Preview: Opening Weekend

Defending PACWEST champion Mariners open on the road at Okanagan College

Rachel Labrador, VIU Mariners women's basketball — Fifth-year guard Rachel Labrador goes into her final season as an important part of the VIU backcourt. Photo: Mary Kessenich

October 17, 2025

VIU Mariners women's basketball opens up the 2025-26 season by looking for points in Penticton as they take on the Okanagan College Coyotes.

When & Where

Friday, October 17 at Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, 5 pm.
Saturday, October 18 at Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, 11 am.
*Most previous games at Okanagan College have been in Kelowna.

Tune In

Games are streamed on the Okangan College Coyotes Basketball YouTube page.

Head-To-Head in 2024-25

The Mariners and Coyotes locked horns in the first weekend of the 2024-25 season at the VIU Gym with the home team taking both games: 62-50 and 92-52. The Mariners also had success putting up points at Okanagan in the spring semester, winning 93-48 and 100-62.

Watch Out Now

Okanagan: Guard Sapna Deo is the sole fifth-year on OC's roster and returns to Kelowna after spending two years with the Humber Hawks. The Coyotes also feature two recruits from Paraguay and one from Uruguay.

VIU: Point guard Mackenzie Cox (Langley, BC), a PACWEST second team all-star and PACWEST tournament all-star in 2024-25, will be key for the Mariners as she runs the offense in her fifth varsity season.

Fresh Faced First Years

In what head coach Tony Bryce has called a "reload year," the Mariners feature seven first-year student-athletes on the squad:

Imaan Lali (Surrey, BC) *redshirt in 2023 and 2024
Emily Sprott (Chilliwack, BC)
Katie Hartig (Courtenay, BC)
Aysia Kumar (Abbotsford, BC)
Annabelle Neufeld (Coquitlam, BC)
Mikella Campanile (Burnaby, BC)
Lanny Russell (Comox, BC)

Transfers

Sammy Shields (Port Coquitlam, BC) brings valuable experience from her time at San José State (Mountain West Conference) and the University of Calgary (U Sports)
Sarah Cook (La Conner, WA) was a successful dual sport athlete in basketball and volleyball for two seasons at Skagit Valley College

Fifth Years

The Mariners feature three fifth-year seniors on the squad: Cox, guard Rachel Labrador (Vancouver, BC), and forward Kaia Simpson (Wilmington, NC).

'Round the World

Simpson and Cook make up the international portion of VIU's roster.

For more information, please contact VIU Mariners Communications & Sports Information Coordinator Matt Carter.