One of the UNBC Timberwolves’ most recent stars helped put the women’s basketball program back on the map, leading them to new heights.
Vasiliki Louka put together one of the greatest and most celebrated careers in T-Wolves history, making her the next choice for Timberwolves Wall of Honour.
She joined a program that lost standout players like Mercedes vanKoughnett, Emily Kaehn, and Jennifer Bruce.
UNBC coach Sergey Shchepotkin utilized his European connections to land the international powerhouse.
“Vasiliki arrived with very good European experience,” said Shchepotkin.
“She brought great size, of course, but she also had a very good understanding of the game right away. We needed her to come in and lead us, and to be a hard worker, which is exactly what she did.”
Louka started 19 games as a Canada West rookie where the Athens, Greece product set UNBC freshman records for minutes, scoring, and rebounding while setting a new T-Wolves overall mark for blocked shots.
UNBC struggled to a 2-18 finish, but Louka was named team Rookie of the Year and UNBC Female Rookie of the Year.
Despite the T-Wolves struggling with a 3-17 record in 2015-2016, Louka welcomed fellow international Maria Mongomo to the fray, forming a young European duo that would wreak havoc on the conference in the coming years.
Prior to year three, Vasiliki dedicated herself to taking a massive step on the court.
The Timberwolves made the Canada West playoffs for the first time in program history, on the back of a massive campaign from the Greek post.
She averaged 15.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game, finishing top ten in CW in scoring and blocks, and top five in boards.
At year’s end, Louka was named team Most Valuable Player, and UNBC Female Athlete of the Year.
“Vasiliki had no fear. She wanted the ball in her hands for the big plays, and she capitalized,” said Louka’s UNBC teammate Hannah Pudlas.
“I think her biggest growth was mental. She was getting more and more attention from the opposition, but she was getting more and more mentally tough.”
The rise of the program continued the following season, setting new team marks for wins, and clinching a playoff spot for the second consecutive season.
Louka put the league on notice, finishing top five in Canada West with 18.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, and earned her first career All-Star nod, being named to the conference’s Second Team.
She was also named team MVP, and UNC Female Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the season.
In her fifth and final season, Louka led the Timberwolves to its first winning season in history.
The forward notched 17.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game, leading the conference in boards, and her 17 double-doubles were third in the history of the conference.
In the playoffs, the Timberwolves topped Trinity Western to earn the program’s first CW postseason victory.
Louka concluded her T-Wolf career as the program’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and minutes, and top five in assists and steals.
At the conference level, she retired top-fifteen in history in points, field goals, offensive rebounds, top ten in blocks and free throws, and top five all-time in rebounds, minutes, and double-doubles.
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