UNews - Kacie Bosch

Olympian, mentor and teacher, Kacie Bosch, named 2025 Young Alumni Award winner

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:14:53 +0000

Never afraid to take her shot, Kacie Bosch (BA ’20, BEd ’25) carved out a basketball career that saw her compete everywhere from local gyms to the international stage, culminating with representing Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics. All the while, Bosch stayed true to her roots, serving as a coach, mentor, leader and inspiring role model. Now a teacher eager to spark dreams in the next generation, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association has named Bosch the 2025 Young Alumni Award winner.

Kacie Bosch was a member of Canada's 3x3 women's national basketball team that placed fourth at the Paris Olympics.

“It was amazing to watch Kacie compete on the world’s biggest stage last summer, both as an athlete and as a humble young woman who has always taken the time to share her journey with young athletes who harbor the same dreams,” says Cyndi Crane (BMus ’95, MEd ’01) ULAA president. “It’s exciting to think of the positive impact she will now have as a teacher, and the lucky students who will benefit from her experiences.”

Bosch will be recognized at Let There Be Light Night, a celebration of alumni achievement, on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at 7 p.m. in the Science Commons Atrium. Tickets are currently available online.

Kacie Bosch

The sport of basketball has taken Kacie Bosch around the globe, but she has always returned to her Lethbridge roots. Whether on the world stage — like the 2024 Paris Olympics — or in the gyms and classrooms in her hometown, Bosch brings the same leadership, determination and unwavering spirit, serving as an outstanding ambassador for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

After beginning her collegiate career south of the border at Gonzaga ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Bosch chose to return home and join the Pronghorns in 2016. Over four seasons representing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on the court she also excelled academically, earning USPORTS Academic All-Canadian honours three times on her way to completing a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2020.

In 2021, Bosch transitioned to 3x3 basketball, helping elevate the sport to new heights in Canada. Her accomplishments with the Canadian Women’s 3x3 National Team include three FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series championship titles, a pair of FIBA 3x3 World Cup medals and a pivotal role in securing the country’s first-ever Olympic berth in the sport.

Competing on the world’s biggest stage, Bosch and her teammates battled to a hard-fought fourth-place finish in Paris.

Despite her international success, Bosch has never lost sight of where she came from. In 2022, she joined the Pronghorns women’s basketball program as an assistant coach, while also returning to the classrooms of ULethbridge in pursuit of her Bachelor of Education. Central to her values is a deep commitment to mentorship, whether it be guiding the next group of Pronghorns or inspiring the students she teaches and coaches. She can often be found volunteering her time at youth clinics and is a passionate advocate for increasing opportunities for girls in sport.

For her outstanding contributions to her community, she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025.

Bosch’s story is one of chasing the biggest dreams imaginable, while never losing sight of the people and places that shaped her. Her growing legacy is defined not only by the medals and milestones she’s achieved, but by the youth she’s inspired, the teammates she’s lifted and the belief she’s sparked in others to dream just as boldly.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge hosting second annual International Women’s Day Leadership Conference

trevor.kenney — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:58:45 +0000

* This event is at capacity *

On March 12, an impressive roster of leaders will once again grace the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus for its second annual International Women’s Day Leadership Conference.

Featuring keynote presentations by international bestselling author, obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter, and Dr. Ranjana Sharma, NRCan Chief Scientist and senior-most scientific authority in Natural Resources Canada, the conference aims to bring people together for a day of conversation, networking and inspiration.

“This event is about creating spaces of engagement with phenomenal individuals who have been changemakers and have shifted the conversation around leadership and representation,” says Martha Mathurin-Moe, vice-provost, Accessibility, Belonging & Community.

Under the theme — Leaders Who Change the Conversation — this conference will foster welcoming spaces of belonging for all voices, as well as share in the possibility and celebration of excellence as women and gender diverse individuals. This annual one-day celebration of success, community and solidarity will bring together a diverse audience to learn from world class leaders in education, arts, athletics and manufacturing who will inspire and uplift the change and thought leaders of tomorrow.

In addition to the keynote speakers, a panel of prominent local leaders will share their insights during the Lethbridge Leaders Forum.

