Fraser Valley (Dan Kinvig) – Women’s Basketball: Tuchscherer voted Canada West Coach of the Year
University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball head coach Al Tuchscherer has earned a historic accolade from his Canada West peers, winning the conference’s Coach of the Year award for 2021-22.
Tuchscherer becomes the first UFV head coach across all sports to win a Canada West coach of the year award, and he moves forward as the conference’s nominee for the U SPORTS coach of the year prize.
The Pitt Meadows, B.C. product was recognized for guiding the Cascades to a sparkling 15-3 record in CW regular-season play, good for first place in the West Division. The Cascades built a reputation as a tough defensive squad, leading the conference in opponents’ field goal percentage (29.9 per cent) and ranking second in points allowed per game (55.0). Along the way, UFV women’s basketball returned to the U SPORTS Top 10 national rankings for the first time since 2014, rising as high as No. 7.
“This award is well-earned, and it’s a testament to Al’s ability to keep his team motivated and engaged through an extremely challenging two-year period while navigating a pandemic,” said Steve Tuckwood, UFV director of athletics and campus recreation. “This is a difficult award to win, as it’s measured against 16 other programs, and we’re pleased that Al’s excellent work has been recognized by his peers.”
Tuchscherer just completed his 20th season at the helm of the Cascades women’s basketball team, and he’s the only head coach the program has ever known at the Canada West level.
“More than anything, this award is a reflection of a great collaborative effort from everyone on our staff over the past three years,” said Tuchscherer, who was assisted in 2021-22 by Dan Nayebzadeh, Kayli Sartori and Aieisha Luyken. “I’m proud of everyone for their dedication to serve the team through numerous challenges, ensuring sure our team had a positive experience and ultimately a successful on-court season. It’s rewarding that CW coaches have recognized our program.
“I have the utmost admiration for all coaches who have led teams through COVID and the challenging times of 2021-22, from last-minute travel changes to the continuous impact of world events. Supporting our athletes as their mental health is being challenged like never before has become the No. 1 priority for most of us. Being a coach in the 2020’s has forced us to re-evaluate how we coach and to be the absolute best versions of ourselves in the face of significant adversity while just trying to get our team to the end of the week.
“I’m truly blessed to have the team that I do. They’re young and talented but also great teammates, great students, and community leaders. All of these attributes artificially prop me up, but it’s really the student-athletes who do the work, put in the time, and embrace what our program is all about.”
Tuchscherer took the reins of the program in 2002, when the Cascades were a member of the BCCAA (now known as the PACWEST), steering the squad to three CCAA national medals in four seasons and winning a pair of CCAA coach of the year awards.
In 2006, he guided the Cascades’ transition to Canada West, and he’s built the program into a consistent contender. Under Tuchscherer’s tutelage, UFV women’s basketball has made the CW playoffs in 13 of 15 seasons, with four trips to U SPORTS national championship tournament highlighted by a national bronze medal in 2014. He’s coached 13 CW all-stars and three U SPORTS All-Canadians, and his athletes have won seven major awards at the CW and U SPORTS levels.
Tuchscherer has also earned a reputation for developing well-rounded student-athletes with a community-oriented mindset. Over the years, UFV women’s basketball has worked with groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Operation Red Nose, and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and two Cascades student-athletes – Michelle Buhler (2008) and Alexa McCarthy (2013) – have won the U SPORTS Sylvia Sweeney Award for outstanding achievement in basketball, academics and community involvement. Since the Cascades joined Canada West/U SPORTS, only one other program (McMaster) has had multiple Sweeney award winners.
In recognition of his team’s long-term success both on and off the court, Tuchscherer was selected as UFV’s Staff Excellence Award winner for 2020.
