2025-26 Mariners Awards Night

NANAIMO, BC - Basketball student-athletes Mackenzie Cox (Langley, BC) and Kai Leighton (Prince Rupert, BC) were named VIU Athletes of the Year at the Mariners 2025-26 Mariners Athletics Awards on April 10 at the Malaspina Theatre.

Cox, a starting point guard in her fifth and final varsity season, took a team with overhauled tactics, an offense based on depth rather than star scorers, and seven new additions to the top spot in the PACWEST conference with a 21-3 record. She was named PACWEST Championship MVP as the Mariners overwhelmed CBC and Douglas College on the way to a conference title and followed that up with three straight wins at the CCAA national championship to claim VIU's third CCAA gold medal in program history. Cox was also named VIU's player of the game in the championship final as she played a game-high 36 minutes on the way to a 72-58 VIU victory.

Two fifth-year captains were also finalists for the VIU Female Athlete of the Year Award: Courtney Ingram (Nanaimo, BC), who led the Mariners to a PACWEST soccer championship and finished fourth in conference goals, and Grace Brisebois (Sechelt, BC), a CCAA All-Canadian who led the Mariners to a PACWEST championship and a CCAA bronze medal. 

Kai Leighton had a dynamite fifth season with the Mariners as he made an impact on both ends of the court. He finished second in conference rebounds per game and assists per game and was voted a PACWEST conference first team all-star and won the conference Defensive Player of the Year award for the 19-5 Mariners. In the conference final, he hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to deliver a PACWEST championship to the VIU. Kai was named player of the game and tournament MVP. He followed that up by helping the Mariners to a CCAA national silver medal on home court.

The other finalists for the Mariners Men's Athlete of the Year award were soccer striker Charlie Smith (Squamish, BC), who was a PACWEST all-star and VIU's leading scorer who finished third in conference goals, and volleyball setter Owen Dyck (Winnipeg, MB), a conference and PACWEST tournament all-star who completed his fifth season by leading the Mariners to a conference silver and a fourth-place finish at the CCAA national championship.

VIU 2025-26 Athletes of the Year, Mackenzie Cox and Kai Leighton, received their awards from Irlanda Gonzalez-Price, VIU AVP Student Affairs. Photos: John Gardiner

Photos: Official Award Winners (Flickr)

Photos: Award Winners on Stage (Flickr)

Photos: Pre-awards social at the Malaspina Theatre (Flickr)

The VIU Athletics Department also welcomed two new inductees into the Mariners Wall of Fame: women's basketball standout Marilou Leonin and women's volleyball athlete and Olympian Jamie Hatch. 

Leonin (Prince Rupert, BC) was the Mariners first superstar in women's basketball program history. She played four seasons at VIU (then Malaspina University-College) and was a conference all-star in three of those seasons. However, it was her final season in 1997-98 that set the standard of excellence for Mariners women's basketball for decades to come.

She led her team to the first women's basketball conference championship and CCAA women's basketball national championship in school history. Leonin also became the first Mariner to be named women's basketball conference player of the year, CCAA women's basketball All-Canadian, and the CCAA women's basketball national player of the year. 

Jamie Broder (L) and Marilou Leonin are welcomed by Athletic Director Danielle Hyde as the newest additions to the Mariners Wall of Fame. Photos: John Gardiner

Hatch (Victoria, BC) played three seasons with the Malaspina Mariners from 2003-2006. In these seasons, her teams won two conference gold and a bronze along with CCAA national silver and bronze medals. She won both Mariners Rookie of the Year and Mariners Female Athlete of the Year awards and was a CCAA Academic-All Canadian. She transferred to UBC and won a CIS (now U Sports) national championship and was named a tournament all-star in her senior year.

She took that experience to springboard into a phenomenal career representing Canada in beach volleyball. An internationally-ranked athlete, Hatch he won multiple NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) events and won Canada's first-ever gold medal at an FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) event. Hatch then competed for Canada at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games. 

VIU Rookies of the Year: Mary Huggill and Ty Cyr with their awards presented by Carolyn Russell, VIU VP Students. Photos: John Gardiner

The 2025-26 Female Rookie of the Year award went to soccer midfielder Mary Huggill (Canmore, AB). 'Hugs' scored three goals in 12 games—good for 7^th in the conference—and was voted PACWEST conference rookie of the year. She was a regular in the starting lineup for a VIU team that topped the conference and won PACWEST gold. 

Two All-Rookie Team members were also finalists for this award. Sara Hughes (Port Coquitlam, BC), a middle who worked her way into the starting lineup in the second half of the season, was a major piece of VIU's runs to a conference championship and a CCAA national bronze medal. For women's basketball, guard Emily Sprott (Chilliwack, BC) became a major part of VIU's guard rotation with her shutdown defence and helped the Mariners to conference and CCAA national championships.

The Male Rookie of the Year award was given to Ty Cyr (Port Alberni, BC) from men's basketball. The 6'6" forward was an efficient scorer off the bench and fit right in with the PACWEST level of play. He played important minutes, especially early in the season as the Mariners battled injuries, and helped the team to a PACWEST championship. 

Finalists for the Male Rookie of the Year award included Adam Hopper (Powell River, BC) a consistet starter on the defensive line with clinical ability on free kicks for men's soccer, and Brad Ney (Nanaimo, BC), an outside hitter on the volleyball team who was trusted with important minutes off the bench throughout the season. 

Academic Excellence Award Winners Alannah Wright and Thomas Greze-Kozuki with their awards presented by David Forrester, Manager, VIU Athletics & Recreation. Photos: John Gardiner

The Mariners Academic Excellence Award for top GPA over the past three semesters went to women's volleyball middle blocker Alannah Wright (Nanaimo, BC – Bachelor of Science) and men's soccer defender Thomas Greze-Kozuki (Campbell River, BC – Bachelor of Kinesiology). Greze-Kozuki also won this award in 2024. 

The Unsung Hero Awards recognize one member of each team who has positively influenced their team from behind the scenes with an encouraging attitude and a willingness to help in whatever capacity necessary. This year's awards were presented to Katie Hartig (women's basketball, Courtney, BC); Breandan McLaughlin (men's basketball, Campbell River, BC); Elise Stime (women's volleyball, Edmonton AB); and Rylan Van Kooten (men's volleyball, St. Andrews, MB).

The Reid Davidson Memorial Awards for soccer's unsung heros were given to Mary Nicholls (Ladysmith, BC) and Thomas Greze-Kozuki (Campbell River, BC). Following these presentations, Reid's parents Mike and Lisa Davidson spoke on Reid's legacy at VIU and in the greater BC soccer community.

Prior to the awards ceremony, the PACWEST announced that VIU was the 2025-26 winner of the PACWEST Aggregate Award. This award is awarded to the PACWEST institution who earns the most points through regular season and post-season play. This season marks the seventh season in the row and the 18th of the last 20th seasons that VIU has claimed the award.

For more information, please contact Matt Carter, VIU Communications and Sports Information Coordinator.

Full List of Award Winners, Conference Awards, and Recognized Student-Athletes & Coaches