The University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball program has announced a pair of signings to kick off recruitment efforts for 2021.
The club announced the commitments of Langley’s Esther Allison and Edmonton’s Charley Arnold on Wednesday (Jan. 20).
Allison, a 5’11” forward, was a part of three Single A provincial champion Credo Christian Kodiaks teams (2017, 2019 and 2020). She was a provincial first team all-star in 2019, and was MVP of the B.C. tournament in 2020.
She also excelled at both both volleyball and soccer in high school, earning a Fraser Valley tournament all-star nod as her volleyball squad won the silver medal, and her soccer squad won the B.C. Christian schools championship that same year.
“Esther is a player with a ton of potential,” Cascades head coach Al Tuchscherer stated in a press release. “She has great athleticism, and she’s won a lot of games at the high school level including three provincial championships. She really fits the mould of what we’re looking for in a forward. She can play multiple positions, and she can score a variety of different ways.”
🏔🏀 | Cascades WBB kicks off recruiting season by signing a pair of high school standouts: Esther Allison (Langley, BC) and Charley Arnold (Edmonton, AB)!
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) January 20, 2021
🔗 https://t.co/3zaRO0SlYI#WeClimbWeConquer pic.twitter.com/wnOhgXBTVb
Arnold had an outstanding basketball career at Edmonton’s Mother Margaret Mary High School – she was the senior girls hoops MVP in Grades 9, 10 and 11, and won female athlete of the year honours all three years as well. Last season, she earned all-star nods at the St. Joseph and Strathcona Christian tournaments, and picked up an Edmonton Metro Athletics athlete of the week accolade.
“I’m really intrigued by Charley,” Tuchscherer stated. “She has a super-competitive attitude and a great work ethic. She’s really excited to get into the gym with our girls and improve her game. I just love that about a player, when they’re really excited to be in our program.
“Her family is deeply involved in high-level sports, so she has an understanding of what it takes to succeed in elite athletics. She’s also a relative newcomer to basketball, and due to her work ethic, her game has really exploded.”
The players are expected to suit up for the team later this year, if it’s determined that sports are able to move forward during the COVID-19 pandemic era.
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