VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team, ranked third in the latest CIS polls, will head south to California to finish off the 2011 calendar year at the Biola University Holiday Classic.

UBC will play Avila University, an NAIA school from Kansas City, Mo., on December 28 at 7:30 p.m. Avila received votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll.

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Then after a day off, UBC will battle Vanguard of Costa Mesa, Calif. on Dec. 30 at 3 p.m. The Lions are the No. 8-ranked women's basketball team in the NAIA.

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"We are looking forward to getting back on the court after having a chance to rest and rejuvenate over Christmas," stated UBC head coach Deb Huband. "This trip to California will give us a chance to train, dust off any rust and then compete against US opponents at the Biola tournament.  We will have a chance to reflect on our progress in the first term and re-affirm goals and objectives for the second half of the season."

Guard Kris Young (2nd, North Vancouver) leads UBC in scoring after six conference games, averaging 20.5 points a contest. Three other players, forwards Alex Vieweg (5th, North Vancouver) and Zara Huntley (5th, Halifax, N.S.) and guard Kristen Hughes (4th, North Vancouver), are also averaging at least ten points a game.

After returning from California, the Thunderbirds (4-2, 1st in West Division) will prepare for the team's first conference games of 2012. UBC will host Alberta and Saskatchewan on January 6-7, respectively, at War Memorial Gymnasium.

"This trip will serve us well in our preparation for our home games against the ranked Alberta Pandas and Saskatchewan Huskies," said Huband.