VICTORIA – Sport BC has announced the finalists for its 58th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards, with University of Victoria women's cross country and track head coach Hilary Stellingwerff and the women's cross country team among those recognized.

The awards celebration will take place Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and will be hosted by CBC's Scott Russell. The annual event recognizes British Columbia's top amateur athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances during the 2025 season.

"We're incredibly proud to see both Hilary and our women's cross country team recognized among the best in the province" said Director, Varsity Performance Sport, Dr. Nick Clarke. "These nominations reflect the standard of excellence within our program and the dedication of our student-athletes and coaches."

Female Coach of the Year - Hilary Stellingwerff 

Stellingwerff is coming off a historic 2025 season, earning the following honours:

• Canada West Women's Cross Country Champion (coach)
• Canada West Men's Cross Country Champion (coach)
• U SPORTS Women's Cross Country Champion (coach)
• Canada West Women's Team Coach of the Year 
• Canada West Men's Team Coach of the Year
• U SPORTS Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year

A two-time Olympian, Stellingwerff has guided the Vikes cross country and track programs through consistent year-over-year improvement since taking the helm in 2020. Her athlete-centred approach, combined with her elite technical expertise, has translated into championship success at both the conference and national levels.

Team of the Year - Women's Cross Country

The Vikes women's cross country team delivered one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2025:

• 2025 U SPORTS National Champions
• 2025 Canada West Champions
• Ranked No. 1 in the nation for the final three weeks of the season
• Never ranked lower than fourth in the U SPORTS Top 10 poll
• First U SPORTS team title since 2001
• Second-straight Canada West conference title

Individually, Madelyn Eybergen captured U SPORTS gold, marking the program's first national individual title since 1991. Eybergen was also named U SPORTS Female Athlete of the Year, earned All-Canadian honours, and finished second at the Canada West Championships.

After finishing eighth three seasons ago, the Vikes steadily climbed to sixth, then third, and ultimately became national champions in 2025. Under Stellingwerff's leadership, the program has become a model of sustained development and competitive excellence within U SPORTS.

The Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards celebrate the province's best in amateur sport, with finalists honoured across athlete, coach, and team categories.

See details and full list of finalists