WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2019/20 MEDIA GUIDE gowolfpack.ca #HereWeCome TRUWolfPack @GoTRUWolfPack @GoTRUWolfPack WolfPack Athletics INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION INSTITUTION WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM CONTACTS Location: PROGRAM Head Coach Kamloops, BC, Canada Nickname: Goran Nogic Website: WolfPack Years as Head Coach: 1 tru.ca 250-371-5713 Mascot: [email protected] Founded: 1970 Wolfie Assistant Coach Enrolment: WolfPack Colours: Cassie Rerick 15,019 (on campus) black and orange Years as Assistant Coach: 1 28,544 (total) Affiliation: Sports Information Officer President: Dr. Brett Fairbairn U SPORTS Larry Read Director of Athletics: Conference: Tel: 250-377-6117 Curtis Atkinson Canada West Cell: 250-819-5255 250- 828-5273 [email protected] Home Venue: [email protected] Tournament Capital Centre Athletic Therapist & Trainer Athletics Website: Championship Court Kevin Brechin gowolfpack.ca 250-314-5000 Seating Capacity: 2200 [email protected] Twitter: @gotruwolfpack Assistant Athletic Therapist & Trainer Cara Nordin Instagram: @gotruwolfpack Athletic Assistant Coordinator Jon Shephard Photos: 250-371-5670 Andrew Snucins, Allan Douglas, Larry Read, [email protected] Richard Lam (UBC), Rich Abney (UNBC), Dan Kinvig (UFV) Director of Development Dustin McIntyre Media Production: Carlo Borella 250-320-9864 Webcasters: [email protected] James Matthews, Vince Watson, Dylana Milobar Graphic Designer: Taryl Guenter Proof Reader: Courtney Sampson 2 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK 2019 TRU WOLFPACK WOMEN'S BASKETBALL The history of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s Fellow Saskatchewan resident Jordon Haggardy will also be basketball program will add a new chapter this season. counted on for some big minutes. She was a Canada West Rookie All-Star two seasons ago. After missing the playoffs last season, the WolfPack have gone in another direction from the way the program has operated in Megan Rouault (Vernon, BC), a two-time U SPORTS Academic the past. TRU hired Goran Nogic as their third head coach since All-Canadian will see increased time on the court this year along they entered U SPORTS. with another college transfer, Courtney Sampson (Prince George, BC) who joined the WolfPack late last season. Second year players The 47-year-old native of Belgrade, Serbia has an extensive resume Brooklyn Golt (Langley, BC), Emily Ferguson (Kamloops, BC) and which includes coaching professionally in Serbia and Portugal and Jenae John (St Albert, AB) will likely get more court time as well in most recently running the 3D Basketball Academy out of North 2019-20. Vancouver, BC. Rookies coming into the WolfPack program this year are: Sydney Nogic has a number of veterans back from last season along with Schmidt (5’10”, forward, Kamloops, BC-Sa-Hali Secondary/ adding a couple of athletes who will be counted on to provide Thompson Threat), Jordan Robb (5’10”, forward/shooting guard, veteran leadership. Kelowna, BC-Okanagan Mission Secondary), Amira Jensen (5’6” After a year away, Emma Piggin (Kamloops, BC) has returned for shooting guard, Abbotsford, BC-Robert Bateman Secondary) and her fifth and final year of eligibility. The South Kamloops grad has Kelsey Cruz (5’8”, guard/forward, Calgary, AB, St. Francis High/ achieved a lot in her basketball career including being a member Vision Basketball Academy). of Canada’s junior national team and being a second team Canada Nogic will be assisted this year by former WolfPack guard Cassie West All-Star. Rerick, a teacher in the Kamloops school district. Piggin and Leilani Carney (Burnaby, BC) are the WolfPack’s two fifth year players. Another athlete who will be looked upon for a steady influence is Jordin Wilkinson. Wilkinson played two seasons at Quest University in Squamish, BC where she was a PACWEST Rookie of the Year and an All-Star. 2019-20 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE 3 2019 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS DATE TEAM LOCATION CITY TIME SCORE Nov. 1 TWU Spartans TCC Kamloops, BC 7:00 pm Nov. 2 TWU Spartans TCC Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Nov. 8 UBCO Heat Kelowna, BC 10:30 am Nov. 9 UBCO Heat Kelowna, BC 4:00 pm Nov. 15 MacEwan Edmonton, AB 6:00 pm Nov. 16 MacEwan Edmonton, AB 5:00 pm Nov. 22 UNBC Timberwolves TCC Kamloops, BC 7:00 pm Nov. 23 UNBC Timberwolves TCC Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Nov. 29 Saskatchewan Huskies TCC Kamloops, BC 7:00 pm Nov. 30 Saskatchewan Huskies TCC Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Jan. 3 Mount Royal Cougars TCC Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Jan. 4 Mount Royal Cougars TCC Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Jan. 17 Brandon Bobcats Brandon, MB 11:30 am Jan. 18 Brandon Bobcats Brandon, MB 5:00 pm Jan. 24 Victoria Vikes Victoria, BC 6:00 pm Jan. 25 Victoria Vikes Victoria, BC 5:00 pm Jan. 31 UFV Cascades Kamloops, BC 7:00 pm Feb. 1 UFV Cascades Kamloops, BC 5:00 pm Feb. 7 Lethbridge Pronghorns Lethbridge, AB 6:00 pm Feb. 8 Lethbridge Pronghorns Lethbridge, AB 5:00 pm 4 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK 2019 TEAM ROSTER BACK ROW (L-R): Jasreet Dhaliwal (Manager), Jordin Wilkinson, Jordan Robb, Brooklyn Golt, Jenae John, Courtney Sampson, Sydney Schmidt, Megan Rouault, Cassie Rerick (assistant coach) FRONT ROW (L-R) Amira Jensen, Emily Ferguson, Leilani Carney, Goran Nogic (head coach), Emma Piggin, Jordon Haggerty, Kelsey Cruz GRADUATING PLAYERS ACADEMIC ROOKIES The WolfPack have two graduating fifth year ALL-CANADIANS The WolfPack have four first year players players this year (L-R) Emma Piggin and There are three 2018-19 U SPORTS Academic on their roster this year: (L-R) Amira Jensen, Leilani Carney. All-Canadians on this year’s WolfPack squad: Sydney Schmidt, Jordan Robb and (L-R) Megan Rouault, Courtney Sampson and Kelsey Cruz. Jordon Haggerty. 