‘Dream come true’: Canada set to face NCAA champions in Victoria tune

‘Dream come true’: Canada set to face NCAA champions in Victoria tune-up

Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Surrey’s Tara Wallack lines up a shot at Tuesday’s training session at UVic, as Canada’s senior women’s national team prepares to face UCLA in Wednesday night’s exhibition. (Tony Trozzo/Victoria News)

Syla Swords focuses on the basket before a free throw on Tuesday as Canada continues its senior women (Tony Trozzo/Victoria News)

A childhood dream is about to become reality for Surrey’s Tara Wallack, and it will happen just a few hours from home.

The six-foot-two guard is expected to make her senior women’s national team debut Wednesday (July 22) night when Canada takes on the reigning NCAA champion UCLA Bruins at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

The exhibition game, known as ‘W’hoop it up’, comes amidst a week-long training camp at UVic ahead of next month’s FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico.

“I’m so excited,” Wallack told Victoria News following practice at CARSA on Tuesday.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this my whole childhood. To be able to do it in my home province with my family supporting me, my coaches who are here watching practice, I’m just so happy, and I can’t wait.”

Canada, ranked seventh in the world, has spent the past week at UVic continuing preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with the camp serving as the team’s second on-court gathering of the summer following last month’s camp in Montreal.

The exhibition against UCLA will serve as Canada’s final tune-up before travelling to Guadalajara, where the team will compete in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament from Aug. 17 to 23. The tournament winner advances to the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in March 2028.

Wallack is one of three British Columbians on the 17-member training camp roster, joining Vancouver’s Marah Dykstra and Surrey’s Faith Dut.

The former Washington State standout has represented Canada at the U16 and U19 levels, as well as on the national 3×3 team, but says pulling on the senior national team jersey carries special meaning.

“I don’t even know if there’s words to describe this feeling. I think it’s just a dream come true,” she said. “It’s almost emotional talking about it because it’s so special and not many people can do it. Every day I step on the court with a Canada jersey, I take it like it will be my last.”

Victoria is familiar territory for Wallack, who said she frequently visited the city growing up and returned for a national team camp last November.

“It’s my second home because Victoria, I would always come over here in childhood with my family,” she said. “To do the thing I love and have everyone who’s supported me throughout my basketball career be here at the highest level representing Canada is just something so special.”

This year’s opponent presents a significantly different challenge than the teams Canada faced during its previous visits to Victoria. The national team defeated Mexico 104-31 last November, Portugal 91-65 in 2024 after falling 80-60 to Japan in 2023.

The Bruins arrive after finishing 37-1 and capturing the program’s first NCAA Division I national championship in April. UCLA also won 31 consecutive games during its title run.

“It will be such a great experience for us to play against Canada Basketball’s senior women’s national team,” UCLA head coach Cori Close said. “We’re excited to create some ‘Remember Whens’ while we’re up north, compete at the highest level, and become closer as a team.”

The exhibition also marks the Bruins’ first game in Canada.

Wallack knows exactly what the Bruins bring after facing them six times during her collegiate career with Washington State.

“They’re the reigning national champions, so we’re not going to take it lightly,” she said. “They utilize their advantages super well with their size and their fast guards. They love to push the ball, so I think we just have to really focus on our defence and communication. We’ve been preparing all week, and we’re ready.”

Canada is without a handful of regulars, who are with their respective WNBA teams, including Kia Nurse of the Toronto Tempo and Bridget Carleton of the Portland Fire.

Among those at camp include veteran guard Sami Hill, who has appeared in 110 games for the national team, Yvonne Ejim with 39 international appearances, and Syla Swords, who has earned 23 caps with Canada.

The Bruins have also made the most of their first trip to Victoria, sharing stops at Butchart Gardens, a training session at St. Margaret’s School and a visit to WildPlay on social media.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Tickets start at $15.