Veterans Courtney Ingram and Marko Ilich will be leaned on to help the VIU Mariners reach their provincial and national tournaments in 2025. The PACWEST soccer season begins on Sept. 6-7 with Mariners home games versus Douglas College. (Matt Carter)

By Dan Marshall

Kicking Off

VIU Mariners start fall PACWEST soccer campaign on home field

Sep 6, 2025 | 5:48 AM

NANAIMO — The Mariners soccer teams have the same objectives for the new PACWEST soccer season – advance to the CCAA national tournament.

For the women it’s about getting back to the nationals after a fourth place showing in 2024 and for the men the goal is to finish top of the table after recording a three win season a year ago.

Fifth year midfielder Courtney Ingram said the women set their goal of winning the national tournament a long time ago.

“We started talking about it back in April when we had a Zoom meeting so it’s the ultimate goal. Then when we get to preseason bonding is our first thing but in the back of our minds is always that gold medal.”

The Mariner women only lost one game during their last last regular season and the reigning PACWEST champions believe they can take things a step further in 2025.

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“Our coach always has high expectations and we hold each other to high expectations,” Ingram said. “Coming out of last year, winning our conference and doing well at nationals is an amazing accomplishment. We want to carry that on to this season with lots of girls coming back.”

Ingram believes this year’s team will be effective in all areas of the pitch.

‘”Our press is going to be very strong this year. We should be able to capitalize in transition. Our defence is very strong as well.”

The VIU men were provincial silver medalists in 2023 and PACWEST champions in 2022 but took a step back year.

One of the leaders for this season is goalkeeper Marko Ilich.

He is in his final year of university after coming to Nanaimo from Alberta.

Ilich believes the men have what it takes to be a top club.

“Expectations are high. We expect to win the league and set a new standard for the program. It’s an exciting year we have some new young faces in and they’re ready to play and show themselves well.”

If the Mariners are going to meet their goals Ilich said success will start in the midfield.

“Our midfield is very strong and our attack is strong as well. If we can connect the dots together we can have a successful season. We’re going to be an offensive teams and very organized. It’s a new system this year that our coach has brought in.”

Both VIU teams will open the regular season on Sept. 5 and 6 at home against Douglas College. The women’s games are both 12:30 p.m. kickoffs while the men’s games alated for 3pm.

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