Summer Collegiate
NorthPaws Sign Local Captain Rihela
The Kamloops NorthPaws have added local standout Liam Rihela to the inaugural roster.
Rihela grew up in Surrey, but now calls Kamloops home.
“The opportunity to play in Kamloops was the big sell for everything,” he said about signing with the NorthPaws. “I’m trying to set some roots up here and being able to see baseball in Kamloops grow, being involved with the younger guys and minor baseball and how much baseball has taken off in the short time I’ve been in Kamloops, I’m just excited to see the continuation of that.”
Rihela is the captain of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, where he is primarily an infielder. A left-handed batting utility player, he says he takes pride in his versatility and ability to play almost every position.
“I never really had a designated position that I liked, even at a young age, that I was really ecstatic to play at that position only,” he said. “I’m just trying to be a well-rounded player and any team that I’m on, I’m just trying to help them win in any way possible.”
In the 2019 season, Rihela finished sixth in the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference with a .349 batting average, third in the league with 20 RBIs and was named a first team all-star.
Photo Credit: TRU Athletics/Allen Douglas
“He’s been through the trenches and made it out the other side. He’s hungry and eager for an opportunity to play at higher levels,” said head coach Cole Armstrong. “Secondary from the talent he brings us, his wealth of perspective within the college game is going to be a big plus. I have a hunch he might be someone we come to rely on in tough situations and I think he’s the type who thrives when the water gets a little muddy.”
Rihela began his college career at Trinity University where he won the 2015 Division III College World Series. He was injured during his sophomore campaign, then deciding to take a year away from playing.
It was during this year off, while at a tournament coaching the White Rock bantam team, he ran into WolfPack coach Ray Chadwick who convinced him to move to Canada’s Tournament Capital.
Photo Credit: TRU Athletics
He has continued coaching, working with players from Kamloops Minor Baseball Association whenever his playing schedule allows.
“It’s been fun trying to be a bit of the coach, but also not being the coach at the same time. Just being one of the older players trying to help guys out rather than a coach, per say, telling them the strict ‘do this and do that,’” Rihela said. “I think that’s been a big help in my game.”
He also brings previous Canadian summer collegiate baseball experience to the NorthPaws, having spent two summers playing in the Western Canadian Baseball League with the Okotoks Dawgs and the Fort McMurray Giants.
“The experience was amazing. The fan bases in both those places, it was unreal to have all that support from fans, kind of that minor league atmosphere,” Rihela said. “It’s going to be a lot nicer to do it in Kamloops, get that summer weather here, I always missed that. I’ve never had a full summer at home so it’ll be nice to enjoy the weather and everything that Kamloops has to offer but still be able to do the baseball side of it.”
Photo Credit: TRU Athletics
The Kamloops NorthPaws are an expansion West Coast League franchise bringing the highest calibre baseball Canada’s Tournament Capital has ever seen. The West Coast League, founded in 2005, has 15 teams across Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta featuring some of the top collegiate players during a 54-game summer season. Find the NorthPaws online at www.northpawsbaseball.ca, @northpawsbaseball on Instagram and Facebook, or @northpawsbb on Twitter.
Pitcher Jeremiah Arnett headlines a list of five HarbourCats who earned “All-WCL” honours in 2026 (Photo: Justin Morash)
August 20, 2026
Victoria, BC – The West Coast League announced their 1st and 2nd “All-WCL” teams and Honourable Mentions today and the HarbourCats are pleased to have five HarbourCats who earned recognition for their stellar play in 2026.
Leading the way were pitchers Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) and Erik Rico (Fresno State), both of whom earned ALL-WCL First Team honours. Arnett was simply brilliant this year, winning the WCL pitching triple crown with five wins, 66 strikeouts and a 2.15 ERA to headline the first-team pitching selections. Rico was not far behind with 64 strikeouts and a 1.82 ERA. Both were named to the 2026 North Division All-Star team in July and Rico won Pitcher of the Week honours in early July.
All-WCL Second Team honours went to another 2026 All-Star David Krahn (UBC) and to pitcher Davis Lee (Hawaii-Hilo). Krahn finished the year with a .307 batting average, with 31 RBI and nine home runs, a new HarbourCats single season record. Lee was quietly impressive on the mound, appearing in 13 games and amassing a record of 3-0 and an ERA of 2.95 with 35 strikeouts in 21.1 innings of work.
Finally, earning Honourable Mention was HarbourCats Designated Hitter Logan Shepherd (Mercer). An All-Star in 2025, Shepherd had another solid season for the ‘Cats in 2026 finishing with a .286 average with four home runs and 26 RBI. His four home runs put him two shy of the HarbourCats career franchise record.
HarbourCats 2027 Season Tickets and 12 and 24-Game Flex packs will soon be on sale and available for renewal, with single-game tickets anticipated to be on sale in early December once the 2027 schedule is announced. Keep an eye on the HarbourCats website and social media for more information.
HarbourCats merchandise is now available at the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or on-line at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/. Many items, including 2026 All-Star gear, are now on special clearance pricing and need to go to make way for 2027 merchandise. Don’t miss out and grab your swag today!
Victoria, B.C. – As the sun sets on an unforgettable 2026 HarbourCats season, it’s time to look back on the highlights and special moments of another great summer! From franchise records to the epic highs and lows of summer ball, the 2026 season was one to remember.
This season was abuzz from the very beginning, with the excitement of hosting the 2026 Showpass West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club looming on the horizon. The high expectations for the All-Star festivities as well as the announcement of former Toronto Blue Jay Kevin Pillar participating in the Home Run Derby brought an electric energy to Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park all season long.
Todd Haney returned for another year as head coach of the Cats, joined by Carson Myers, Zach Swanson, Troy Birtwistle, Angelo Loomis, Steve Sinclair, and Darius Opdam Bak to complete a well-rounded coaching staff.