The panel includes:

Kacie Bosch (BA ’20) and Paige Crozon, Canadian 3x3 basketball Olympians
Staahtsisttayaaki Dr. Genevieve Fox (BA/BEd ’03, MEd ’12), Education Director, Blackfoot Confederacy Council
Su Ying Strang, Executive Director, Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin Southern Alberta Art Gallery
Simarjit Bains, Vice-President Manufacturing, Triple M Housing

“Once again, we have brought together thought leaders and innovators to offer an exceptional professional development experience right here in Lethbridge, and we look forward to continuing to provide these exceptional opportunities to our community,” says ULethbridge’s Vice-President (Research) and event co-host, Dr. Dena McMartin.

“Hosting this annual event demonstrates ULethbridge’s commitment to fostering strong connections with the Lethbridge community. This year’s conference offers a valuable platform to engage with our alumni, strengthen ties on and across our campuses, and deepen our community relationships,” says event co-host Dr. Michelle Helstein, provost and vice-president (academic).

Tickets are limited and on sale now. Early Bird pricing is in effect until January 15, 2025. Exclusive sponsorships are also available until January 31, 2025. For more information, please message m.nichol@uleth.ca or visit go.uleth.ca/IWD-conference.

Olympic dreams realized for Bosch and Crozon

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 14:50:42 +0000

Basketball players part of large ULethbridge contingent headed to Paris Olympics

Could it really happen any other way? Kacie Bosch (BA ’20) and Paige Crozon punched their ticket to the Paris Olympics in the most dramatic of ways, winning the bronze medal match in the final 3x3 women’s basketball Olympic qualifying tournament. After years of crossing the globe, jumping through qualifying hoops and racking up win after win as the world’s top-rated 3x3 team, they are Paris bound.

“It doesn’t really feel real yet,” says Crozon, who along with Bosch is an assistant coach for the Pronghorns women’s basketball team. “We’ve been preparing the last five years for this, just hoping and wishing we’d get this opportunity. I’m so proud of our team and the resilience we showed to even get to this point, and we are honoured to play amongst these women in Paris.”

Kacie Bosch, left, and Paige Crozon, middle, celebrate with teammates Michelle and Katherine Plouffe after they clinched their spot in the Paris Olympics.

The duo, who will compete alongside Olympic veterans Michelle and Katherine Plouffe, earned their spot in Paris the hard way. They fell one win short at an Olympic qualifying event in Japan, then needed a top-three finish in Hungary to secure their Olympic berth, only to lose a semifinal game to Spain on a fluke shot in the last second. It set up a winner-take-all match against the home Hungary side, and while they easily dispatched the hosts, the adversity they faced is seen as welcome experience.

“That loss to Australia in Japan was devastating for our group and we were really disheartened. We wanted to come home, come back to our families and have more time to train for Paris and instead we had four days at home and it was back on the road for another qualifier,” says Crozon.

Bosch says the experience of the Plouffe twins guided their emotions through the nerve-wracking final qualifying tournament. They also refocused their sights on what truly guides their success — having fun.

“The pressure was on, and we started to focus on the outside noise, like who was refereeing and what might happen if we lost and that’s not good for us,” says Bosch. “That’s not how we play our best ball. When we have joy, when we’re laughing and joking before we run on the court, that’s what makes us play well.”

With their spot now secure, the focus is on gearing up for Paris. The Olympics begin July 24, with the 3x3 basketball tourney running July 30 through Aug. 5. While Bosch rehabilitates a litany of knee injuries, Crozon is playing with Canada on the FIBA professional circuit. The group will reconvene in Toronto for a short training camp and head to Paris a week before their Olympic opener.

“I’m a very emotional person, so I’m already picturing us wearing our Canada jerseys and competing for our country,” says Bosch. “It’s such a huge tournament and to have friends and family there who have been supporting me since the start of my career is going to be amazing. It’s a full-circle moment — everybody has worked so hard to get to this point, and I’m so thankful for all the people behind the scenes who have supported and pushed and been practice players for us and sacrificed their time. Putting that jersey on is just an amalgamation of everybody’s efforts.”

Crozon eyes the opportunity with gratitude and joy.

“To share this with all the individuals who have helped us get to this point is something I’m really looking forward to,” she says. “It will be a big stage, but it doesn’t change why I play basketball because I just love to play. I feel free and so much joy playing basketball, so I don’t think the stage matters, I’m just excited to have another opportunity to play the game I love with everybody I care about.”

