Outstanding 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.

2024 Recipients

Maggie Mackinnon

Women's Rugby

Second-year women’s rugby player Maggie Mackinnon had a standout season, excelling in rugby fifteens and sevens while serving as a pivotal leader on and off the field. Positioned as a first receiver in both formats, she adeptly guides the backs, consistently propelling the team forward. As the women's rugby team's primary drop kicker, goal kicker, and out-of-hand kicker, Maggie's precise execution has garnered numerous points, propelling the team's success this year and earning her the distinction of having the most consistent and effective kicking game in all of U SPORTS. Her outstanding performances have been duly recognized, with an impressive array of accolades, including Canada West All-Star, Canada West Player of the Week, and various top points scorer titles. Furthermore, she earned national honours as a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian and the Canada West Sevens Dream Team First Team All-Star. Her exceptional achievements extend beyond the field, as she has also been recognized as an honour roll recipient, underscoring her dedication to both athletics and academics. Her remarkable kicking prowess was instrumental in the women's rugby team achieving two national silver medals and its highest-ever placement at the U SPORTS National Championship.

Diego Maffia

Men's Basketball

Fourth-year student-athlete Diego Maffia’s impact on the men’s basketball program has been nothing short of extraordinary. Notably, Maffia's exceptional scoring ability led both the conference and the nation for two consecutive seasons, averaging 26.7 points per game across 17 match-ups in 2023-24. Beyond scoring, he showcased his play making prowess by leading the team and ranking fourth in the conference with an average of 5.2 assists per game. His legacy extends to the record books, as he holds the UVic record for the most career three-pointers, totaling 258. In 2023, he garnered an impressive list of accolades, including U SPORTS Player of the Year, Canada West Player of the Year, U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, Canada West First Team All-Star, and Canada West Champion, showcasing his dominance on the national stage.

Moreover, his impact transcends collegiate basketball, as evidenced by his successful summer playing in the Canadian professional basketball league with the Vancouver Bandits.

Previous Winners

Year	Name	Sport
2024	Maggie MacKinnon Diego Maffia	Women's Rugby Men's Basketball
2023	Anna Mollenhauer Diego Maffia	Women's Field Hockey Men's Basketball
2022	Anna Mollenhauer Patrick Keane	Women's Field Hockey Men's Rowing
2020	Danielle Hanus (co-winner) Anna Mollenhauer (co-winner) Isaac Koch	Women's Swimming Women's Field Hockey Men's Soccer
2019	Danielle Hanus Eric Hedlin	Women's Swimming Men's Swimming
2018	Puck Louwes (co-winner) Caileigh Filmer (co-winner) Patrick Keane	Women's Soccer Women's Rowing Men's Rowing
2017	Julia Folk Eric Hedlin	Women's Rugby Men's Swimming
2016	Emma Greig Cam Hundal	Women's Soccer Men's Soccer
2015	Rachel Francois Thomas Riva Chris McLaughlin	Women's Cross Country and Track Men's Cross Country and Track Men's Basketball
2014	Rachel Francois Terrell Evans	Women's Cross-Country and Track Men's Basketball
2013	Megan Woodland Will O'Connell	Women's Golf Men's Rowing
2012	Ryan MacKinnon Megan Woodland	Men's Basketball Women's Golf
2011	Phil Mack Anne Balser	Men's Rugby Women's Golf
2010	Josh Morris Kendra Flock	Men's Rowing Women's Soccer
2009	Geoff Martinson Kayla Dykstra	Men's Cross-Country/Track Women's Basketball
2008	Nathan Hirayama MacKenzie Downing	Men's Rugby Women's Swimming
2007	Dave Spicer Mackenzie Downing	Men's Rugby Women's Swimming
2006	Mike Danskin Lindsay Jennerich	Men's Rugby Women's Rowing
2005	Mike Danskin Stephanie Dixon	Men's Rugby Women's Swimming
2004	Ed Fairhurst Stephanie Dixon	Men's Rugby Women's Swimming
2003	Mike Lewis Lindsay Jennerich Lauren McLean	Men's Rowing Women's Rowing Women's Field Hockey
2002	Kevin Light Andrea Rushton	Men's Rowing Women's Field Hockey
2001	Jeff Williams Andrea Rushton	Men's Rugby Women's Field Hockey

2000	Graham Cocksedge Christin Petelski	Men's Cross Country/Track Women's Swimming
1999	Philip Weiss Christin Petelski Buffy Alexander	Men's Swimming Women's Swimming Women's Rowing
1998	Philip Weiss Buffy Alexander	Men's Swimming Women's Rowing
1997	Eric Heinrichsen Christin Petelski	Men's Basketball Women's Swimming
1996	Lisa Koop Jason Penaluna	Women's Basketball Men's Rugby
1995	Gavin Hasset Laurelle Kopeck	Men's Rowing Women's Field Hockey
1994	Kelly Mahoon	Men's Rowing
1993	Rochelle Low	Women's Field Hockey
1992	Tom Johnson	Men's Basketball
1991	Kirsten Barnes Spencer McKay	Women's Rowing Men's Basketball
1990	Lara Melville (co-winner) Kirsten Barnes (co-winner) Gareth Rees	Women's Volleyball Women's Rowing Men's Rugby
1989	Kirsten Barnes Gareth Rees	Women's Rowing Men's Rugby
1988	Jon Kelly Brenda Shackleton	Men's Swimming Women's Cross-Country/Track
1987	Jon Kelly Lori Clarke	Men's Swimming Women's Basketball
1986	Mark Wyatt Jon Kelly Silken Laumann Pam Rai	Men's Rugby Men's Swimming Women's Rowing Women's Swimming
1985	Dean Crawford Kevin Neufeld Nancy Charlton	Men's Rowing Men's Rowing Women's Field Hockey
1984	Eli Pasquale Nancy Charlton	Men's Basketball Women's Field Hockey
1983	Gerald Kazanowski Tracie McAra	Men's Basketball Women's Basketball
1982	Eli Pasquale Diane Mahy Debbie Scott	Men's Basketball Women's Field Hockey Women's Cross-Country/Track