2019-20 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE 5 COACHING STAFF GORAN NOGIC HEAD COACH Goran Nogic became the third coach in the history of the TRU WolfPack women’s basketball program on May 15, 2019. The 47 year old native of Belgrade, Serbia was the successful candidate of a nationwide search. Nogic (pronounced Nog-hich) and his family moved to Canada in September, 2015 after his oldest daughter earned a NCAA Division I scholarship at Providence College (she would later be a NCAA Division I All-Star). Nogic most recently ran the 3D Basketball Academy, operating out of North Vancouver, BC since 2015. He has professional coaching experience in both Serbia and Portugal and is in the process of earning a NCCP Level III coaching certification through Canada Basketball. Nogic also has a FIBA license, USA Basketball Gold license, a Serbian Basketball Federation Red license and a Portuguese Basketball Federation Level III license. “The possibility to challenge and share my coaching philosophy at the university sports level was the main reason I wanted this position,” Nogic said. “At the same time, I believe and I hope that together with the players, directors and all supporters of the program we can change the current status of WolfPack women’s basketball in the Canadian basketball community as well as [have] the chance to promote Kamloops as a sports city.” Nogic has a 67.7 per cent winning percentage (733-349 in 1082 contests). His coaching resume also includes being a guest coach at De Paul, UCONN, Providence College, and Simon Fraser University, where he observed the practices of current WolfPack men’s head coach Scott Clark. Among his achievements as a head and assistant coach was winning more than 50 titles in the last 29 years of his coaching career. As a coach, Nogic won the Portuguese Professional National League three times (2012, 2013, 2014), Portuguese National Cup (2014), Super Cup twice (2012, 2013), the U20 Portuguese National Championship three times (2008, 2012, 2015) and the U-17 Serbian National Championship (1995). While running the 3D Basketball Academy, Nogic won the following tournaments: • U-17 BC Spring Shootout Tournament, Canada (2017, 2018, 2019) • U-17 BC Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament, Canada (2018) • U-17 BC Spring Showcase Tournament, Canada (2018, 2019) • U-17 Portland/Rose City Super Competitive Championship, USA (2017) • U-17 Nike Hoop Portland Summit Spring Showcase Gold Championship, USA (2019) • U-17 Vikes Nation Shootout, Canada (2019) • U-16 Western Canada Championships Tournament, Canada (2018) • U-15 BC Spring Shootout Tournament, Canada (2018) • U-15 Western Canada Championships Tournament, Canada (2018) • U-11 Vancouver Tip-Off Tournament, Canada (2019) 6 THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK COACHING STAFF CASSIE RERICK ASSISTANT COACH Rerick is into her first season as an assistant coach with the WolfPack. She played in 2016-17 with the WolfPack after red shirting for the team following a transfer from UNBC (where she played for two years) in her native Prince George, BC. As a player, Rerick played for Team BC in 2010, her high school team finished fifth in the “AA” provincials and she was a First Team All-Star (2013). Rerick’s coaching history: 2013-Duchess Park Girls Grade 8 Team, Jr. Timberwolves teams in Prince George, UNBC summer basketball camps 2014-U-13 girls 3-on-3 regional team at summer games, UNBC summer basketball camps 2015- UNBC summer basketball camps, Jr. Timberwolves training sessions 2015-2018-TRU women’s basketball events 2019-Grade 8 boys basketball at Brock Middle School in Kamloops “I’ve seen a lot of great coaches throughout my basketball career and I really look up to the coaches I had in high school; they taught me the fundamentals of the game and how to be mentally and physically tough. As a coach you try to instill or help refine different tactical and intangible qualities in your players. You are always trying to answer questions. How can we improve our team shooting percentages, and lower the opponent’s percentage? How can I motivate players, improve teamwork and team energy in practices and games? I am still creating my coaching philosophy but I am always asking myself questions, the answers change with different players and different teams, so the teams I coach have a big part in creating my coaching philosophies,” Rerick said adding that she’s looking forward to experiencing the intensity and commitment that U SPORTS players deliver.