Former UNBC soccer star Paige Payne added to Timberwolves Wall of Honour

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“I was always super competitive,” Payne reflected. “Playing in tournaments and realizing maybe I was better than I anticipated in my head made me want to challenge myself even more.”

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That drive ultimately brought her to UNBC in 2016. While staying close to family was important, Payne was also attracted by the opportunity to help build a growing program.

“Family was super important to me,” she said. “I knew what my role could be at UNBC and I liked the idea of playing for a smaller program and helping to build it.”

Timberwolves head coach Neil Sedgwick saw her potential early.

“I had heard from a few people that there was this good player in Kitimat,” Sedgwick said. “Then when I had a chance to watch her, I could see the special qualities.”

Payne arrived at a challenging time for the program. The Timberwolves failed to record a win during her rookie season, but she became part of a core group that steadily improved the team’s standing within Canada West.

Her breakout year came in 2018 when she scored nine goals and became the first player in program history to earn Canada West All-Star honours. Sedgwick says that recognition reflected years of growth and development.

“When Paige arrived she had so much energy,” he said. “Then in year three she had figured a lot of things out. She slowed down her game, made better decisions and put herself in better positions.”

By the time her university career ended, Payne had established herself as the most prolific offensive player in program history, recording 21 goals and 30 career regular-season points.

Former teammate Mara McCleary, who joined the program alongside Payne in 2016, says her contributions went well beyond statistics.

“Even through struggles, she never made it about herself,” McCleary said. “The focus was always on how we could get better. That’s what made her such a strong teammate.”

Payne returned for a fifth season in 2022 while pursuing graduate studies and rewarded the Timberwolves with another outstanding campaign, scoring eight goals and earning a second Canada West Second Team All-Star selection.

Today, Payne works as a physiotherapist in the Lower Mainland while continuing to stay involved in soccer through League1 BC competition.

For Sedgwick, Payne’s Wall of Honour recognition is about more than goals, assists or awards.

“There are so many players deserving of recognition,” he said. “But Paige is incredibly deserving for all that she did and for helping guide the program through a period when we were transitioning into becoming a stronger team capable of getting results.”

Her legacy, he says, proves athletes from Northern B.C.’s smaller communities can compete with the very best.

As the first Canada West All-Star in program history and one of the architects of the Timberwolves’ rise, Payne helped redefine what was possible for UNBC Women’s Soccer.