He was dedicated. He was dominant. He was Debianchi.
Scott Debianchi was much more than an athlete born-and-raised in Prince George. In fact, he was one of the building blocks of the UNBC Timberwolves’ soccer program when the sport was added to the school’s Athletics department in 2007.
From that day on and five years later, the centre-back lit a spark on the pitch career and that influence has now reached a new prestigious collegiate honour.
Debianchi is the newest addition of the UNBC T-Wolves Wall of Honour, announced by the school this morning (March 10), becoming the second local product of the inaugural class alongside Mercedes VanKoughnett for women’s basketball.
The Prince George Secondary (PGSS) graduate was recruited by then Head Coach Sonny Pawar and looking back, he believes Debianchi’s legacy should be acknowledged as one of the best in B.C.
“He was a wonderful leader who led by example, and a wonderful ambassador for our team, for UNBC, and for sport within our community,” he said.
“Scott is the original Captain of UNBC Soccer. In all the years I have coached at the university level, I can’t think of a more deserving player to be honoured like this.”
By the end of 2012, which was the final year in the CCAA for UNBC before getting promoted to U SPORTS, Debianchi achieved five consecutive Timberwolves MVP awards.
His talent appeared to have gotten better each and every year, says longtime teammate and good friend Andrew Seabrook, which took the men’s soccer program to new heights.
“I got to see Scott’s progression first hand,” he explained.
“He literally kept us in every single game. He would shut down the other team’s top players with his speed and tackling. Somehow, in those tough games, he could raise his level even further to influence a game. A great player and great teammate.”
The pinnacle of Debianchi’s impact came in the 2010-11 season.
Albeit a silver medal after losing in the B.C. provincial final to Vancouver Island University, he achieved, what remains to this day, UNBC’s highest soccer accomplishment, men’s or women’s.
Debianchi earned one of his three First Team All-Star selections as a result of that campaign. His first in 2010 was also the first in T-Wolves’ soccer history, while his third came in his senior season of 2012 when the BCCAA rebranded to PACWEST BC.
“Scott was so gifted with incredible speed and athleticism, but he flat out refused to lose,” Pawar added.
“It is no confidence that the most talented players are often the most dedicated to their craft. Scott spent hours and hours honing his skills and working on his fitness. He loved to train as much as he liked to play in matches.”
In the UNBC record books, you can find Scott Debianchi at the top of the most BCCAA games-played column with 62, men’s or women’s, which is seventh among all-time Timberwolves when combined with Canada West athletes.
On the scoresheet, he’s tied for second with nine BCCAA goals; tied for fourth for all-time UNBC men’s soccer players.
In 2008, he was awarded a Provincial Academic Excellence Award, while his 2009 squad was recognized provincially with the Mike Bartram Fair Play Team Award.
Debianchi is the second men’s soccer T-Wolf next on the Wall of Honour, the seventh since its unveiling on Feb. 16 and is one of 15 set to make up its first class.
The following alumni have been announced thus far in order:
- Inderbir Gill (men’s basketball)
- Tofa Fakunle (men’s soccer)
- Mercedes VanKoughnett (women’s basketball)
- Sidney Roy (women’s soccer)
- Jay Gladish (men’s basketball)
- Jaclyn Nazareno (women’s basketball)
- Scott Debianchi
