VICTORIA – A field hockey star and a sharp shooting point guard were among the major award winners recognized at the annual Vikes Celebration of Champions on April 5, 2023, at the University of Victoria's Farquhar Auditorium.

Fifth-year women's field hockey captain Anna Mollenhauer took home the evening's top honours, winning both the prestigious President's Cup and the Female Athlete of the Year award. A Victoria product, Mollenhauer made history this season as the first three-time U SPORTS Women's Field Hockey Player of the Year recipient, helping her team win its fourth consecutive U SPORTS championship banner while taking home tournament MVP honours.

On the men's side, third-year men's basketball player and hometown hero Diego Maffia snagged Male Athlete of the Year honours. Maffia had an outstanding 2022-23 season leading the men's basketball program to its 17th Canada West banner, where he was named Canada West Player of the Year. A prolific shooter, Maffia led the country in scoring, garnering him U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian status. 

Amongst an exceptional Vikes rookie class, cross country and track standout Jaxon Kuchar came out on top, winning the Robert T. Wallace Shield Male Rookie of the Year award. Named to the Canada West Cross Country All-Rookie team, Kuchar was later selected to represent Team Canada at the U20 Junior World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.  

An all-around athlete, rugby's Carissa Norsten took home the Robert T. Wallace Shield Female Rookie of the Year award following an outstanding first season with the Vikes. A member of the Rugby Canada Maple Leaf's development program, Norsten was named rugby fifteens Canada West Rookie of the Year and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year. She parlayed that same success into the rugby sevens season, getting named a Canada West First Team All-star and Canadian University Championship All-star.

Adam Miller of the men's rowing team was named the winner of the Chancellors Award, which is presented annually to a student-athlete that provides leadership and vision exemplifying the team's goals. Earlier this year, Miller received the Tony Zasada award, which goes to a graduating athlete from the men's rowing program that had made a significant impact on the team. Miller's was key in spearheading a men's rowing fundraising committee, resulting in four new endowments totalling $100,000.00 in value.
 
PRESIDENT'S CUP
The President's Cup is given annually to the outstanding student-athlete in fourth or fifth year who best combines scholastic achievement and athletic ability.



Anna Mollenhauer

Anna Mollenhauer is a generational athlete who truly exemplifies what it means to be a Vike. A five-time Academic All-Canadian, she not only led the way on the field, but in the classroom.

Mollenhauer is a four-time Canada West Player of the Year, five-time Canada West All-star, four-time U SPORTS All-Canadian and a four-time U SPORTS national champion. This season (2022-23) Mollenhauer was named the U SPORTS Player of the Year, becoming the first person in history to win the award three times. She was also named Sport BC's University Athlete of the Year.

A member of Canada's national women's field hockey team, Mollenhauer has represented the Vikes at the Pan Am Games, Pan Am Cup, the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games.

While her list of accolades is impressive, what makes her special is the example she sets for others through her actions as a teammate, volunteer, student, friend, and leader. Mollenhauer's legacy as a Vike is unmatched, leaving her mark for generations to come.   
 
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
This award is given annually to one male and female student-athlete based upon their outstanding achievements in university competition only over the past 12 months.



Anna Mollenhauer

A fifth-year student-athlete from Victoria, Anna Mollenhauer has been a co-captain of the women's field hockey team since 2018. Anna is a humble leader who works hard both on and off the field, setting an outstanding example for her teammates.

Always eager to work hard and continue to learn, she will do whatever she can to help her team win. This was evidenced by helping the Vikes to a 9-0-1 record in Canada West play during the 2022 season, capturing the program's fourth-straight conference title. Netting nine goals during her impressive season, Mollenhauer was named the Canada West Player of the Year and First Team All-star. 

Earning the top seed in the U SPORTS championships, Mollenhauer played a key role in securing the program's fourth-straight and 15th national championship, getting named tournament MVP in the process.

Mollenhauer's calm and cool defensive confidence helped stop most attacks before opponents reached the Vikes circle, while her impressive outletting helped spring multiple attacks the other direction. For her superb play, Mollenhauer ended the season with U SPORTS All-Canadian and U SPORTS Player of the Year honours.


 
Diego Maffia 

A third-year student-athlete from Victoria, Diego Maffia is known not just for his abilities on the court, but his leadership off the court as well. This season, he was integral to the success of the men's basketball team who earned the top seed to the U SPORTS championships.

Incredibly dedicated to his individual improvement as an athlete, Maffia constantly looks for ways to enhance his game. In just three seasons with the Vikes, he has already broken the 1000 career point milestone, an impressive achievement that places him at 20th on the Vikes all-time scoring leaderboard. He also led the Vikes in assists this season with 81.

Maffia's exceptional performance earned him several accolades, including getting named Canada West First Team All-star and Canada West Player of the Year, making him the first player to do so since 2006. Additionally, he was named a first team U SPORTS All-Canadian, leading the country in scoring with an average of 24.9 points per game during the regular season.
 
CHANCELLOR'S AWARD
The Chancellor's Award is presented to a student-athlete, who is an outstanding contributor to his or her team, both in and out of the competition venue. They provide leadership and vision exemplifying the goals of the team.



