Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – KidSport celebrating notable anniversary with HarbourCats in 2025

Published

7 months ago

March 18, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

March 18, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Count ’em, 25 years of helping youth enjoy sports.

KidSport Greater Victoria is teaming up with the Victoria HarbourCats to celebrate an amazing 25 years of assisting kids in the pursuit of both participation and excellence in local sports, with planned events this summer at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

And, not the least of which is the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, a Thursday matchup starting at 11am featuring the HarbourCats and island rival Nanaimo NightOwls, with many schools all but emptying to take in the action and helping celebrate this tremendous achievement for KidSport Greater Victoria.

“We can’t think of a better community organization to have involved with this, the KidSport School Spirit game,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats.

“This will be a season-long theme of celebration, of reminding our fans of the great work they do and have done for so long in Victoria. Each and every game, people will have an opportunity to show their support for KidSport Greater Victoria, including a few special events outside this School Spirit Game.”

This will be the second Thursday game in a row in the HarbourCats home schedule in 2025 which will be dedicated to kids — on June 12, the Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Game will take place, also an 11am start featuring the HarbourCats and NightOwls. KidSport Greater Victoria and Mayfair Optometric Clinic are aligned with community values and supporting youth, making this an ideal match to welcome a combined total of more than 5,000 school kids to the park.

“We are so grateful for the past and ongoing support the HarbourCats have offered KidSport, and very excited about the various ways our organizations will work together this year,” said Jill Shaw, Executive Director of KidSport Greater Victoria. “Demand for our support is at an all-time high. We are seeing more families than ever coming to us in need of help so their children can access organized sport. The HarbourCats June 19th School Spirit Game is a great opportunity both to raise awareness about the work we do, and to offer local kids great access to another fun and rewarding local sport experience – we are very happy to be involved!”

KidSport Greater Victoria will also be front and centre on Harvey’s Birthday Game on July 11 at Wilson’s Group Stadium, and will be involved in other special games that are still to be announced.

Supporting KidSport will be a constant theme of the HarbourCats in this 2025 West Coast League season. The HarbourCats encourage all who can to contribute to this great cause, which you can action by clicking this link (https://www.kidsportvictoria25.ca/).

KidSport Greater Victoria has seen tremendous growth over the last 25 years, with demand for their support increasing very steeply starting in 2023 in particular. KidSport Greater Victoria exists to help ensure all kids have opportunity to play; annually they cover the registration fees for well over 1400 local kids living in financial need, enabling them to take part in seasons of sport of their choice – including baseball! As the largest KidSport chapter in the province, we know that on just about every sports team in the region, there are children playing who are able to take part thanks to KidSport and the supporters and donors who make their work possible.

To order tickets as a school group for the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, or the June 12 Mayfair Optometric Clinic School Spirit Game, contact GM Christian Stewart, chris@harbourcats.com — some seats are left, but not many!

For fans looking for tickets for these exciting games, and any other HarbourCats game in 2025, visit the HarbourCats ticketing site HERE.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Four returnees signed by HarbourCats, including all-star Shepherd

Published

3 days ago

October 15, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

2025 All-Star and home-run leader Logan Shepherd (28) will return to the HarbourCats for the 2026 season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

October 15, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, BC — It’s the norm for players to want to run it back for another summer, and four such returning players have started the foundation for the 2026 Victoria HarbourCats — headlined by a slugging DH/first baseman.

Logan Shepherd, a powerful right-handed hitter from Olympia, WA, will be back with the HarbourCats next summer. A product of Tacoma Community College and now at Mercer, he tied the franchise record for home runs in a season with eight last year, batting .345 and driving in 41 runs while being named to the West Coast League all-star game.

“Logan put up some serious numbers for us and wants to get even more out of the Victoria experience,” said WCL veteran head coach Todd Haney, who will be in his sixth season leading the HarbourCats when May rolls around. “He was a leader, and these players announced today will help us continue with the culture we have established with this program.”

Also signed:

C Dillon Lopez, St. Mary’s, 5-10/200, San Antonio, TX
RHP Austin Lindsey, Hill JC, 6-1/180, Lufkin, TX
RHP Marcus Janovsky, UBC, 6-0/195, Surrey, BC
1B/DH Logan Shepherd, Mercer, 6-2/215, Olympia, WA

Lopez also put up all-star worthy numbers, if he’d been able to join the team earlier in the season — .350 with 18 RBIs in 21 games, hitting three home runs and providing premium defence behind the plate.

