Timberwolves ready for new season

Third-year defender Keeley Reed says the team’s mindset entering the new campaign is clear.

“This year we’re really focusing on being super resilient and hard working, and we want to kind of like give every team a hard fought battle.”

The Timberwolves will once again lean on standout goalkeeper Johanna Rathke, whose record-setting rookie season helped keep UNBC competitive throughout the 2025 campaign. At the same time, a combination of veteran leadership, experienced returners and several newcomers are expected to play key roles as the team looks for improvement in the standings.

Another area of emphasis has been generating more scoring opportunities and creating greater pressure in the attacking third.

“Yeah, I think, our biggest piece of growth this year will probably be our attacking. And, I think we’ve been really working on getting the ball in the box. Getting the ball in the back of the net. And hopefully that’ll show on Friday.”

On the men’s side, the Timberwolves are hoping an increasingly experienced roster can provide the foundation for a breakthrough season. Many of the players who arrived as young recruits several years ago are now entering the prime years of their university careers, bringing valuable Canada West experience into the opening weekend.

Veteran defender Hagon Kim believes that maturity will be one of the team’s biggest strengths this season.

“Over the last few years we’ve kind of struggled with a lot of young guys coming in, but now they have, spent the last 2 or 3 years training with the team so now they’re in their third year, fourth, their fifth year. I’m really excited for those guys to kind of step up and show what they’ve been working on.”

The men’s team opens its season Friday night against Thompson Rivers before returning to the pitch Sunday afternoon against Fraser Valley. The weekend will provide an early opportunity for the Timberwolves to establish the style of play they want to bring into the new season.

For Kim, that identity starts with being difficult to play against every time they step on the field.

“We want to be a team that other teams are scared to play against and tricky to play against. We want to be a team that, it’s hard to score, against. We want to concede as less score as possible so we want to be a very defensive team.”

With both teams opening their seasons at home, the Timberwolves will look to start 2026 on a positive note and give local fans an early glimpse of how far the programs have progressed heading into another Canada West campaign.

by Nick Dube

Timberwolves ready for new season

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