As far as who they will meet in Paris, there are no surprises. All the world’s best teams will be there, and they have faced each other many times on the professional circuit. They fear nobody.

“We’ve faced every team multiple times in games that have come down to the last few seconds, overtime games, we’ve gone through the gauntlet,” says Bosch. “All the things we’ve had to overcome, that’s our advantage going into Paris.”

Pronghorns in Paris

Pronghorns track coach Larry Steinke (BA ’94) has been running the most prominent throws program in U SPORTS for years and has been consistently involved with Canada's elite athletes at the international level. He is excited to make his sixth Olympic appearance and says this may prove to be the most memorable yet.

“It’s always an honour to represent Canada at the international level. This one will be unique, as each one is, but we go in with the best Team Canada we have ever had in track and field, including six world champions. Without a doubt it will be a special Olympics in that regard,” says Steinke, who will serve as Team Coach.

Another team member serving as mission staff is Ryan Sommer (BA '16) who competed for Steinke as a shot put specialist for the Horns from 2011-2016. After leaving ULethbridge, he turned his sights to bobsled and represented Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympics where he won bronze in the four-man bobsled. Meanwhile, Mike Tamura (BA), who competed for the Horns in judo in the 1980s, will serve as Judo sport director in Paris.

As well, former Pronghorns swimmer Apollo Hess and cyclist Sarah Orban (BA ’18) will compete for Canada in Paris.

Hess swam for the Horns for two seasons, winning gold in the 200-metre and 50-metre breaststroke at the 2022 U SPORTS Championships where he was named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year. After another outstanding 2023 season, he moved to Toronto to join the High Performance Centre. Hess is a member of the Kainai Nation, and the first Blood Tribe member and swimmer of Indigenous descent to participate in the Olympics.

Orban played Horns women’s soccer and ran track while at ULethbridge. In 2017, she participated in the RBC Training Ground program and won the Alberta Regional Final, sparking interest from the national skeleton and cycling teams. She chose to focus on cycling and was named to the national team 18 months later. She won team sprint gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2023 Pan American Games. Orban graduated with a double major in kinesiology and psychology.

See this story to learn about Kacie Bosch's journey as a student in the Faculty of Education

Olympic Competition Schedule (All times MDT)

Kacie Bosch & Paige Crozon (Women's 3X3 Basketball)

Tuesday, July 30 — 10 a.m. vs. Australia
Wednesday, July 31 — 10 a.m. vs. China
Thursday, Aug. 1 — 1:30 a.m. vs. Germany
Thursday, Aug. 1 — 2 p.m. vs. France
Friday, Aug. 2 — 10 a.m. vs. USA
Friday, Aug. 2 — 1 p.m. vs. Spain
Saturday, Aug. 3 — 9:30 a.m. vs. Azerbaijan
Monday, Aug. 5 — Playoffs (TBD)

Apollo Hess (Men's Swimming, 4x100-metre medley relay)

Friday, Aug. 2 — 3 a.m. (Heats)
Saturday, Aug. 3 — 3 a.m. (Heats)
Sunday, Aug. 4 — Finals (TBD)

Sarah Orban (Women's Team Sprint Track Cycling)

Monday, Aug. 5 — 9 a.m. (Qualifying)
Monday, Aug. 5 — 10:55 a.m. (First Round)
Monday, Aug. 5 — Finals (TBD)

Horns assistants Crozon, Bosch making most of 3x3 opportunity

trevor.kenney — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:48:01 +0000

Kacie Bosch (BA ’20) and Paige Crozon are seizing opportunity — and they’re taking ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns fans and the rest of Canada along for the ride.

The two assistant coaches with the Horns women’s basketball program have a side hustle going as members of Canada’s 3x3 women’s basketball team. Recently, the duo, along with twins Michelle and Katherine Plouffe, secured their second straight FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Final title — this time in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Kacie Bosch, left, and Paige Crozon, second from left, have joined forces with twins Katherine and Michelle Plouffe to form the world's top-ranked 3x3 women's basketball team.

