UFV signs Chilliwack standout Miah Schuurman from Unity Christian
ABBOTSFORD — Miah Schuurman made a name for herself as a three-year starter at Unity Christian, propelling the Flames to two straight postseason appearances and being named Most Outstanding Defensive Player both years at the B.C. Single A provincial championships.
She’ll be taking her talents just down the highway now that she has signed with UFV for the 2024-25 season as one of three recruits that the Cascades women’s basketball team recently inked.
Schuurman, a 5-foot-11 guard-forward, was instrumental in Unity Christian finishing second in back-to-back provincial playoffs. As a starter since grade 10, she also played club ball for Excel Basketball.
“I chose UFV because they push their players but they also value team culture as much as they value their wins,” said Schuurman. ‘The players go head-to-head at every practice and never let up on one another, but they also laugh together, encourage one another, and celebrate their victories as a team, not as individuals. UFV practices, trains, and strengthens with purpose which you can see in all the players and coaches. This is something that stuck out to me. I can’t wait to practice, train, and strengthen with a purpose here.”
Schuurman said her sights are set on achieving the very best for herself and her teammates.
“I want to play an important role on the team, both on and off the court, and know that everyone is working towards getting the win and pushing each other to become the best version of themselves. I want to push the envelope of what I can accomplish, and what this team can accomplish together.”
Schuurman joins Ankita Chopra, a 5’8″ guard out of
Burnaby Central Secondary School/Excel Basketball, and Kyanna Knodel, a 6-foot small forward from Walnut Grove Secondary (Langley)/Excel Basketball, as standout recruits who hope to step in and make an immediate impact for a UFV women’s basketball squad that has spent the majority of the past two years in the top 10 of the U-Sports national rankings.
Image: UFV / The UFV Cascades women’s basketball program has signed Ankita Chopra (left), Unity Christian’s Miah Schuurman and Kyanna Knodel to its 2024-25 squad. “With these three we have taken a big step in solidifying our programs future success on and off the court,” said UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer. “Our current group has represented our university in such an outstanding way, our challenge is to keep that momentum going. We think these three really fit what our program is looking for. They love to get in the gym, they are competitors, great students, and really good teammates. Additionally, this is one of the more athletic recruiting classes we’ve had and that’s an area we were hoping to add to our team. I know they have already made some connections with our current team and its really intriguing to see how they will impact our program next season and beyond.”