After two consecutive 4-16 seasons, the UNBC Timberwolves are back for another year.
So, how is the team looking?
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Coaching Staff
Returning for his 13th season at the helm of the program is Sergey Shchepotkin. He holds a 72-148 record as Head Coach through the regular season and has made the playoffs six times, most recently in the 2022-23 season. Shchepotkin is 3-8 in the playoffs in the six times the Timberwolves have made the postseason.
Roster Breakdown
1st Years: 6
2nd Years: 3
3rd Years: 4
4th Years: 1
5th Years: 0
Guards: 9
Forwards: 5
Strengths and Weaknesses of 2024-25
Shooting: The team's best strength from last season was their field goal percentage. The Timberwolves ranked 33rd out of 48 teams with their 33.9 per cent from the field as a team. They also ranked 33rd in three-point percentage as a team with 26.9 per cent. While both numbers were far from great, it was a bright spot for a group that struggled to create scoring chances.
Scoring: UNBC's 56.4 points scored per game placed them in the bottom eight of all teams in USPORTS. The problem stems from the team's lack of depth scoring. Outside of Viktoriia Filatova's leading 320 points scored last season, the next closest in points was Sveta Boykova, who recorded 235, followed by Amrit Manak, who scored 134 points.
Defence: The Timberwolves allowed the 10th most points per game in USPORTS last year. Their 72.5 points allowed per game were a significant reason why the team struggled to close out games and win — paired with scoring an average of 56.4 points per game, it creates a tough challenge for any team to overcome. UNBC also allowed opposing defences to grab an average of 45.8 rebounds per game. All three categories should be points of focus for improvement in 2025-26.
New Additions
1st Year, Guard, Lorenn Caceres: The five-foot-six guard from Prince George, B.C., joins the Timberwolves after graduating from College Heights Secondary, where she averaged 20 points per game. Caceres joins UNBC as one of three other recruits from College Heights Secondary.
1st Year, Guard, Kayleigh Kennedy: The five-foot-eight guard from Prince George, B.C., will don the green and gold for the upcoming season after graduating from College Heights Secondary. Kennedy recorded an average of 17 points per game in her final season before joining UNBC.
1st Year, Forward, Hazel Phillips: The five-foot-eleven forward from Langley, B.C., graduated from Brookswood Secondary and helped her school advance to the Provincial championships before making the jump to University.
1st Year, Forward, Summer Toor: The five-foot-six forward from Prince George, B.C., is the third recruit joining UNBC from College Heights Secondary. Toor recorded 15 points per game in the 2024 Provincials.
Roster Analysis
The most notable move in the offseason was forward Sveta Boykova, who graduated and was the team's second-highest points scorer from last season.
That was not all, though. The Timberwolves also graduated three other seniors: guard Halle Tiessen, guard Adaiah Tupas-Singh, and guard Sarah Kuklisin. Overall, the team will be without four of the team's seven players who started in eight or more games last season.
The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities for new players to step into those roles.
And with the team's scoring leader, third-year Viktoriia Filatova, returning, the number one option on offence is looked after — leaving the second and third options open for the taking.
Expect last year's third-leading scorer on the team, fourth-year guard Amrit Manak, to remain a significant part of the offence with the departure of Boykova. Especially since nine of the 14 players on the roster are in their second year or earlier, the Timberwolves find themselves in a position where they will need to rely on their veterans to get the job done throughout the lineup.
After only five players were in their second year or earlier last year, the increase in young players will likely put this team back into the rebuilding stage this season.
Position Battles
With that in mind, there should be plenty of conversation around who is in the starting lineup.
The two guards spots should see third-year Sophia Fuller returning to the spot where she started 19 of 20 games last season. That leaves the second guard spot up for grabs. Second-year Yana Shupak and third-year Claire Huang have seen plenty of playing time at the spot and could go either way. One of them should get the nod come opening night.
Forwards is a bit clearer. Viktoriia Filatova will be a starter again this year, and down low, the 6'0" Brynn Dergousoff seems poised to lock down a spot in the starting five after playing in 19 games last year and being the second-tallest player on the roster. Amrit Manak should also return to the starting lineup. Manak was a crucial piece on offence and could be in line to ascend to the second-leading scorer on this team.
My Projected Starting Lineup
G Sophia Fuller
G Yana Shupak
F Viktoriia Filatova
F Amrit Manak
F Brynn Dergousoff
Schedule Overview
October: 2 Home Games (HG), 0 Away Games (AG)
November: 5 HG, 4 AG
December: 0 HG, 1 AG
January: 2 HG, 4 AG
February: 2 HG, 0 AG
Oct. 26 - vs. UBCO 2:00 PM
Oct. 31 - vs. ALB 6:00 PM
Nov. 1 – vs. ALB 5:00 PM
Nov. 7 – vs. TWU 6:00 PM
Nov. 8 – vs. TWU 5:00 PM
Nov. 14 – at UBCO 7:30 PM
Nov. 15 – at UBCO 6:30 PM
Nov. 21 – at UFV 6:00 PM
Nov. 22 – at UFV 4:00 PM
Nov. 28 – vs. VIC 6:00 PM
Nov. 29 – vs. VIC 5:00 PM
Dec. 5 – at TRU 5:30 PM
Jan. 15 – vs. UBC 6:00 PM
Jan. 17 – vs. UFV 5:00 PM
Jan. 22 – at VIC 6:00 PM
Jan. 24 – at TWU 4:00 PM
Jan. 30 – at UBC 5:30 PM
Jan. 31 – at UBC 4:00 PM
Feb. 6 – vs. TRU 6:00 PM
Feb. 7 – vs. TRU 5:00 PM
Closing Thoughts
The Timberwolves seem likely to post another record identical to their last two seasons. Adding more rookies and maintaining a very young lineup will compromise their depth at all positions and force some young players to transition to the university game faster than they may have hoped.
With that in mind, it's likely this team is focused on success two or three years down the road and is aiming to build towards the future. How that will impact their chances at competing this year will unfold over the next few months, but it does not appear the Timberwolves are nearing a spot where they will contend for a playoff spot.