Diane Schuetze enters her fifth season as the lead assistant coach for the Vikes women’s basketball program in 2025-26. Schuetze joined Carrie Watts’ staff prior to the 2021-22 season.
In 2024-25, the Vikes posted a 12-8 mark in Canada West play, marking the most conference wins for the program under Watts and Schuetze. Finishing at 12-9 overall, Schuetze also helped Abigail Becker to Canada West Second Team All-Star honours.
Victoria went 10-10 in Canada West play over the 2023-24 season, earning the 10th seed for the conference playoff tournament. Embarking on a run to the Final Four, the Vikes downed seventh-seeded Lethbridge in the play-in round and upset second-seeded UBC in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals. Falling to No. 6 Alberta, the Vikes faced No. 4 Fraser Valley in the bronze medal match. The Final Four appearance was the first for the Vikes program since the 2014-15 season.
During the 2022-23 season, the Vikes posted a 9-11 record in Canada West play, earning a postseason bid as the No. 10 seed. The Vikes finished the season with a overall record of 9-12.
In her first season (2021-22) with the Vikes, Schuetze helped UVic to an 11-7 mark in Canada West and postseason tournament appearance, finishing the season with a overall record of 11-8 and with Ashlyn Day garnering Canada West First Team All-Star honours.
Schuetze joined the Vikes from UBCO, where she was an assistant coach for three years (2018-21).
A legendary player for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, Schuetze was a two-time CIS (now U SPORTS) All-Canadian, two-time Canada West First Team All-Star, and CIS All-Rookie selection during her five-year career. In addition, she was named TRU’s Female Athlete of the Year following the 2011-12 season. She still holds the TRU career records in points (1399), rebounds (813), rebounds per game (8.0), field goals (482), free throws (411), free throws per game (4.0), and field goal percentage (43.7%).
Following her playing years in Kamloops, she played professional basketball for three years overseas.
Excelling on the provincial and national stage, Schuetze was named the head coach of the Team B.C. U17 squad during the summer of 2022, and was also one of eight participants selected for the 2020-21 Coaching Association of Canada's (CAC) University Female Coach Mentorship Program (UFCMP).
Schuetze graduated from Thompson Rivers in 2013 with a Bachelor of Tourism Management with a minor in human resources.
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Vernon's Schuetze leaves TRU legacy
