Sunday evening at the University of Northern British Columbia, the UNBC Timberwolves celebrated the 2025–26 varsity athletics season at their annual Awards Banquet. The event brought together student-athletes, staff, and distinguished guests, including Interim President Dr. Bill Owen and longtime supporters Ken and Rhonda McIntosh.
It was a night filled with stories, laughter, and celebration, as athletes from all four varsity programs were recognized for their accomplishments on the field and court, as well as in the classroom and community.
Hosted by
Keeley Read (women's soccer) and
Mehdi Bounaaja (men's soccer), the evening saw 25 individual awards presented, while an additional 21 student-athletes were honoured as Academic All-Canadians and upcoming graduates.
Johanna Rathke (Göttingen, Germany) delivered a historic debut season in goal for the Timberwolves. The rookie goalkeeper made an immediate impact, recording 161 saves to set new single-season program and Canada West records. Rathke's consistency, leadership, and elite play saw her log every minute in net for UNBC during the 2025 campaign.
On the men's side,
Justin Sunga (Burnaby, B.C.) capped off a standout fourth season by becoming the program's all-time assists leader on January 17 against the University of the Fraser Valley. Sunga finished the year averaging 10 points and 4.8 assists per game, ranking fifth in Canada West in the latter category.
Men's Soccer defender
Jamie Wildash-Chan (Wellington, NZ) was named Male Rookie of the Year after a remarkable debut season. He led the Timberwolves with five goals and added one assist to share the team lead in points. His efforts earned him U SPORTS All-Rookie Team honours, making him the first player in program history to receive the distinction.
On the women's side, forward
Hazel Phillips (Langley, B.C.) earned Female Rookie of the Year honours following a strong first season with the basketball program. She averaged 8.6 points per game, with her 171 total points ranking sixth among Canada West rookies and 11th nationally among first-year players.
Luthien Thielmann was awarded the
Kaz Ikuta Student Service Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the university community. Men's soccer defender
Hagon Kim (Ilsan, KOR) earned the KJM Sales Timberwolf Award for the second consecutive year, highlighting his excellence athletically, academically, and in the community.
Two coaches were also recognized for their longstanding contributions to UNBC Athletics. Men's Soccer head coach Steve Simonson recently surpassed 10 years of service, while Men's Basketball head coach Todd Jordan reached the 15-year milestone.
Major Award Winners
Kaz Ikuta Student Service Award: Luthien Thielmann
Male Rookie of the Year:
Jamie Wildash-Chan
Female Rookie of the Year:
Hazel Phillips
Male Athlete of the Year:
Justin Sunga
Female Athlete of the Year:
Johanna Rathke
KJM Sales Timberwolf Award:
Hagon Kim
Team Award Winners
Men's Soccer
Best Defensive Player –
Adam Korduner
Golden Boot –
Jamie Wildash-Chan
Green and Gold Award –
Hagon Kim
MVP –
Pipeijn van der Ende
Men's Basketball
Practice Wins Leader –
Danilo Gonzalez
Rookie of the Year –
Cairo Wells
Zane Robison Award –
Isaiah Bias
Best Defensive Player –
Tony Kibonge
Most Inspirational Player –
Wesley Ainu'u
Most Outstanding Player –
Justin Sunga
Women's Soccer
Best Defensive Player –
Kambria Mellum
Best Offensive Player –
Aimee Glasser
Green and Gold Award –
Fia Cameron
MVP –
Johanna Rathke
Women's Basketball
Defensive Player of the Year –
Aurora Cabrera
Most Improved Player –
Claire Huang
Rookie of the Year –
Hazel Phillips
Leadership Award –
Sophia Fuller
Most Valuable Player –
Viktoriia Filatova
The UNBC Athletics Department extends its sincere thanks to all student-athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers, alumni, donors, media members, and community supporters who helped make the 2025–26 season a success.
