.

Note: All Mariners basketball alumni and their families can attend Saturday's game for free. Alumni will also have access to a special alumni zone in the VIU Gym and are invited to a VIUSU Pub social immediately following the varsity games, all courtesy VIU Alumni Relations.