University of Victoria Athletics

1981-82 University of Victoria Women’s Basketball

TEAM ROSTER

Kathy Shields (Head Coach)  
 
Kathy Shields entered her fourth year as head coach of the University of Victoria Vikettes women’s basketball team looking for another successful season capped off with her third Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) title. The 1981-82 squad returned nine players from the previous national championship winning team, while there was only a total of 11 on the roster. Leslie Godfrey, Luanne Hebb and Sue Shaw were the only fifth-year players on the team. The team was ranked No. 1 in the CIAU until Jan. 9, 1982, where they then dropped to No. 2 for the rest of the season and heading in to the CIAU national tournament. The team's only league loss game on Jan. 9, 1982 in Edmonton against Alberta, losing 53-50 to the Pandas despite beating them one night earlier 83-47.

After a regular season record of 19-1 and outscoring their opponents 1582-974, the Vikettes won their third-consecutive Canada West championship banner and sixth title in the last seven years, sweeping the then-ranked CIAU No. 6 Saskatchewan Huskies in the final best-of-three series 83-53 and 89-62.
 
There was no question that the team had earned their berth to the national championships in Saskatchewan as the Vikettes racked up 172 points, 24 offensive rebounds and 38 defensive rebounds in the Canada West final showdown. Lead scorer Luanne Hebb finished with 39 points and 13 rebounds, while teammate Tracie McAra added 32 points and 10 rebounds. Heading in to the national championship the Vikes were ranked No. 2 behind the No. 1-ranked Bishop's team. 
 
With a point total of 284, a 79.1 free-throw shooting percentage, 47 offensive rebounds and 107 defensive rebounds, Hebb was ranked second overall among Canada West’s scoring leaders. Hebb was named a Canada West First Team All-Star alongside McAra.

Entering the CIAU Championship this was the second-straight year the Vikes were ranked No. 2, behind No. 1 Bishops and the second-straight year that the Vikes and Gaiters squared off in the final. 
 
The Vikettes outscored their competition 223-127 during the 1982 CIAU national championship, defeating the University of Toronto 81-31, the University of Winnipeg 72-41 and lastly Bishop’s University 70-55 in the final. Hebb led the team in points and total rebounds claiming a top-five spot in field goal average, free-throw percentage and defensive rebounding charts. She was named CIAU tournament most valuable player (MVP), CIAU First-Team All-Canadian and 1982 CIAU player of the year. This was the third-straight year that a UVic player was named CIAU Tournament MVP following Shelley Godfrey (198081) and Carol Turney-Loos (1979-80). Tracie McAra, Leslie Godfrey and Sandy Chambers were named CIAU Tournament All-Stars and McAra was named game MVP of the championship final. 

In addition, Leslie Godfrey (1976-82) recorded just six losses in her five-year career with the Vikettes. Following 120 league and post-season games Godfrey had an astounding 114-6 record. Luanne Hebb, who played five years from 1978-82, had a 107-13 overall record. 

The 1981-82 season was also the year that UVic hosted the San Diego Chicken, on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1981. Over 2500 fans packed McKinnon gym to watch the antics of the San Diego Chicken as the Vikings and Vikettes hosted Simon Fraser University. The Vikettes won 84-31 and the Vikes won 95-62. Other memorable moments of this year included the Vikings hosting Nationals at Memorial Arena with a thirdo f the Canadian men's national team play for UVic that year (Gerald Kazanowski, Eli Pasquale, Kelly Dukeshire and Ken Larsen).

 
Highlights
Canada West Record: 19-1 (1st)
Canada West Playoffs: 2-0 (GOLD)
Canada West First Team All-Stars: Luanne Hebb, Tracie McAra
 
[DOWNLOAD THE 1982-83 CANADA WEST YEAR IN REVIEW] 
 
CIAU Record: 3-0 (GOLD)
CIAU First Team All-Canadian: Luanne Hebb
CIAU Player of the Year: Luanne Hebb 
CIAU Tournament All-Stars: Tracie McAra, Leslie Godfrey, Sandy Chambers
CIAU Championship Player of the Game: Tracie McAra
CIAU Championship MVP: Luanne Hebb