Catcher Dillon Lopez (18), here celebrating after a walk-off hit in 2025, will return behind the dish for the 2026 season (Photo: Justin Morash).

Lindsey pitched in 13 games with 27 strikeouts in 24 innings of work, mostly out of the bullpen — a high-leverage, dependable arm for Haney and the coaching staff. Janovsky, playing near his hometown of Surrey at UBC, was 2-1 while giving up 19 hits in 21.1 innings of work, with 19 strikeouts.

Right-hand pitcher Marcus Janovsky (centre), here celebrating after a clutch relief appearance in 2025, will return to the mound for the HarbourCats in 2026 (Photo: Justin Morash)

“We’re proud of the development of these players and can’t wait to welcome them back, with another year of experience under their belt,” said Haney.

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. BE SURE TO LOCK IN YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria. These will be going on sale SOON!

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – West Coast League meetings to be held in Victoria

Published

2 weeks ago

October 6, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

October 6, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — The capital city of British Columbia will become the centre of the West Coast League (WCL) for two days in October.

The 2025 WCL Fall Meetings, featuring a gathering of team owners/directors, will be held in Victoria, October 20-21. This marks the first time the meetings, often staged near a major U.S. airport (Seattle or Portland) for travel and logistics reasons, have been held in Canada since the formation of the collegiate elite baseball league that evolved from a gathering in Kelowna in 2003, with the Kelowna Falcons as one of the founding members — and the lone Canadian entry until the HarbourCats were founded.

Five of the league’s 17 teams now are located in Canada — in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops and Edmonton. Kamloops, Nanaimo and Edmonton all started play in 2022.

The HarbourCats, who joined the WCL for the 2013 season and have watched as eight former players have advanced to the MLB level, will also welcome the league to Victoria in July of 2026 and 2027 when the organization plays host to the WCL All-Star Game festival for consecutive seasons, showcasing Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The all-star game was held in Bellingham the last two summers.

“The inner harbour in fall will be a fantastic setting for these meetings, just as it will be for events around the WCL All-Star Game next July,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the group that operates both the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls.

Topics expected to be discussed are the finalization of the league’s 2026 schedule, WCL marketing initiatives, and ways to improve best practices around player, coach and umpire development — the keystone goal of the WCL.

“I’m incredibly excited to visit Victoria for our fall meetings,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer. “The city’s rich baseball history and beautiful scenery will provide the perfect backdrop for our teams to discuss the future of the League in one of my favorite WCL markets.”

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Lock in your season tickets today to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

Source

Summer Collegiate

All-Stars Hayes and Zenk returning to Owls in 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

October 2, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

NANAIMO, B.C. — They put on a show for fans at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and they got better as the summer went on.

Talan Zenk (Everett CC) and Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific), two West Coast League all-stars in 2025, are returning to the Nanaimo NightOwls next summer — the priority first signings by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and GM Tina Cornett.

“These two players really enjoyed performing in front of WCL fans, and especially our great fans in Nanaimo,” said Andreychuk, the local product who will enter his second season as the NightOwls’ head coach. “They developed, and they got a chance to be leaders. We are proud of how they represented us at the all-star game and we are very happy they are eager to be in Nanaimo again. These are great young men who represent their schools and families so well.”

Zenk, who was the ultimate utility player by serving in both the infield and outfield, was a spark plug at the top of the order — he hit .289 with 10 stolen bases, four home runs, seven doubles and two triples. The 19-year-old from Brier, WA, had a .853 OPS.

Hayes is without a question the best power hitter the NightOwls have ever had in blue and gold, following up a 19-bomb spring at college by hitting 10 home runs (team record) in 49 WCL games, batting .250 with 44 hits, 30 walks and 39 runs driven in, all while playing nearly every game at first base. The 20-year-old from Anacortes, WA is entering his sophomore season at Azusa Pacific. He was the NightOwls player of the year in 2025.

SEASON TICKETS — The best seats can be secured now! Email tina@nanaimonightowls.com to lock in your 2026 NightOwls season tickets, with versatile fan-friendly flex options to see the best baseball on Vancouver Island. The NightOwls enter their fifth season in the WCL and have had a player selected in the MLB draft each of the last three seasons.

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