For two players who put their respective five-on-five playing careers on pause before 3x3 emerged, the fact they are now traversing the world as the top-rated nation in the game with eyes squarely set on playing in next year’s Paris Olympics is not lost on them.

“When I finished playing five-on-five at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I was kind of over basketball,” says Bosch, a local product out of Chinook High School who began her post-secondary career at Gonzaga ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Spokane, Wa., before finishing at home with the Pronghorns. “The next step is usually to play professional five-on-five, but I knew the culture wouldn’t be the same as playing with my university teammates and I wasn’t super interested in doing that. When I got the opportunity to play 3x3, the different style, less pressure, shorter games, DJ’s blasting music the whole time — it was more of what I really wanted to do.”

The 3x3 game is electric, celebratory, approachable for fans and appealing to players who took up basketball playing essentially the same game as kids.

“I love the 3x3 environment — the live music that goes on, games that are only 10 minutes long and they’re often played in these amazing touristy locations. We play in the main square of these beautiful European cities or on the beach in Miami. I grew up playing on outdoor courts with a bunch of boys, and this definitely has a street ball feel to it,” says Crozon, originally from Humboldt, Sask., and a former American college player (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah).

The duo is on hiatus from the national team right now, with their next tournament the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dec. 1-3. It’s another step towards the ultimate goal, qualifying for Paris. On what is a somewhat confusing and circuitous qualifying path, Canada still must earn its qualification to the Olympic field despite consecutive Women’s Series titles and the top ranking in the world.

“As long as we’re given the opportunity through these qualifying tournaments, I’m confident we’ll seize it,” says Bosch. “I have no doubt our team is going to be able to qualify.”

This 3x3 odyssey they’ve been on, as unexpected as it was when they both started, has proven to be life changing by expanding their world view and in turn impacting the lives of those around them. For Crozon, it has given her an opportunity to traverse the world with four-year-old daughter, Poppy, while Bosch has been able to integrate the overseas travel into her busy life as a Faculty of Education after-degree student.

They are both able to bring the lessons of their experiences into their lives back home.

“I do think playing 3x3 complements coaching the five-on-five game,” says Crozon. “In 3x3 you really need to find advantages by being able to read what defenses are doing and that’s helped me grow in my ability to read the game. I try to bring that back to the U of L and explain to the girls why we are running certain plays and certain actions against the defenses we’re seeing.”

And while Bosch has always juggled the life of a student-athlete, returning to classes Monday after being in Mongolia over the weekend has tested her resolve to the extreme.

“This last one was really tough, just because I missed a week and a half, but the professors at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are super understanding and they really want you to be a well-rounded person because it helps with your education. I’ve had nothing but support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” she says.

Following their December trip to Puerto Rico, Canada will turn its eye to the final Olympic qualifying tournaments in early 2024. Crozon says it’s exhilarating to be so close to achieving their dream.

“I don't think I could have ever dreamed of how it has gone — it has surpassed all my expectations and hopes for basketball, especially with the group we have,” she says. “We love being around one another and travelling with one another. I feel very fortunate to be part of the team and to have this opportunity.”

It’s an opportunity they’ve grabbed hold of and are looking to ride all the way to Paris.

Operation Red Nose honours Slavin at launch of 23rd campaign

trevor.kenney — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 21:28:34 +0000

It’s as much a part of Christmas in Lethbridge as sipping eggnog by the fire or Santa filling the stockings. If you’re going to partake in some holiday cheer, having Operation Red Nose (ORN) at your disposal is a true southern Alberta holiday tradition.

Pronghorn Athletics and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge launched the 23rd season of Operation Red Nose on Tuesday and in a special nod to the legacy of the ride home program, Sandy Slavin, former executive director for Sport and Recreation Services, was honoured for her role in helping to establish the campaign in 1995 and growing it over her ensuing 20 years of service.

Marie-Chantal Fortin, left, honours Sandy Slavin for her contributions to the Operation Red Nose campaign in southern Alberta.

“Personally, I think Sandy has had a lot to do with the success of Operation Red Nose because she brought stability to the program when it started here and for two full decades after,” says Marie-Chantal Fortin, Operation Red Nose national development coordinator. “That’s a lot of stability for one community and something we don’t see regularly and I think that allowed the program to grow consistently, strongly, and without having to weather different storms.”

