VANCOUVER – The Queen Elizabeth Theatre basked in blue and gold Wednesday night as the UBC Thunderbirds celebrated their brightest lights at the annual Big Block Awards.
T-Birds past and present all gathered in their best attire to honour the individuals and teams who accomplished amazing feats over the past year while also paying tribute to one of the most memorable seasons in UBC history.
Du VIVIER TEAM OF THE YEAR
For the first time since 2018, the DuVivier Team of the Year Award was shared as Women's Golf and Women's Volleyball both took the stage for equally historic national championship seasons.
Going undefeated in the 2021-22 season, Women's Golf won all 12 tournaments they entered including the Canada West, Cascade Collegiate Conference, NAIA National Championship, and the Canadian University Championship. Of those 12 team victories, nine included a T-Bird individual title as well. Their NAIA National Championship – the sixth in program history – saw the 'Birds break the tournament's 18-hole, 36-hole, and 54-hole scoring records to post the lowest team score in championship history.
Hosting the U SPORTS National Championship on home court for the first time in 40 years, Women's Volleyball entered the tournament as the seventh seed. But the placement mattered little to the team which saved its absolute best for when it mattered most. The T-Birds knocked off the OUA champions and the Canada West bronze medallists to set up a showdown with the top ranked team in the country, their cross-town and long-term rival Trinity Western Spartans. With a boisterous show of support behind them, the 'Birds defeated the conference champions to claim a 13
th national title in program history.
MARILYN POMFRET – BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
A national champion in both U SPORTS and the NAIA, Glynis Sim's 2022 calendar year was nothing short of spectacular. She won gold in the women's 5000 metres to help the T-Birds women's Track and Field team capture their second national championship banner in program history. Less than a month later, she captured a bronze medal at the 2022 Canadian Track and Field Championships. Despite being injured for much of the fall's cross country season, she showed incredible determination culminating with a gold medal run in the women's U SPORTS national championship in Halifax, leading the T-Birds to a second place team finish.
BUS PHILLIPS – BEST MALE ATHLETE
A First Team Canada West All-Star and First Team All-Canadian, Football's Theo Benedet was awarded the 2022 J.P. Metras Trophy as Canada's top Lineman of the Year. Just the second Thunderbird to win the award and the first offensive lineman to do so in nine years, he is widely regarded as one of the country's best collegiate players. A leader on and off the field, he is an Academic All-Canadian. He also received the rare honour to compete in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, the only Canadian to do so.
MAY BROWN – GRADUATING FEMALE ATHLETE
Few Thunderbirds, or players across the country, have amassed as many accolades as Danielle Steer. A multiple All-Canadian, she was also named U SPORTS Women's Soccer National Championship MVP in 2019 when she led the T-Birds to the ultimate prize. This past season, she broke the conference and national record for points in a career, finishing with a total of 71 in a season that saw her amass 22 total points, a new single-season Canada West mark. Appropriately, she was awarded the 2022 Canada West Player of the Year.
BOBBY GAUL – GRADUATING MALE ATHLETE
A massive presence on the baseball field and off of it, Ty Penner was a leader and mentor to his younger teammates. A dedicated student-athlete, he was lauded as a member of the All-Conference team and his outstanding abilities saw him drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. While he continues to live out his dream as a professional athlete, he still finds time to mentor current T-Bird players and openly preaches the value of his UBC education and was a four-time Academic All-Canadian.
MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
A key component of the Canada West's top defence, Eric Lajeunesse played a critical role securing UBC's fifth straight Men's Soccer conference title while helping the 'Birds secure a silver medal at the U SPORTS National Championship. Starting every game of the season he logged more minutes than any other T-Bird and was named the 2022 Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year.
FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Soring more goals than any other Canada West rookie, Cassidy Rhodes' 14 tallies led the T-Birds and was second overall in the entire conference. With 20 points in 28 games, she finished her first Women's Hockey season fourth in team scoring and 12
th overall in the Canada West. She was named both a Canada West and U SPORTS All-Rookie.
CAROLYN DOBIE-SMITH – ATHLETIC TRAINER
Just finishing her third season as an athletic trainer with Men's Basketball, Olivia Austin's sense of duty and care went far beyond expectation. Along with superb treatment of athletes, liaising with medical personnel and coaches, she has done everything from meal planning and providing daily nutrition, to helping plan her team's annual senior night festivities. Upholding a constant professional demeanour, she is an excellent communicator and is always striving to improve.
KAY BREARLEY AWARD – SERVICE TO WOMEN'S ATHLETICS
Sydney Neustaeter has always been a valued and respected team member. After having to retire as an athlete last season due to injuries, she took on a new role with the Thunderbirds as the Women's Hockey Community Engagement Liaison. This season, she worked with UBC Athletics to host hundreds of young female hockey players through locker room tours, Q&A's, autograph sessions, and even had some players on ice for warmups. She has also been working with an incredible organization called HEROS, dedicated to giving both hockey and life learning opportunities to children who may not otherwise have access to the sport.
JAMA MAHLALELA AWARD – EXEMPLARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ATHLETICS
For an award that is not handed out on an annual basis, the bar for any potential recipient is exceedingly high. But Chris Hansen-Barkun more than meets that requirement. Everything about the way he carries himself, his commitment to physical and mental well-being, his performance athletically and academically, and his genuine concern for others meet the defining characteristics of this award. He is a true leader not only with Men's Soccer but for the greater Thunderbird community. He led his team with infectious positive energy over the course of his career and initiated important awareness around Black Lives Matter, in particular. His devotion to his teammates and fellow student-athletes has gone far beyond that of his own team having served on the TAC executive. He helped to establish a new support system for student-athletes who suffered significant injury which prevented them from competing for extended periods of time. Most recently, he was awarded a Wesbrook Scholarship, one of UBC's most prestigious, recognizing leadership and academics.
