VANCOUVER – Thunderbird athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and supporters were all dressed their best and in a celebratory mood Wednesday night as the annual Big Block Awards were handed out at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, honouring the very best of the blue and gold's many achievements over the past year.
With a remarkable ten national championship titles and 14 conference banners during the 2023-24 season, there was plenty to celebrate as Canada's most decorated university athletics program had one of its most prominent years yet.
Du VIVIER TEAM OF THE YEAR
Claiming their first ever U SPORTS title last November, the UBC Women's Cross Country Team was awarded the Du Vivier Trophy as Team of the Year. Their first such honour since 2015, the past season was one of pure dominance for the blue and gold claiming their fifth consecutive Canada West title en route to their historic national banner. The national championship meet in London, Ontario saw three Thunderbirds finish in the top ten amongst a field of nearly 150 competitors.
Finalists: Women's Soccer, Men's Rowing & Women's Volleyball
BUS PHILLIPS – BEST MALE ATHLETE
Resilient, deeply talented and driven, Garrett Rooker overcame a career threatening injury to lead the Thunderbirds to a first place finish in the Canada West, a Hardy Cup and a Mitchell Bowl title win. Named a Canada West All-Star, he led the conference in passing yards and touchdowns and set a new program record for completion percentage. The third-year quarterback was also recently honoured as the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Sport B.C. Harry Jerome Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Finalists: Sebastian Dzikowski (soccer), Jake Lee (hockey), Takoda McMullin (rugby)
MARILYN POMFRET – BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
In a record-setting season, Katalin Tolnai scored the golden goal to power UBC to the U SPORTS National championship title. The Canada West Player of the Year, she was also named a First Team All-Canadian, U SPORTS Player of the Year and the National Championship Tournament MVP. She tied the Canada West record of 22 points in a single season and set a new program record with seven points in a single game.
Finalists: Sanehpreet Basra (field hockey), Katie Newlove (track & field/cross country)
BOBBY GAUL – GRADUATING MALE ATHLETE
For the first time since 2009, the Bobby Gaul Award featured two winners, both equally deserving of one of the night's most prestigious moments with graduating offensive lineman Theo Benedet and hammer thrower Rowan Hamilton both honoured for their outstanding careers in the blue and gold.
A three-time academic All-Canadian, a two-time Canada West All-Star and a two-time unanimous choice as a U SPORTS All-Canadian, Benedet made history this past season becoming the first offensive lineman to twice win the JP Metras Trophy as Canada's top lineman. A major factor in UBC's evolution from non-contenders to Canada West champions and Vanier Cup finalists, he has turned heads on both sides of the border, the top ranked U SPORTS player for this year's CFL Draft and with serious NFL Draft potential.
Winning the individual NAIA hammer throw championship for a third season in 2023, Hamilton became just the second to ever accomplish such a feat. His top throw in his final year of 75.77 metres was number one in the entire league by 11 metres and stood as the number one collegiate throw in North America. Named the Cascade Collegiate Conference's male Athlete of the Year, he also represented Canada at the World Championships with a 13
th place finish and earned silver at the Canadian Championships.
Finalists: Axel Ewashko (rowing), Brodie Young (swimming)
MAY BROWN – GRADUATING FEMALE ATHLETE
A three-time U SPORTS National Champion, Kacey Jost capped off her five-year Thunderbirds career winning back-to-back Canada West Libero of the Year awards. A leader on and off the court, her work ethic, dedication and genuine compassion for her teammates is a hallmark of her character. Last summer she was the starting Libero for the Canadian Senior National Team, an incredibly rare accomplishment for an active U SPORTS student-athlete.
Finalists: Savannah Bauder (rugby), Rylind MacKinnon (hockey)
MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Earning a starting role in UBC's season opener on a very deep team, Brennen Fuerst proved his worth as an impact player right from the start of training camp. Finishing his rookie season with two goals and an assist, he dressed in 15 of the T-Birds' 16 regular season games, starting in 14 of those, and helped the team to Canada West silver and U SPORTS bronze, playing every minute of the national tournament. Primarily a defensive player, he quickly earned respect across the country and was named both the Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year.
