Trio of Vernon Secondary School Panthers sign U Sports hoops scholarships

VERNON, B.C. — A banner winter for Vernon Secondary School athletics has turned into a spring of opportunity, as three Panthers standouts have officially committed to U Sports programs. Chloe Collins and Adie Janke, architects of the school’s first-ever senior girls’ basketball provincial title, will take their talents to the Canada West circuit, while teammate Isla Jolly and senior boys’ standout Dom Zaino have secured roster spots on UBC Okanagan squads.

Janke, a 5-foot-11 forward who earned first-team all-star honours at the AAA championship on Feb. 28, will remain in the B.C. Interior after accepting a scholarship from the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. The Kamloops-based program, which climbed from 1-19 two seasons ago to 8-12 last year, praised Janke’s “high character and competitive nature,” projecting her as an immediate contributor.

Collins, the tournament MVP after spearheading VSS’s historic run, is headed east to join the University of Regina Cougars. Regina finished 18-4 last season and reached the Canada West semifinals, but with four key seniors departing, the door is open for Collins to make an early impact.

While the girls’ basketball duo drew headlines, the Panthers’ success extended across gender and sport. Jolly, a teammate of Collins and Janke on the championship squad, will play soccer for the UBCO Heat, keeping her university career close to home. On the hardwood, Zaino—limited by injuries for much of the senior campaign—has pledged to the Heat men’s basketball program. He joins a local recruiting class that already features Kalamalka Lakers products Mason Clerke and Tylen Lewis as UBCO looks to rebound from a 3-17 season.

“Congrats on battling through all the adversity this past year,” the Panthers’ coaching staff posted in a joint statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to cheer you on close to home in this next chapter!”

Vernon Secondary’s athletic department now turns the page on a landmark season, confident that the graduating class has set a new standard for Panthers pursuing varsity sport.