Fortin made a point of coming to Lethbridge personally to present Slavin with a special Operation Red Nose safety vest marking her entry into the ORN Hall of Fame.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” says Slavin. “It’s nice, Red Nose was a big part of what I did and started and I’m very proud of Operation Red Nose in Lethbridge. It’s nice to know that it has been recognized nationally.”

The success of the program is remarkable, having raised more than $690,000 in support of Pronghorn Athletics over the first 22 years of the program, all the while providing thousands of rides home to holiday party-goers. The safety it has brought to local roads cannot be quantified but by providing 1,159 rides home just last year, it puts into perspective how many at risk situations may have been averted.

Slavin says the early years of ORN were frantic and it wasn’t long before she knew the program had staying power in the community.

“It was crazy, we didn’t know anything about what was happening that first year,” she says. “We didn’t have phones that worked until about a half-hour before the service started. So, growing it from there, where I think we provided 150 rides that first year, up into the thousands of rides, was big. It was fun to be a part of seeing it grow here and become an important part of the Lethbridge holiday season.”

Pronghorns women’s basketball player Kacie Bosch grew up in Lethbridge and had an idea what ORN was all about, but it didn’t prepare her for staffing the front lines when she first worked the campaign as an athlete volunteer last year.

“I’d heard it on the radio all the time and on TV commercials but then actually taking part in it – I was answering the phones all night, from 9 p.m. until 3 in the morning and we got so many calls, so many people taking part in it,” she says. “Seeing the support from the community, people who aren’t even with Pronghorn Athletics but who care deeply about this, it really says a lot about southern Alberta.”

This year’s ORN campaign begins service Friday, Nov. 24 and continues every Friday and Saturday evening through Dec. 16 before wrapping up on New Year’s Eve. The service runs from 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. each night with users able to call 403-320-4155 to request an ORN team come to their location to transport both them and their car home.

While Pronghorn Athletics provides the bulk of volunteers, more than 620 volunteers were needed to staff last year’s campaign and help is always needed. For those wishing to volunteer, contact Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681 or email orn@uleth.ca.

Horns welcome Bosch back to Canada and into lineup

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 May 2016 20:34:24 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball program has added one of the most talented guards to come out of southern Alberta in years, announcing today that local product Kacie Bosch is returning to Canada and will join the Pronghorns for the 2016-17 season.

Highly recruited out of high school, Bosch returns home after two seasons with the Gonzaga ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Bulldogs (NCAA). Bosch will take advantage of the CIS repatriation rule and be eligible to compete immediately.

“Kacie brings a swift cultural infusion of change into our program as she has won at every program that she has been a part of,” says Horns head coach Dave Adams. “Kacie will be able to play her natural position at point guard and add immediate leadership in the backcourt. She is an outstanding athlete who has worked tirelessly at her craft to continue to improve.”

As a freshman, Bosch saw action in 16 games for the Bulldogs and played in another 18 games this past season.

“I am so happy to be coming home to play with a team that's on the up and coming,” says Bosch. “The girls, coaches and people surrounding this program are wonderful and I can't wait to be a part of it.”

Prior to heading to Spokane, Wa., Bosch starred for Chinook High School, winning the Southern Alberta High School Basketball League (SAHSBL) most valuable player award in both her grade 11 and grade 12 years. She led the Coyotes in scoring all three years she played for Chinook, averaging 19.7 points in grad 10 and 23.3 and 22.3 points per game in Grades 11 and 12 respectively.

In her Grade 12 year, she also led the Coyotes to a 12-1 record and a regular season tie with Raymond. The Coyotes went on to win the 4A Zone tournament and a provincial silver medal after a loss to Raymond in the final.

Bosch and the Coyotes finished fourth at provincials in 2013 under current Pronghorns men’s head coach Mike Hansen.

She comes to the program with a wealth of provincial team experience, playing two summers with each of the U15 and 17 teams. In 2013, Bosch led the Alberta U17 team to a fourth-place finish at the Canada Games.

The women’s basketball program will round out its 2016-17 recruiting class in the coming weeks and will open camp in early fall. Canada West will announce the 2016-17 conference schedule in early June.

UNews - Kacie Bosch

Olympian, mentor and teacher, Kacie Bosch, named 2025 Young Alumni Award winner

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