Finalists: Liam Kinghorn (rugby), Adam Olsen (basketball)
FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The number one ranked NAIA player all season long, Jessica Ng made an immediate impact using her elite skill, poise and competitiveness to help the T-Birds claim a second straight national championship. A runner up for NAIA Rookie of the Year, she played in seven tournaments for UBC in the 2022-23 season with an average scoring round of 73.46 and claimed two individual title wins including the Canada West Championship.
Finalists: Bridget Burton (swimming), Adia Pye (rugby)
CAROLYN DOBIE-SMITH – ATHLETIC TRAINER
A critical part of his team over the last three seasons, Stanley Lee's organization and attention to detail is unparalleled. Beyond his status as an athletic trainer with men's volleyball, his value is that of an assistant coach, manager, and a high performance and sport science lead. Always well connected with his IST colleagues, he also ensures his athletes have as much of a positive experience as possible. What little free time he has, he often spends it going even further for his team and also supporting other UBC programs.
Finalists: Cristina Capitanio (women's hockey), Nathan Wang (men's soccer)
KAY BREARLEY AWARD – SERVICE TO WOMEN'S ATHLETICS
Taking the reigns of UBC's softball program in 2013, Gord Collings faced a number of uphill battles many would have balked at. But to quote the former head coach and current UBC Kinesiology instructor: "don't look at a called third strike."
Gord's care for his student-athletes and their development on and off the field has always been evident to everyone around him. He oversaw the program's transition from on the brink to a thriving member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference, and eventually to a fantastic new home on campus that now bears his name. But along the way were countless hours of logistics, field raking and tarp pulling, not to mention developing his program and coaching his athletes. His "other duties as required" list was a long one. But he never once failed to have a smile on his face, uplifting his athletes and fellow staff along the way.
Leaving the softball team in a much better place than he found it, Gord continues to be very active on campus as an adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology. He can also be found cheering on his student-athletes at varsity games across campus. Gord's genuine care level and devotion makes him a fitting recipient of this year's Kay Brearley Award.
ARTHUR W. DELAMONT – SERVICE & SPIRIT TO UBC ATHLETICS
An integral, but under the radar part of our community for the last five years, Alancia Jeffrey is no stranger to the Thunderbirds. Coming to UBC as a student athlete, she discovered a passion for academics through studies in the Faculty of Arts. Knowing how hard it can be to manage the demands as both a full-time student and high-level athlete, she wanted to give back and so became a Varsity Team Academic Coach – or VTAC – starting in the 2021-22 academic year.
Since then, she has mentored and coached over 100 student athletes, going above and beyond to create online workshops, and share her expertise, making a major impact on academic supports for student athletes.
She has also been a valuable member of the women's rugby community, an Academic All Canadian, received admission to a top 10 law school for next September, and as of this spring has been honoured as one of only three recipients of the Dean of Arts Graduating Student Leaders - Outstanding Leader in the UBC Community award. For all these contributions to the UBC student athlete community, this year's Arthur W. Delamont Award goes to Alancia Jeffrey.
HONOURARY BLOCKER
This year's Honourary Blocker inductee is legendary sports journalist, Howard Tsumura.
Over the last five decades, no other media member in British Columbia has been a bigger supporter, more knowledgeable or more integral in shining a spotlight on High School and University sports than Howard. This includes a special bond he built up over the years with UBC Athletics, beginning in 1991 when he covered his first T-Birds playoff basketball game as a reporter with the Vancouver Province. Since then Howard has spent countless hours on campus unearthing compelling stories involving UBC student-athletes, coaches and programs.
Howard's love of university athletics and the Thunderbirds still burns brightly and his legacy of second to none coverage continues through his own publication: Varsity Letters, a site he launched in 2017. We're extremely fortunate he continues to lend his expertise as a broadcaster for UBC Basketball and Football as a trusted voice on T-Birds webcasts.
THUNDERBIRD ATHLETES COUNCIL BUZZ MOORE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Recognized for their outstanding qualities and achievements both as athletes and as individuals, women's volleyball's Kacey Jost and women's hockey's Rylind MacKinnon were both honoured with the TAC's Buzz Moore Leadership Award. This prestigious award acknowledges their leadership, contributions, and overall excellence, highlighting their impact within the UBC community.
