Sport BC announces the finalists to be celebrated at the upcoming 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards taking place on Thursday, March 9, 2023 at the Vancouver Convention Centre East. The event, to be hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell, recognizes the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in either the 2021 or 2022 season. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.
An additional six awards will be presented at the ceremony including the Best of BC, KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award and In Her Footsteps Honourees.
“The Athlete of the Year Awards is a true celebration of sport in our province. The finalists listed below will be honoured at the event and represent exceptional efforts and accomplishments in 2021 and 2022. We congratulate our finalists and the organizations they represent”, shares Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman. “We look forward to celebrating as a sector together on Thursday, March 9, 2023 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The finalists represent 29 sports from communities all throughout BC demonstrating the collective strength of our province’s sport sector.”
Sport BC gratefully acknowledges the support of the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards sponsors:
Presented By
Entertainment Sponsor
Athlete with a Disability
Kady Dandeneau – Wheelchair Basketball
Ina Forrest – Wheelchair Curling
Mollie Jepsen – Para Alpine
Mel Pemble – Para Cycling
Tyler Turner – Para Snowboard
College Athlete of the Year
Cameron Gay (Vancouver Island University) – Basketball
Yevgeniya (Jane) Lytvynenko (Vancouver Island University) – Volleyball
Vitor Pereira (Camosun College) – Volleyball
Thomas Venos (University of Alabama) – Wheelchair Tennis
Claire Ye (Capilano University) – Soccer
Female Coach of the Year
Malindi Elmore – Athletics
Barb Fraser – Gymnastics
Jane Gumley – Rowing
Bev Priestman – Soccer
Brit Townsend – Athletics
Male Coach of the Year
Trevor Hirschfield – Wheelchair Rugby
Chris MacDonald – Golf
Tommy McLeod – Diving
Laurier Primeau – Athletics
Mostafa Sabeti – Wushu
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Lauren Clements (Terry Fox) – Basketball
Maella Hodgson (Elgin Park) – Athletics
Rupinder Johal (Robert Bateman) – Wrestling
Marina Rodocaj (R.A. McMath) – Volleyball
Rory Rothnie (Claremont) – Lacrosse
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Laon Kim (Gleneagle) – Swimming
Walker Sodaro (Kelowna) – Volleyball
Logan Thiessen (Robert Bateman) – Football
Aidan Turner (South Delta) – Athletics
Jimmy Zaborniak (Burnaby South) – Basketball
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Renee Batalla – Diving
Oonah Gamboa – Karate
Gracey Hemstreet – Cycling
Lauren Kim – Golf
Alicia Zhang – Ultimate
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Praise Aniamaka – Athletics
Connor Bedard – Ice Hockey
Jackson Goldstone – Cycling
Cooper Humphreys – Golf
Nikola Petrovic – Judo
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Julia Grosso – Soccer
Camryn Rogers – Athletics
Marielle Thompson – Alpine
Avalon Wasteneys – Rowing
Micah Zandee-Hart – Ice Hockey
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Jack Crawford – Alpine
Amar Dhesi – Wrestling
Evan Dunfee – Athletics
Brent Hayden – Swimming
Derek Mayson – Softball
University Athlete of the Year
Aaron Ahl (Simon Fraser University) Athletics
Alison Andrews-Paul (Simon Fraser University) Athletics
Derek Epp (Trinity Western University) Volleyball
Kent Johnson (University of Michigan) Ice Hockey
Anna Mollenhauer – (University of Victoria) Field Hockey
Team of the Year
BC Rugby 7s – Women’s Canada Summer Games Team
Langley Rams Football Team
Trinity Western Women’s Volleyball Team
UBC Women’s Golf Team
UVIC Women’s Field Hockey Team
Master Athlete of the Year
Christa Bortignon – Athletics
Uli Mayer – Cycling
Lloyd Polack – Archery
Shelly Stouffer – Golf
Derek Tripp – Triathlon
Official of the Year
Anne Bees – Tennis
Gordon Bennett – Gymnastics
Kevin Bowie – Wheelchair Rugby
Michael Campbell – Ice Hockey
Janice Hunter – Figure Skating
Media Contact
Allison Mailer
Sport BC, Communication Manager
778-839-8576