Alexa McCarthy Aieisha Luyken
Edmonton, Alberta….The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades Aieisha Luyken, Mission, BC, has been named to the 2013 Canada West second all-star team and Alexa McCarthy, Chilliwack, BC has been named the 2013 Canada West nominee for the CIS Sylvia Sweeney Award.
Aieisha Luyken, a fourth year guard from Mission, BC led the Cascades in scoring with 294 points for a 13.4 point per game average. The veteran Kinesiology major led UFV in assists with 100, steals with 52 and recorded 77 total rebounds. Aieisha averaged 30 minutes per night while starting 21 of the 22 regular season games. This is her first selection to the Canada West women’s basketball “Elite 10” all-star team. Luyken joins Samantha Hill (2007-08) and Tessa Klassen (2011-12), as Cascades that have been selected to the Canada West all-star team.
“The team is really pleased that Aieisha has been recognized as a Canada West all-star. Aieisha does whatever is needed of her to win games and lead our team. She influences both ends of the floor, is a lock down defender, a lethal scorer, and always comes up big when we need it most. It is a privilege to coach such an unbelievable athlete and we’re fortunate to have her leading or team on a nightly basis,” said UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer.
Sylvia Sweeney Award nominee Alexa McCarthy is active in several community service initiatives and takes on a key leadership role in UFV athletics as a whole. She has battled through an unfathomable number of injuries over the years to become a significant contributor to the team in 2012-13. Through all of her adversity she has always lead the team in reaching out to the community.
She has initiated, organized, and driven what has become a major UFV athletics community outreach initiative. The ‘Walk and Knock food bank drive’ is an event where UFV athletes walk the community on Halloween evening collecting food for the Abbotsford food bank. In recent years, McCarthy has been participating in the Fraser Valley’s chapter of the ’Operation Red Nose’ program and has led UFV’s CIS “Shoot for the Cure” drive at UFV. She is a three-time winner of the UFV athletics community service award and has thrice been recognized by the University of the Fraser Valley for her outstanding contribution and leadership with the community service she provides in our communities.
“Alexa has been a major contributor to UFV, the Athletics program and the Fraser Valley communities,” said Rocky Olfert, Fraser Valley Athletic Director. She has had a significant impact on the culture we are trying to create. Her efforts to continually put others before herself and model this as a student-athlete has been an inspiration to all of us.” McCarthy becomes the second Cascade to earn the Canada West Sylvia Sweeney nomination, Michelle Buhler was selected in 2007-08 and was the recipient of the CIS community service award.
The Cascades women’s basketball team finished the Canada West regular season, 18-4, they won the 2013 Pacific Division regular season title. UFV defeated the University of Saskatchewan two games to one to advance to the 2013 Canada West “Final Four” at the University of Calgary. UFV will face the University of Regina in one of two Canada West semi-final games, on Friday (March 1st). The winner of the Cougar/Cascade game receives an automatic bid to the 2013 CIS national championship tournament in Regina, the weekend of March 15-17.
Photo Credit: Tree Frog Imaging
Congrats Eesh and Lex. Both are worthy recipients of these awards and are great assets to the team. Well done.