Timberwolves Unleashed

Dan O'Connor (UNBC Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator)
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A podcast dedicated to sharing the stories from UNBC student-athletes, alumni, coaches and admin. We go beyond boxscores to showcase the power of this place and its people.

  1. JUN 12

    Dennis Stark (UNBC Men's Basketball - Alumni)

    There might not be another person on the planet who bleeds for UNBC and Prince George quite to the degree that Mr. Timberwolf, Dennis Stark does. His tenure at UNBC as a basketball player, then coach and employee now spans 18 years (and counting) and includes such honors as: A Wall of Honour induction (2021), a CCAA national championship (2010), two BCCAA Provincial championships and five individual awards. Today Stark proudly serves as UNBC's Senior Director, Enrolment Management & Strategy - while continuing to support a place and a basketball program that has given him countless memories and life experiences.  In Episode 22, Stark proudly shares some of those life-changing experiences and so much more! -- **Programming Note** The "Timberwolves Unleashed" podcast is taking a break! Starting Monday, June 16 the host, Dan O'Connor will be starting a Parental Leave as he and his wife are set to welcome their second child to the world. But fear not - Season 2 of the podcast will begin again in early August, right in time for the 2025 soccer seasons. A sincere thank you to everybody who has supported this show during it's first six months of life, and there are still countless more stories that we are excited to share with you in the months to come.

    54 min

  2. JUN 5

    Vova Pluzhnikov (UNBC Men's Basketball - Alumni)

    One of the most competitive and relentless athletes to ever take to the court at UNBC shares his story! Vova Pluzhnikov (Kharkiv, UKR) remains one of the all-time greats in the history of the UNBC Men's Basketball program. His name is stapled at or near the top of almost all offensive school records, but his impact on this place stretches far beyond the court.  His "Run for Ukraine" in May, 2022 transcended both sports and UNBC, and managed to unite the Prince George community in an incredibly positive way. Today he remains a proud resident of Prince George, and contributes to his community as both a Financial Advisor at RBC and also as an assistant coach with the UNBC Men's Basketball program. As great an ambassador for UNBC as you'll ever find, Vova Pluzhnikov's Episode 21 conversation is one you won't want to miss.

    1h 18m

  3. MAY 29

    Olivia Wilson (UNBC Women's Basketball - Alumna)

    In February of 2019, Olivia Wilson was on top of the Canadian University basketball world. She and her teammates at McMaster University teammates had captured the U SPORTS National Championship, and with two seasons of eligibility still remaining, no doubt there would be opportunities to once again challenge for national supremacy.  So how did Olivia Wilson go from McMaster University, a 30-minute drive away from her hometown in Oakville, to the University of Northern British Columbia in 2022? Further beyond that, after finishing her U SPORTS basketball journey at UNBC during the 2022-23 season, why did she stay? What is it about UNBC, Prince George and this part of the world that has kept her here? Hint: A passion for this place, a passion for the environment, and an incredible passion for birds! Yes, in Episode 20 of "Timberwolves Unleashed" we're going to hear all about Olivia's incredible basketball journey that has ultimately led to her serving as an assistant coach on the UNBC Women's basketball sideline. But Wilson also keeps her life plenty busy by working for the Government, and scouting out new birds. Any guesses as to how many different birds she has seen and photographed so far in her life? That answer and so much more lies ahead on the latest episode of the "Timberwolves Unleashed" podcast.

    41 min

  4. MAY 23

    Daniel Zadravec - UNBC Men's Soccer (Alumni)

    Episode 19 is here and features a conversation with one of the most revered, hard-working and humble student athletes to recently walk through these halls - Daniel Zadravec. Zad's tenure at UNBC spanned six years, and during that time he earned Academic All-Canadian honours six times. Additionally he became a conference all-star (2022), a team MVP (2023) and set the single-season saves record for Canada West which still stands today. Now a professional goalkeeper with Pacific FC, Dan Zadravec's soccer journey has not always been a smooth one. But luckily the support of his teammates, coaches and family coupled with his god-given talent, has allowed him to continue marching forward, even when times were at their toughest. We dare you not to smile when you dive in to Dan's journey through life and soccer on Episode 19 of "Timberwolves Unleashed."

    55 min

  5. MAY 16

    Bella Mesquita - UNBC Women's Basketball

    Bella Mesquita's time as a student at UNBC Is fast coming to a close. The Calgary, AB product has spent the past five years here, and in a matter of days the outgoing President of the Timberwolves Student Athlete Society be walking across the convocation stage and straight into the next chapter of her life. Bella's five-year stint at UNBC wasn't always easy. There were some dark and difficult days to be sure. But Bella's growth and evolution over the course of those five years is undeniable. The best memories associated with this chapter of her life include: the life-long friendships made, community outreach, and yes even the occasional early morning pushup during basketball practice. A multiple-time Academic All-Canadian, a recent Leadership Award recipient for her team and a true first-class ambassador of this place, Bella Mesquita's authenticity and kindness are on full display during this Episode 18 conversation.

    39 min

  6. MAY 9

    Kaz Ikuta - UNBC Athletic Events

    There’s no other way to better put it: Kaz Ikuta is a UNBC legend. In 1999 he began his UNBC tenure as a volunteer assistant coach with the UNBC men’s and women’s basketball teams, but fast forward to today, and Ikuta has amassed over 25-years’ worth of memories and stories from this place. Perhaps best known as the long-time Events Coordinator for UNBC Athletics, Kaz Ikuta personified hard-work, selflessness, and an athlete-first mentality. His legacy continues to be felt positively today thanks to the incredible, yet subtle impact that his words and actions have had on UNBC student-athletes past and present. It’s an honour to have Kaz Ikuta join the show for Episode 17 of “Timberwolves Unleashed.”

    42 min

  7. MAY 1

    Avery Nystedt - UNBC Women's Soccer (Alumna)

    Avery Nystedt was and is a culture-shaper. The recently graduated alumna from the UNBC Women's Soccer program played a over 3500 minutes for the TWolves over the span of three seasons (2021-2024) and provided consistency, reliability and leadership - to the point where her contributions on and off the pitch continue to be felt positively even though she's no longer attending UNBC. In Episode 16, Nystedt dives into her family's deep-rooted love for soccer and how a close relationship with her older sister Hallie and a long-standing rapport with TWolves Women's Soccer head coach Neil Sedgwick paved the way for Avery to carve her own unique UNBC path.  **Please SHARE, SUBSCRIBE and leave a FIVE-STAR rating.**

    39 min

  8. APR 24

    Mehdi Bounaaja - UNBC Men's Soccer

    Episode 15 of "Timberwolves Unleashed" has dropped, and this week features a candid conversation with Year 1 UNBC Men's Soccer midfielder Mehdi Bounaaja. Mehdi's charm and confidence are immediately evident, but what make's him even easier to root for is the amount of injury adversity he's been forced to deal with over the course of his formative soccer years, including a major spine surgery and a recent knee surgery. But through the injury challenges, Bounaaja's confidence and self-belief remain unwavering, and as the UNBC Men's soccer program continues to grow with their young core of players - a healthy, motivated Bounaaja figures to play a big part in that future success. In this conversation, Mehdi touches on his introduction to UNBC and what factors ultimately sold him on this place. Plus he takes us through the highs and lows from Year 1 and shares why he feels so excited about/connected to this place after such a short time.

    41 min
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About

A podcast dedicated to sharing the stories from UNBC student-athletes, alumni, coaches and admin. We go beyond boxscores to showcase the power of this place and its people.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan O'Connor (UNBC Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator)
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Timberwolves Unleashed
  • Show Website
    Timberwolves Unleashed