After beginning the season on the road in Portland, the HarbourCats returned to Victoria for six straight games in front of the home crowd and picked up their first series win of the season with a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks on June 4. In addition to being an important series decider, June 4 was the first Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Day this summer! The Cats clinched the series win in front of over 3,000 staff and students from schools across Greater Victoria. Another highlight of the opening homestand was the first of our ever-popular fireworks nights, which drew a crowd of nearly 3,000 fans.
As the HarbourCats battled their way through a month of June in which they held an even record of 11-11, certain standouts on the offensive side were beginning to emerge. UBC infielder and first-year HarbourCat David Krahn held a batting average of .353 with 30 hits and 17 RBI in the first full month of the season while crushing six home runs. Fellow infielder Matt Westley had a red-hot June as well, clipping along at a league-leading .374 average with 34 hits. Westley’s summer would unfortunately come to and end soon after this impressive stretch, with an injury sustained while hitting a homer against the Bend Elks cutting his time in Victoria short. Nevertheless, the George Mason product’s season batting average of .356 would remain the second-highest in the WCL until the end of the regular season.
While Victoria showed off a handful of stars at the plate, the real power spot of the team was on the mound. A lethal starting rotation all around was highlighted by Erik Rico and Jeremiah Arnett, a pair of right-handers who would not only both be named All-Stars, but also break the HarbourCats single-season strikeout record. Arnett’s 66 K’s on the season and Rico’s 64 put them at first and second respectively on the WCL leaderboard this year.
As mid-July rolled around in an already exciting season, the biggest event of the summer arrived. The 2026 Showpass West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club brought firepower from across the West Coast League to Victoria for an unforgettable showcase of talent.
The long-anticipated Home Run Derby took place on July 14, with the MLB Home Run Derby X rules bringing an exciting new challenge to the event. After a hard-fought competition, the Team HarbourCats squad comprised of Logan Shepherd, Michael Rodda, and Kevin Pillar won the day, with Shepherd delivering the winner homer to seal the deal.
The 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game took place the very next evening, putting the best talent in the WCL on display in a head-to-head matchup. Three Victoria HarbourCats appeared in the All-Star Game, with Erik Rico named as the starting pitcher for the North Division. Jeremiah Arnett would later enter the game in relief, and David Krahn played the entirety of the contest as an infielder.
These three ballplayers exemplified the qualities of an All-Star in every sense. Fresno State’s Erik Rico was an absolute nightmare for opposing pitchers this season with his aforementioned 64 strikeouts in just nine appearances across 2026, holding onto a 1.82 ERA through the end of the summer. Arnett was a lethal half of the Cats’ one-two punch on the mound, remaining cool as a cucumber no matter the situation and throwing more innings than any other pitcher in the West Coast League.
Finally, David Krahn performed at a superstar level all season. The Langley, B.C. native was as proficient as they come at getting on base, consistently occupying a leadoff spot for most of the season and boasting a .389 on-base percentage while leading the team in home runs. Alongside his offensive production, Krahn provided a crucial energy boost. His infectious enthusiasm and confidence all season long were appreciated by teammates, coaching staff, and fans alike.
As always, the fight for playoff position began to heat up coming out of the all-star break. The Cats put on a show in an explosive sweep of the Nanaimo NightOwls after the break, winning their sixth consecutive Island Cup in the process! After taking game one by a score of 5-2, Victoria lit up Nanaimo for 34 runs in the next two contests to finish off the series, scoring a season-high 18 in game three.
Another sweep against the Port Angeles Lefties at the end of July kept the postseason hopes alive for the HarbourCats, who were in the midst of a four-horse race for a playoff spot. Alas, the offence sputtered in a three-game loss streak to Bellingham, and Victoria fell tantalizingly short of the playoffs.
During the final home series of the season, three HarbourCats were honoured with the 2026 team awards. Jeremiah Arnett was an easy choice for Pitcher of the Year. The right-hander from Waco, Texas dominated on the mound for the Cats this year and was a critical piece of several wins throughout the season. Not only did he lead the league in strikeouts with 66, but he broke the single-season franchise record as well, surpassing the previous high of 62.
Speaking of record-breakers, 2026 HarbourCats Player of the Year David Krahn made history this summer as well. With nine home runs in his 42 games of action, Krahn became the new single-season record holder!
Finally, the Community Involvement Award went to relief pitcher and first-year HarbourCat Flynn Warren. All the way from Levin, New Zealand, Warren was a clutch member of the bullpen squad. The Hawaii Pacific arm made 11 appearances on the mound this year, highlighted by a four-inning scoreless outing to get the win and seal the sweep for Victoria.
Though the summer didn’t end on the highest of notes, the HarbourCats still put together a season to be proud of. Victoria’s showed proficiency at the plate consistently, finishing the season tied for fourth in the WCL in batting average and tied for second in home runs. The performance on the mound this year was also impressive, as the Cats led the West Coast League in strikeouts by a wide margin and allowing the second-least hits of any pitching staff. As is so often the case, the HarbourCats stood out with their trademark aggressive baserunning as Victoria’s 135 stolen bags in 52 games led the league.
With another HarbourCats season in the rear view mirror, we want to thank all of our incredible fans for bringing the energy and support to the ballpark this season. You are what makes HarbourCats baseball possible, and we’ll see you next summer at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park!
If you’re looking for more HarbourCats action, stay tuned to our website and socials! Season tickets as well as 12-game and 32-game flex packs will soon be available for the 2027 season, and we’re excited to see you at the park next year!
Victoria HarbourCats – Five HarbourCats earn “All-WCL” accolades
Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats 2026 Year in Review
Victoria HarbourCats – Final Game of the Season Cancelled Due to Health Concerns
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