The Columbia Bible College Bearcats open the Pacwest playoffs later today (Feb. 28) in North Vancouver against the Douglas College Royals, but the team will compete without head coach Taylor Claggett behind the bench.
Claggett was removed from coaching duties following a Pacwest investigation into an alleged transphobic incident that occurred following a game between the Bearcats and the VIU Mariners in Nanaimo.
The details of the investigation have not yet been released by the Pacwest, but CBC officials confirmed that assistant coaches Alexis Worrell and Victoria Jacobse will be handling coaching duties throughout the championship.
CBC tips off against Douglas today at 12:30 p.m. and the other semifinal features the Mariners and the host Capilano Blues today at 5:30 p.m.
A potential CBC and VIU gold medal game could occur on Saturday (March 1) at 5:30 p.m.
The @VIUSU has called on the @pacwestbc to not reinstate @cbcBearcats head coach Taylor Claggett, ensure its commitment to safe sport environments and require CBC to make a public statement.
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) February 28, 2025
More here – https://t.co/IuYyFE6j8O pic.twitter.com/F0VsP2dAvt
In related news, the VIU Students' Union released a statement calling for the Pacwest to stand in solidarity with trans student-athletes and continue to stand against discrimination in sports.
The statement shared that CBC has fought the Pacwest's decision after the investigation and Claggett herself has launched legal action to overturn the suspension.
"These actions threaten to undermine the essential steps taken to combat discrimination and could send a disheartening message to trans athletes and their allies throughout Pacwest," the statement reads.
The VIUSU also called on the Pacwest to not reinstate Claggett, reaffirm its commitment to fostering safe, equitable, and inclusive sport environments, require the CBC Bearcats to commit to upholding the principles of fair and safe play by making a clear public statement that they do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or hate, and that they will recognize and respect the eligibility rules for trans athletes and establish extensive safety plan development practices to ensure the safety of all athletes, including trans athletes.
The full statement can be found here.
The News reached out to CBC officials for a reaction to the VIUSU's statement and they said that there are no issues with athletes feeling safe at CBC.
In other Bearcats news, the men's team qualified for the semifinal round after a 78-72 win over the Langara Falcons on Thursday (Feb. 27).
Cam Carter led CBC with 20 points, seven rebounds and five steals, while Spencer Dodoza grabbed 20 rebounds and scored nine points. The Bearcats next play the Mariners today at 3 p.m. A win advances CBC to the gold medal game, while a loss puts them in the bronze game. The gold and bronze games occur on Saturday.
For more on the tournaments, visit pacwestbc.ca/championships/basketball_2024-25/index.
