VANCOUVER – On the heels of their historic undefeated regular season, the UBC Thunderbirds have come away with a major haul as the 2025 Canada West Women's Soccer major award winners have been announced.
First-year defender
Sophie Harrison has been named Rookie of the Year,
Ella Sunde is the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year and
Jesse Symons has won his third consecutive conference Coach of the Year honour.
In just her first Canada West season,
Sophie Harrison proved right off the hop she is one of the top defenders in the entire conference, if not the country.
Starting in each of UBC's 14 regular season contests, the English national can claim plenty of credit for the Thunderbirds' record-setting campaign in which the team did not concede a single goal – the first such accomplishment in Canada West history.
In addition to her defensive prowess, Harrison amassed four assists on the season, including a pair in UBC's final regular season game against the Victoria Vikes.
"Coming over from Europe to join us really transformed our team with how we play in possession. Her ability defensively is on another level," said Symons. "For me, she is such a deserving winner, she has showcased herself both attacking and defending, she's managed some of the best wingers in this country all season. I'm so proud that she chose UBC. She's playing for our team, really contributing and what a future she has."
Harrison is the third Thunderbird in a row to be honoured as Canada West Rookie of the Year.
A stalwart on defence and a threat on offence,
Ella Sunde is a true all-around leader on and off the pitch for the Thunderbirds and a well-deserving recipient of the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, the third straight season a T-Bird has received the honour.
With six goals and four assists, the fourth-year defender from North Vancouver finished second in team scoring despite missing four regular season contests due to injury.
An All-Canadian Rookie in 2022, Sunde was named to this year's Canada West All-Star squad and has been a vital contributor at both ends of the pitch over her four-year Thunderbird career.
"Every time she stepped on the pitch, she was the best player on the field, both attacking and defending," Symons said of Sunde's impressive performance in 2025. "To get ten points in ten games over the season and find ways to really contribute defensively, to manage players, was impressive all year. She's shown her leadership as a player too with our team this season and has really managed a young back line with two first years and a second year. The leadership and maturity she has as a senior player has been amazing for our team."
Symons' tenth season with the Thunderbirds has seen the two-time defending U SPORTS Champion head coach hit even new heights. Leading his squad to a second consecutive undefeated conference season, the reigning national Coach of the Year has managed to one-up an already impressive string of accomplishments.
"Jesse continues to push his program forward and provide new benchmarks for success both on and off the pitch," said UBC Managing Director of Athletics,
Kavie Toor. "Along with the many wins and records set over his time at UBC, Jesse has developed a positive team culture extending well beyond the field of play.
"He has helped attract top end talent from across Canada and beyond and developed many athletes who have gone on to the next level in soccer and numerous other fields, all the while creating fantastic ambassadors for what the Thunderbirds are all about. We are very proud of Jesse's many accomplishments so far and excited for what he will continue to bring to our program."
Despite losing several key players to injury just prior to the start of the season, Symons managed to engineer a campaign for the ages, now just one win away from securing a berth at the national championship tournament where UBC would have the opportunity to become the first team in U SPORTS history to win three straight titles.
Symons has led the T-Birds to three national championships in his tenure along with three Canada West titles.
The T-Birds host the Mount Royal Cougars for one of two Canada West semifinals Thursday with a berth in Friday's conference final and a spot at the upcoming U SPORTS National Championship on the line.
Kickoff for Thursday's semifinal is set for 3:30 p.m. at Ken Woods Field.
2025 Canada West Women's Soccer Major Awards
Player of the Year
Tamara Djurisic, Mount Royal
Rookie of the Year
Sophie Harrison, UBC
Defensive Player of the Year
Ella Sunde, UBC
Student-Athlete Community Service Award
Erin Stewart, Trinity Western
Coach of the Year
Jesse Symons, UBC
