The VIU Mariners women's basketball team will skip two games in Abbotsford this weekend, supporting teammate Harriette Mackenzie after she says she was targetted for being trans during games in Nanaimo last year. (VIU Mariners)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

taking a stand

Mariners basketball team boycotting weekend games, citing ‘hateful treatment’ by opposition

Jan 8, 2025 | 7:38 AM

NANAIMO — The PACWEST-leading VIU Mariner women’s basketball team has opted not to suit up this weekend, in support of their teammate.

A letter signed by all 13 players on the team said the squad does not feel safe playing against Columbia Bible College (CBC) in Abbotsford, for a pair of games beginning Friday, Jan. 10.

The team’s concerns stem from games in Nanaimo in late October where leading scorer Harriette Mackenzie was allegedly subject to physical and verbal abuse from CBC coaches and players.

Their letter states Mackenzie was injured in the game where she was “targeted and subjected to hateful treatment” due to her being a trans-woman.

Mackenzie said after the game, in a social media post, she started her transition as a young child and never entered male puberty.

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The players, in their letter, are calling on their conference, the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), to suspend CBC coach Taylor Claggett, move the provincial championship away from Columbia Bible College, and require the school to commit to a “zero-tolerance policy for hate and discrimination.”

Claggett was accused of being “on a tirade about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play”, according to a statement made by Mackenzie after the Oct. 25 game.

Social media posts by accounts linked to Claggett’s brother featured messages such as “Keep women’s sports, WOMENS SPORTS! complete joke!”

In Mackenzie’s post, she also said several CBC players took physical liberties with her during the game, including taking hard fouls in a potential attempt to injure her.

CBC responded to the video by saying it “does not accurately represent all the events that took place”, with Claggett also saying Mackenzie’s post was “scripted to show one side of a story that is highly inaccurate.”

In a statement posted by VIU Wednesday morning, associate vice president of student affairs Irlanda Gonzalez-Price and associate vice presidents of diversity, equity, and human rights David Paterson, said VIU is in full support of their student-athletes who deserve the right to compete in a safe environment that prioritizes their well-being.

They submitted a formal complaint regarding the Oct. 25 incident to PACWEST, believing it contravened the coaches code of ethics, with PACWEST currently investigating.

“Intimidation, harassment, and discrimination have no place in athletics. We trust PACWEST to uphold its principles and prioritize the safety and inclusion of all participants in collegiate sports. We believe this is a shared responsibility and call on PACWEST to fulfill its role in advancing this effort.”

VIU said they’ve requested an exemption from the weekend games without penalty due to the ongoing investigation and “the sensitive nature of the situation.”

In her third year at the school, Mackenzie started 17 games last season and scored 324 points and helped her team to a CCAA National Championship.

At the holiday break, Mackenzie was second in PACWEST scoring with 193 points in her 12 games played.

VIU is 11-1 heading into the weekend, while CBC is third overall with a record of 9-3.

The Mariners are also ranked second in the country among CCAA schools.

NanaimoNewsNOW has reached out to Vancouver Island University to clarify the scope of the boycott, and whether the men’s team will play their scheduled games against CBC this weekend.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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