Youths

Mercedes Van Koughnett (2010)

Basketball

On the basketball court, Mercedes Van Koughnett is driving her way to stardom.

This past season in the B.C. Colleges Athletic Association, Van Koughnett was a rookie guard for the UNBC Northern Timberwolves. She was also a starter, rare indeed for a first-year player. Van Koughnett was so versatile, she filled point guard and shooting guard spots with equal effectiveness. 

“She can play anything,” said Christine Kennedy, one of her UNBC teammates. “Her fire, her passion for the game, transfers to everybody. Honestly, I never think of her as being a rookie.” 

Despite her youth, Van Koughnett established herself as one of the league’s top playmakers. She averaged close to three assists per game. 

Van Koughnett is a graduate of Duchess Park secondary school. There, she started playing on the senior team in Grade 9. When she was in Grade 10, she was picked as an all-star at the double-A provincial championship tournament.