Golf Places 5 In Sport BC's 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards Finalists

Media Advisory – January 16, 2023 – (Vancouver, BC)

Sport BC has announced 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 sport of Golf is very pleased and proud to see no fewer than 5 finalists being recognized for their outstanding performances. 

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,” shared 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 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards’ Finalists:

Athlete with a Disability
Kady Dandeneau - Wheelchair Basketball
Ina Forrest - Curling
Mollie Jepsen - Para Alpine
Mel Pemble - Cycling
Tyler Turner - Wheelchair 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/College Competition) – Wheelchair Tennis
Clair Ye (Capilano College) - 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
Alice Zhang - Ultimate

Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Praise Aniamaka – Athletics
Connor Bedard – Ice Hockey
Jackson Gladstone - 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

About Sport BC

Sport BC believes in the power of sport and is committed to building stronger communities through positive sport experiences. Our goal is to enhance and support sport participation in British Columbia ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Through our KidSport BC, BC Amateur Sport Fund, and ProMOTION Plus along with our services Sport BC Insurance, and Payroll and Group Benefits; Sport BC supports our seventy plus member organizations. Keep up to date @SportBC