Timberwolves induct basketball’s Jaclyn Nazareno into Wall of Honour

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Nazareno enjoyed a successful high school career with Thomas Haney Secondary School, where she played for coach Kerry Rokash. The THSS program had produced TWolf Ashley Neufeld, and UNBC coach Loralyn Murdoch said her newest recruit was put on her radar by Rokash, who vouched for her skill and character.

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“We had Ashley from the same school, and Kerry was crucial in helping us get Jaclyn. He believed she could really help us,” said Murdoch. “She was the perfect fit for what we were building. School was important to her, and she loved to play and loved to compete. She could play point, she could score, and she took pride in defense. Terrific qualities, and a player that could really help us.”

Nazareno joined a TWolves program fresh off a 7-11 season in BCCAA play. Part of Murdoch’s recruiting class alongside Laurel Wallace, the 2004-2005 season marked the beginning of a tremendous upswing for UNBC basketball.

Though she wasn’t leaned on for massive offensive output in her freshman season, Nazareno immediately established herself as a crucial part of the Timberwolves culture.

In her second season in green and gold, Nazareno found another gear. She earned a bigger role as the team’s top two scorers from the year prior moved on. The diminutive guard didn’t disappoint, scoring ten more points per game than her first campaign; leading UNBC with 12.4 points per game, while pacing the TWolves with 2.7 assists and adding 1.6 rebounds per contest.

Her scoring output was good for ninth in all of the BCCAA, while her playmaking numbers were 10^th in the league. At the conclusion of the season, Nazareno was named Timberwolves’ Most Valuable Player.

The 2006-2007 campaign proved to be historic for Nazareno, as she managed to find a way to take another massive step in her development. The five-foot-five guard became the first TWolf ever to score 300 points in a single season, averaging 20.1 points per game, which also was a UNBC record. Her 2.9 assists per game were a top-ten mark in BCCAA, and she chipped in with 2.6 rebounds and her signature defensive intensity. She was named UNBC Most Valuable Player, but also earned a BCCAA First Team All-Star nod, and was named a CCAA All-Canadian for her sublime season.

The 2007-2008 season proved to be historic for the Timberwolves, fueled by their veteran leader as they debuted in the brand new NSC. Nazareno leaned into her playmaking abilities, creating a balanced attack that included seven TWolves scoring at least 7 points per game. The fourth-year paced the team with 13.3 points and 4.7 assists per game, as UNBC went 11-5 and clinched the two-seed heading into the BCCAA playoffs. She finished sixth in the league in scoring and led all players in assists, clinching her second consecutive First Team All-Star nod.

The Timberwolves played host to the BCCAA playoffs at the Northern Sport Centre, and made the home crowd proud. They topped UBCO 62-56 in the semifinal, before beating Camosun College 71-54 to clinch the first Provincial title in program history. Nazareno was named a BCCAA Provincial Tournament First Team All-Star. At the CCAA National Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the TWolves went 1-2, but Nazareno was named a tournament All-Star for her efforts. Additionally, she was named UNBC Best Defensive Player, and an Academic All-Canadian at the conclusion of the season.

In Nazareno’s final season, the Timberwolves continued to establish themselves as a premier team in the collegiate ranks. UNBC went 14-4, and Nazareno put a bow on her career with averages of 10.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 boards per game. She was named a BCCAA Second Team All-Star, making her the first Timberwolf to earn a trio of league all-star nods, further cementing her place in UNBC history. The TWolves earned a BCCAA silver medal that season, giving Nazareno her second provincial medal.

A look at UNBC’s record books, and it is easy to see the impact Nazareno had statistically. She concluded her career with the single-season marks for points and assists, and finished tops in all-time scoring and assists. But as the ultimate team player, perhaps the greatest measure of her impact is the success of the Timberwolves in her time in green and gold. In the five seasons prior to her arrival in Prince George, the TWolves were 34-54 for a 39% win rate. In her five seasons at UNBC, the program went 56-30, for a 65% winning percentage.

Nazareno now lives in her hometown of Maple Ridge with her husband Sam and son Anthony. She is a teacher at Eric Langton Elementary School. Like the Timberwolves program during her time at UNBC, her students are in good hands.

“Jaclyn was a leader, on and off the court, and she took a lot of pride in being a Timberwolf,” said Murdoch. “She was a role model, she trained harder than anyone, worked in the classroom, and loved volunteering with the youth in the community. And on game nights, she came to win. She epitomizes what being a UNBC Timberwolf is all about.”