\u2018Dream come true\u2019: Canada set to face NCAA champions in Victoria tune-up<\/p>\n
Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, July 22, 2026<\/p>\n
A childhood dream is about to become reality for Surrey\u2019s Tara Wallack, and it will happen just a few hours from home.<\/p>\n
The six-foot-two guard is expected to make her senior women\u2019s national team debut Wednesday (July 22) night when Canada takes on the reigning NCAA champion UCLA Bruins at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.<\/p>\n
The exhibition game, known as \u2018W\u2019hoop it up\u2019, comes amidst a week-long training camp at UVic ahead of next month\u2019s FIBA Women\u2019s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so excited,\u201d Wallack told Victoria News following practice at CARSA on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve 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\u2019m just so happy, and I can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s second on-court gathering of the summer following last month\u2019s camp in Montreal.<\/p>\n
The exhibition against UCLA will serve as Canada\u2019s final tune-up before travelling to Guadalajara, where the team will compete in the FIBA Women\u2019s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament from Aug. 17 to 23. The tournament winner advances to the FIBA Women\u2019s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in March 2028.<\/p>\n
Wallack is one of three British Columbians on the 17-member training camp roster, joining Vancouver\u2019s Marah Dykstra and Surrey\u2019s Faith Dut.<\/p>\n
The former Washington State standout has represented Canada at the U16 and U19 levels, as well as on the national 3\u00d73 team, but says pulling on the senior national team jersey carries special meaning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even know if there\u2019s words to describe this feeling. I think it\u2019s just a dream come true,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s almost emotional talking about it because it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria is familiar territory for Wallack, who said she frequently visited the city growing up and returned for a national team camp last November.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my second home because Victoria, I would always come over here in childhood with my family,\u201d she said. \u201cTo do the thing I love and have everyone who\u2019s supported me throughout my basketball career be here at the highest level representing Canada is just something so special.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
The Bruins arrive after finishing 37-1 and capturing the program\u2019s first NCAA Division I national championship in April. UCLA also won 31 consecutive games during its title run.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be such a great experience for us to play against Canada Basketball\u2019s senior women\u2019s national team,\u201d UCLA head coach Cori Close said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to create some \u2018Remember Whens\u2019 while we\u2019re up north, compete at the highest level, and become closer as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The exhibition also marks the Bruins\u2019 first game in Canada.<\/p>\n
Wallack knows exactly what the Bruins bring after facing them six times during her collegiate career with Washington State.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re the reigning national champions, so we\u2019re not going to take it lightly,\u201d she said. \u201cThey 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\u2019ve been preparing all week, and we\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Bruins have also made the most of their first trip to Victoria, sharing stops at Butchart Gardens, a training session at St. Margaret\u2019s School and a visit to WildPlay on social media.<\/p>\n