The Niagara College women's basketball program is pleased to announce the addition of Oakville native Liana Hughes. Hughes is a four-year starter with the Oakville Holy Trinity Titans Sr. Girls basketball team, and long-time member of the powerhouse Oakville Venom club system.
"Liana is an athletic and highly skilled player that knows how to shoot and can really put the ball in the basket" said Niagara College women's basketball head coach Mike Beccaria. "Guard play is very important in our league and Liana projects as a true shooting guard that has the ability to be a very strong player at the post-secondary level."
The five-foot-eight Hughes said that Niagara College "best represents who I am" and during workouts with the Knights women's basketball team, the returning players made her feel "welcomed, comfortable, and like we all shared the same goal; to win."
Hughes will enroll in Niagara College's two-year Sport Management program at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. She also plans on continuing her education in the Niagara College event management graduate program.
"We have very high expectations for Liana during her time with our program" continued Coach Beccaria. "We have seen her play many times in high school and club. She is ready to play at the post-secondary level based on her strong understanding of the game and her ability to defend."
Hughes strongly considered attending post-secondary institutions both in Ontario and at the Junior College level in the United States. She admitted to finally choosing Niagara College due to the availability of her "academic program and the overall welcoming environment" of the institution.
When asked about her goals on the court Hughes said "the commitment and dedication shown towards the Knights basketball program is very strong. While in uniform I want to build a strong team relationship, play smart, work hard, and improve my overall game, both mentally and physically."
Hughes will join a Niagara College women's basketball program that finished 2014-15 with a record of 11-7 and qualified for the OCAA Championship before losing to the eventual gold medalist Humber Hawks. The Knights will return all but two players from the 2014-15 season including OCAA Rookie of the Year Courtney McPherson.
Hughes is the second incoming player to be announced for next season joining fellow Halton native Marina Painco. Despite knowing each other since they were nine, Hughes admits to being unaware of Painco's commitment to Niagara College until seeing the news via social media.
"Marina is a good player and we've known each other for a very long time. It's a great feeling and a surprise to be joining this program together, and having the opportunity to be teammates in college."
Hughes and the rest of the Niagara College women's basketball program will begin tryouts on Wednesday, September 9th at 5:30pm at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre. The 2015-16 season is shaping up to be exciting for the Knights as the team will host the 2016 OCAA Women's Basketball Championship from March 3-5.