Christian women's basketball team wins national title despite being punished for speaking out against transgender player

A women's college basketball team won a national championship despite being sanctioned for their coach's alleged criticism of an opposing team for having a male athlete.

Columbia Bible College won the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball national championship on Saturday night with a 77-70 win over St. Mary's. This was the program's first national championship in school history.

CBC had been previously sanctioned over a controversy surrounding a transgender player and the Christian school's refusal to back down from their beliefs. Particularly, coach Taylor Claggett was suspended after she reportedly complained about the inclusion of transgender player Harriette Mackenzie, a 6'2'' male basketball player who identifies as a transgender woman and is allowed to play in the conference.

As Blaze News previously reported, Mackenzie was seen in highlights knocking over at least half a dozen women in a physically dominating display.

The transgender player claimed at the time that coach Claggett "cornered" a staff member from his team and complained about the fact there was a male on the team.

"The opposing team's head coach cornered one of our athletic staff and went on a tirade about how I shouldn't be allowed to play," Mackenzie said, according to Saanich News.

Claggett was subsequently suspended and the team was pulled from hosting duties for the conference championship.

"Despite being called ‘transphobic’ & their head coach Taylor Claggett’s suspension ... the CBC Bearcats just won first place at nationals!" reporter Drea Humphrey wrote on X.

"[The coach is] not allowed to watch the games in person because [the governing body] has no soul. She’s very happy and giving thanks to God," Humphrey added in response to a comment.

The male player angered many over the sheer dominance with which he played, breaking a plethora of female athletic records and even earning the nickname the "Record Breaker" at Mount Royal University.

Mackenzie broke the following records in women's basketball:

• Most single-season total rebounds (212)
• Offensive rebounds in a season (86)
• Rebounds per game (10.6)
• Total free throws made in a season (90)
• Playoff points in a single game (22)
• Double-doubles in a season (10)

Nevertheless, CBC won the national title with player Elissa Vreugdenhil named MVP, while Grace Park had 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists to win player of the game.

Park's father was one of the few people to speak out about the ordeal; Jae Park called the male athlete on the women's team "very unjust" and "totally unfair."

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