University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball standouts Taylor Claggett and Deanna Tuchscherer were honoured on Wednesday evening at the U SPORTS All-Canadian Gala in Ottawa.
Claggett capped her stellar five-year career with the Cascades by earning a second team All-Canadian nod, while Tuchscherer was voted to the U SPORTS all-rookie team.
Claggett, a Canada West first team all-star this season, becomes the third player in UFV women’s basketball history to garner U SPORTS All-Canadian recognition, following in the footsteps of Chilliwackians Sarah Wierks (2015) and Kayli Sartori (2016).
The Mission product by way of Abbotsford’s Mennonite Educational Institute won the Canada West rebounding title, hauling down 10.4 boards per game, and finished second in the scoring race (19.6 ppg). The 5’11” forward also finished ninth in assists per game (3.4), and was the only player to rank top-10 in CW in all three categories. Along the way, Claggett became UFV’s all-time leading scorer (1,474 points), and set three significant conference records: free throws in a season (145), free throws in a career (521), and career minutes per game (33.9).
“This is such a well-deserved honour to cap Taylor’s career,” UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer said. “She has represented the Cascades so well over her five years – I’m really happy and proud that she has been recognized as an All-Canadian. Taylor will go down as one of the all-time greats in our program, and as one of the student-athletes who laid the groundwork for future successes.”
Deanna Tuchscherer, the Canada West rookie of the year, becomes the second UFV women’s hoopster to be named to the U SPORTS all-rookie team, joining Sarah Wierks (2011). The Chilliwack-G.W. Graham Secondary product averaged 15.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, ranking second on the team to Claggett in both categories. She finished 10th in the CW scoring race, and led all U SPORTS rookies in total points (308) and field goals (123) while helping the Cascades to a 16-4 regular-season record and a run to the CW quarter-finals.
READ MORE: Tuchscherer named Canada West’s top rookie
READ MORE: More Canada West accolades for Chilliwack’s Deanna Tuchscherer
Tuchscherer set a program record for points in a Canada West game, pouring in 35 points in a road win vs. Trinity Western on Jan. 16. On Feb. 1, she came within one rebound of becoming the first Cascades women’s hoopster to post a triple double, registering 14 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in a victory at Thompson Rivers.
Tuchscherer was also a finalist for the U SPORTS rookie of the year award, which went to Jael Kabunda of the Bishop’s Gaiters.
“A well-deserved honour for Deanna,” Al Tuchscherer said. “She had an incredible impact on our team’s success this year. It’s exciting to think that our 2019 recruiting class is just getting started, and I know they are hungry to come back that much better next year. I’m proud of that group of girls, and Deanna really set the tone for them for the next four years.”
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