Columbia Bible College won after sanctions and suspensions following abuse allegations by a transgender player
Columbia Bible College has been on a wild ride this season, but wrapped it up with a happy ending.
Following suspensions, sanctions and forfeits after becoming embroiled in controversy involving another team’s transgender athlete, the school based in Abbottsford, B.C., captured the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship by beating St. Mary’s University 77-70 on Saturday night.
CBC accomplished the feat after dealing with accusations related to their alleged treatment of a trans player on an opposing team late last year.
Head coach Taylor Claggett was suspended after allegations of abuse against Vancouver Island University’s Harriette Mackenzie, who is transgender. The allegations also led to CBC losing its rights to host the conference tournament.
The controversy began during a game on Oct. 25 that VIU won 69-56 behind Mackenzie’s game-high 19 points. Mackenzie later posted an Instagram video alleging that Claggett “cornered one of our athletic staff and went on a tirade about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play.”
Mackenzie also made a claim about having been deliberately fouled to the ground by a CBC player during the match.
Claggett responded to the video, posting a statement on Instagram that her “intention has nothing to do with a specific athlete, but instead, the safety of female athletes in their sport.”
VIU made a formal complaint to the PacWest that prompted an investigation and then refused to play two scheduled games against CBC on Jan. 10 and 11.
PacWest granted VIU’s request not to count the two forfeits as losses on their record.
“Intimidation, harassment and discrimination have no place in athletics,” VIU said in a statement to Fox News regarding the decision not to play. “VIU stands in full support of our student-athletes and affirms the right of all athletes to compete in an environment that prioritizes their safety and well-being.”
PacWest ultimately sided with Vancouver Island and Mackenzie and, in doing so, suspended Claggett in early February as CBC lost its right to host the PacWest championships.
The championship also marked quite the turnaround for the CBC program, which suffered through a 54-game losing streak from 2018-23. It was the school’s first-ever women’s hoops championship.