Edmonton, AB - UFV Cascades Guard Nikki Cabuco was named the 2023-24 recipient of the prestigious Sylvia Sweeney Award in U SPORTS women's basketball. The award is presented annually to a student-athlete who best exhibits outstanding achievement in basketball, academics, and community involvement.

A four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, Cabuco's impact in the community is far-reaching. Her community work includes spending time as a substance use counsellor working with young people age 12-24 through the Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society and Foundry BC's Abbotsford chapter, serving as a board member with the Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society to give input into policy, development, core values, and goal-setting, and volunteering at the BC Children's Hospital to work with autism assessment and acute inpatient rehab programs. She has also served as the UFV Athletics Student Advisory Committee President since 2019 and is UFV's athlete representative to the Canada West board where she collaborates with peers from across the conference.
 

Hear from UFV Cascades guard Nikki Cabuco upon receiving the Sylvia Sweeney Award at tonight's U SPORTS banquet. pic.twitter.com/1aidY33Abu

— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) March 7, 2024

Cabuco was recently the recipient of the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award for her impact in the community, and the fourth year guard is now set to make her first appearance with the team at the U SPORTS Final-8 on Thursday.

The Cascades women's basketball program has a rich legacy with this award, as Cabuco is now the third Cascades player to earn the honour. She follows in the footsteps of Alexa McCarthy in 2012-13, and Michelle Buhler in 2007-08.

Head coach Al Tuchscherer's program is just one of four teams across U SPORTS that has had multiple wins in this award since it was first handed out in 1994. Since joining the U SPORTS ranks in 2006, the Cascades' three recipients are more than any other program, and UFV along with the Alberta Pandas are the only schools to boast three recipients all-time.

The seventh seeded UFV Cascades start their search for a national title on Thursday morning at 11:30 am PT, as they face the two seed Carleton Ravens. The game can be seen live on the CBC Sports digital channels including CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.