Trans Player Named MVP after Dominating Christian College in Women’s Championship
A Vancouver university women's team won its conference championship Saturday over a rival Christian college, led by a transgender player who was named tournament MVP. Vancouver Island University (VIU) defeated Columbia Bible College (CBC) 69-59 in the title game of the Pacific Western Athletic Association tournament to improve to 21-1 and advance to the national tournament.
The Mariners were led by Harriette Mackenzie, a biological male who identifies as female and scored a game-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds and was named the tournament MVP. Mackenzie, a 6-foot-2 forward, leads the seven-team conference in scoring (17.9 ppg.) and blocks (1.5 per game) and is second in field-goal percentage (49 percent) and third in rebounds (10.4 rpg.).
"I'm proud of my story. And I want to make something very clear -- queer, trans, and nonbinary people belong in sport. And there is zero space in this league for hate, violence, and bigotry," Mackenzie previously said in a video.
Mackenzie began transitioning around "kindergarten or first grade" and claims to have never experienced female puberty.
"I'm playing at a major biological disadvantage," Mackenzie said in a Daily Mail story. "I never went through male puberty, I only went through female puberty."
Others, though, disagree, believing Mackenzie has a major advantage over biological females.
Columbia Bible College Coach Taylor Claggett has spoken out about Mackenzie, arguing that other players are at a competitive disadvantage and that safety concerns should be considered. Vancouver Island University responded by canceling two games at Columbia Bible College this year, claiming Mackenzie would not be safe.
Supporters of the Christian school, though, assert the issue is about fairness. VIU was 3-0 against CBC this year.
Columbia Bible College is a Mennonite Bible college in British Columbia.
Last year, Mackenzie claimed Claggett "went on a 'tirade'" after a loss while "yelling at a VIU staff member about how Mackenzie shouldn't be allowed to play against women," the Times Colonist reported.
The school released a statement, standing by Claggett.
"Taylor Claggett was speaking out for the safety of her players like any good coach would do," the statement said. "We stand in support of Taylor Claggett, and all our coaches, in expressing their legitimate concerns for the safety of our student-athletes."
The spat between the two schools led the conference to move its tournament from Columbia Bible College -- the original host -- to a different school.
The debate over trans-identifying athletes has been a heated issue in American politics and has made waves in Canada, too. Last year, Alberta's legislature passed a bill barring biological males from competing in female sports, with the law set to take effect this fall. However, Mackenzie's school is located in a different province -- British Columbia.
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/h.arriette
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published March 05, 2025.