Adam Miller

A fifth-year rower from Calgary, Alberta, Adam Miller is a dedicated member of the UVic men's rowing team who has made significant contributions to the program and culture.

Miller established and formalized a fundraising committee for the men's rowing team, resulting in four new endowments totaling $100,000.00 in value. Over the last 12 months, Miller helped generate $300,000.00 for the rowing program through initiatives like the Vikes Championship Breakfast and Vikes Giving Day. Miller helped spearhead the men's rowing team's first Vikes Giving Day which laid the groundwork for a UVic Athletics department-wide Vikes Giving Day initiative. 

This year, Miller was asked to work with all the varsity teams to help foster the first-ever department wide student-athlete fundraising process. He met with coaches, captains, and teammates to help them find and craft their story and to assist student-athletes in building out a new set of skills.

As an athlete, Miller has been instrumental in teaching the entire light weight men's rowing team how to drive standards and excellence. In 2022, he was named the Tony Zasada award which goes to a graduating athlete of the men's rowing program that had made a significant impact on the team.

Miller's impact demonstrates that from small beginnings great things can come. He arrived at UVic for a transformative experience and has left behind a transformed department.
 
ROBERT T. WALLACE SHIELD AWARD
The Robert T. Wallace Shield recognizes the outstanding female and male student-athletes in his or her first year of competition in intercollegiate sports.



Carissa Norsten

A first-year student athlete from Saskatchewan, Carissa Norsten has made an incredible impact on the University of Victoria women's rugby team. Norsten is not only a talented athlete but also a role model on and off the field. Despite her busy schedule balancing school and varsity commitments, she is also a full-time trainee in the Rugby Canada Maple Leaf's development program, showing extreme dedication to her goal of playing for the national team.

This season, Norsten was named the rugby 15s Canada West Rookie of the Year and a Canada West All-star. She went on to be named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year.

Carissa's dedication to rugby extends beyond her own training and playing, as she also coaches in her spare time with the MacDowell Rugby Academy. Her passion for the sport and willingness to give back to the community make her an exceptional teammate and leader.

During the rugby sevens season, Norsten's talent continued to shine as she was named Canada West First Team All-star, a two-time Canada West 7s Dream Team honouree, and a Canadian University Championship All-star. Her incredible achievements in her first year of university rugby show tremendous promise for her future in the sport.



Jaxon Kuchar 

A first-year student-athlete from Trail, BC, Jaxon Kuchar's commitment to the sport and his dedication to training has made him a valuable member of the cross country and track team. This season Kuchar displayed exceptional self-reflection and a deep understanding of his strengths and challenges as an athlete.

Kuchar proactively asks questions to educate himself about the training, and his positive attitude has had a significant impact on his teammates. He is a committed and thoughtful teammate who gets along with everyone, and his dedication to the sport is truly inspiring.

Kuchar's impressive list of accomplishments this season includes being named to the Canada West Cross Country All Rookie Team and the Canada West Cross Country All-stars Second Team. He was a scoring member of the Vikes Canada west bronze medal team, and he finished second among rookies at the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships. Kuchar also finished fifth at the U20 Canadian Cross Country Championships and was selected for team Canada U20 Junior World Cross Country Championships.

Perhaps most impressively, Kuchar set the U20 Canadian 8km road record, a testament to his talent and hard work. With such a remarkable first season under his belt, Kuchar has already made a significant impact on the team and is poised to continue his success over the next four years.
 
PROVOST AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
The Provost Award is presented to a returning student-athlete with the highest academic average in the previous year.  This year two recipients were named as the Provost Award co-winners.


 
Dusan Mitrovic 

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TIMES COLONIST PUBLISHER'S AWARD FOR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
The Times Colonist Publisher's Award for Community Contributors is awarded to those individuals within the community who have made an outstanding volunteer contribution to a varsity program.



Ian Mattock

A UVic alumnus, Ian Mattock swam with the Vikes from 2009-2014 and is a respected leader within the swimming alumni group. After spending some time in the financial sector, Mattock returned to his hometown of Victoria in 2017 to take up coaching with the club affiliate Pacific Coast Swimming. Currently, he coaches the development program for Vikes swimming.

Mattock's expertise extends beyond coaching as he took on the role of meet manager for both U SPORTS championships in 2020 and 2023. Though he had limited experience in the position, he was integral to the success of the events.
A demanding role, Mattock not only oversaw all technical aspects of the meet but also the planning and organization related to running the meet, from big-picture decisions down to the smallest details. Ian's commitment to Vikes swimming and U SPORTS is evident through his hard work and dedication to ensuring the success of the championships.

VARSITY HIGHLIGHT AWARDS
Recognizes the unsung hero on each squad, peer selected for leadership, dedication, community involvement and positive attitude.

Basketball: Siera Reisig, Trent Monkman
Field Hockey:  Libby Hogg
Golf: Sukriti Harjai, Aiden Craig-Steele
Rowing: Noa Hardcastle, Mathew Thompson
Rugby: Justine Blatt-Janmatt, Andrew Easson
Swimming: Sophie Tarrant, Jack Savage
Soccer: Tess Vande Vegte and Erin Jensen, Connor Legge
XC/Track: Jennifer Erickson, David Waller