He played just one season with the Timberwolves, doesn’t hold any records and never won an award for his efforts.
But, that’s not Zane Robison’s legacy at UNBC.
He’s the very reason sports opportunities exist at the Prince George post-secondary and was part of the group that got the approval to bring basketball programs to a high-level of college athletics in B.C. and Canada.
For his trail-blazing work and passion for the green and gold, he’s now the latest inductee to the T-Wolves Wall of Honour.
In fact, he had the distinct privilege of being a player and captain of the first-ever UNBC men’s basketball team after three grueling years of campaigning, fundraising and accumulating community support to officially hit the hardwood on Nov. 19, 1999.
“Zane’s impact on UNBC Basketball is one of the foundational blocks on which our program stands,” said current Head Coach Todd Jordan in a statement this morning (March 19).
“To go from a player to coach in the very early years of the program. Zane was a key figure in driving community support for the program as well as building the success in the early years that still resonates. He completely deserves this.”
From that day, Robison would span a decade-long endeavour with the Timberwolves, getting the program up and running, ensuring education was a key factor in their success and that every player got a chance to shine.
After his lone season as a player, to which the T-Wolves were competing in Canada’s second-ranked university sports association, the Nakusp product came back to UNBC as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball team.
His tasks included the responsibility of building on that community support he garnered before the first tip-off, but when a new position became available in 2001, the Athletics department hired Robison as the team’s new bench boss.
“He cared so deeply about the growth of the program and bringing legitimacy to university basketball in Prince George. He accomplished just that,” said fellow Wall of Honour inductee Jay Gladish, who was recruited by Robison in 2002 and went 9-9 in the first season.
“He was able to keep homegrown talent, but also recruited some high-level players from elsewhere. He is a big reason the program was able to move forward.”
Perhaps, in their release, UNBC summarized Robison perfectly… ‘Without Zane Robsion, there is no UNBC Athletics as we all know it.’
And it’s true.
As a coach, Robison recruited several athletes that would eventually make his vision a reality when the men’s basketball team won the national championship in 2010.
A decade earlier, UNBC was part of a Prince George rec league.
“Zane was just so key in creating a buzz about the program, and driving that support that led to early success for the Timberwolves,” said Jordan, who was also a rookie in Robison’s first year as a coach.
“He was also a really gifted recruiter who was able to identify and commit multiple players who would end up league all-stars for us. He was someone you wanted to play for, because he believed in what he was doing.”
Robison coached until 2008, winning 58 games in the process, became the UNBC Athletic Director for a short-period and is also part of the school’s annual awards banquet in the most fitting way possible.
Each year, a member of the men’s basketball is selected to receive an award in Robison’s honour, exemplifying the same dedication as he had for Timberwolves sports.
“Zane was, by far, the most passionate person I have ever met about UNBC Men’s Basketball,” adds current UNBC Athletic Director Loralyn Murdoch.
“He really put the program on the map, and the Timberwolf name quickly developed a really good reputation around the region. He was a player at that point, but everyone knew he was so much more.”
Robison was also part of the committee that pitched the T-Wolves’ promotion to U SPORTS, Canada’s highest level of university sports, a path that began in 2010 and accomplished in 2012
He’s the 10th member of the Wall of Honour’s inaugural class since it was unveiled on Feb. 16.
Other inductees are as follows (in order of announcements):
- 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 (men’s soccer)
- 2010 UNBC men’s basketball team
- Vasiliki Louka (women's basketball)
- Zane Robison
