NANKIVELL NAMED COMPLETE CHAMPION AT ANNUAL AWARDS GALA

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western Spartans handed out their annual awards at the Spartans Athletic Awards Gala, with Constance Nankivell (Tain, Scotland) being honoured with the most prestigious award of the night – the Complete Champion Award – during Friday night’s event.
 
The cross country star was honoured with the evening-capping Complete Champion Award, which is given to senior student-athletes who are “outstanding in athletic achievements, who advance to the edge of their abilities both academically and personally, and who also demonstrate leadership and a desire to grow spiritually.” Nankivell joins 78 former Spartan athletes who have won the award since it was first awarded in 2003-04.
 
The Spartans Athlete of the Year Awards went to Nankivell and men’s rugby forward Genaro Gandolfo (Buenos Aires, Argentina).
 
TWU’s Rookie of the Year Awards went to women’s basketball guard Colette Van der Hoven (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and men’s cross country and track and field athlete Yemane Mulugeta (Surrey, B.C.).
 
The Spartans Scholar Athlete Award went to women’s volleyball outside hitter Grace McGillivray (Langley, B.C.) and men’s soccer forward Xander Roxburgh (Langley, B.C.).
 
This year’s Bahta Melles Awards for servant leadership went to women’s track and field long jumper Sheleena Wiley (Langley, B.C.) and men’s volleyball libero/setter Tyson Hofer (Langley, B.C.).
 
The Murray Hall Leadership Legacy Award went to women’s hockey forward Kara Yackel (St. Paul, Man.) and men’s volleyball libero Tayler Roxburgh (Langley, B.C.).
 
The School of Business Spartan Athlete of the Year Awards went to women’s hockey defence Ella Boon (Vanderhoof, B.C.) and men’s hockey forward Michael Spafford (Saskatoon, Sask.).
 
The School of Human Kinetics Spartan Athlete of the Year Awards went to women’s soccer forward Kelsey Stewart (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) and men’s disc golfer Jacob Visser (St. Catharines, Ont.).
 
The Aaron Hansen Senior Therapist of the Year Award went to Eric Brooke (Surrey, B.C.) who worked with the Spartans men’s hockey team. The Senior Therapist of the Year Award was named in memory of Aaron Hansen, a therapy alumnus who we tragically lost in the fall of 2022.
 
The Junior Therapist of the Year Award went to Josh Reinhard (Langley, B.C.) who worked with TWU’s men’s soccer and women’s hockey teams, and Jacob King (Houston, B.C.) who worked with the Spartans women’s basketball and track and field teams.
 
The Andrew Heming Shield (Strength and Conditioning Intern of the Year Award) went to Soren Pasiciel (Abbotsford, B.C.) who worked with men’s hockey, volleyball, and rugby.
 
The Female Strength & Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award was given to women’s rugby Cheye Gustafson (Abbotsford, B.C.), while the Male Strength & Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award went to men’s soccer Kieran Eve (Coquitlam, B.C.).
 
The Strength & Conditioning Team of the Year Award was handed out to the men’s rugby team.
 
TWU Spartans 2024-25 Award Winners
 
Complete Champion Award
Constance Nankivell (Women’s Cross Country)
 
Athlete of the Year Award
Constance Nankivell (Women’s Cross Country)
Genaro Gandolfo (Men’s Rugby)
 
Rookie of the Year Award
Colette Van der Hoven (Women’s Basketball)
Yemane Mulugeta (Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field)
 
Scholar-Athlete Award
Grace McGillivray (Women’s Volleyball)
Xander Roxburgh (Men’s Volleyball)
 
Bahta Melles Servant-Leadership Award
Sheleena Wiley (Women’s Track & Field)
Tyson Hofer (Men’s Volleyball)
 
Murray Hall Leadership Legacy Award
Kara Yackel (Women’s Hockey)
Tayler Roxburgh (Men’s Volleyball)
 
School of Business Spartan Athlete of the Year
Ella Boon (Women’s Hockey)
Michael Spafford (Men’s Hockey)
 
School of Human Kinetics Spartan Athlete of the Year
Kelsey Stewart (Women’s Soccer)
Jacob Visser (Men’s Disc Golf)
 
Aaron Hansen Senior Therapist of the Year Award
Eric Brooke (Men’s Hockey)
 
Junior Therapist of the Year Award
Josh Reinhard (Men’s Soccer, Women’s Hockey)
Jacob King (Women’s Basketball, Track and Field)
 
Andrew Heming Shield (Strength and Conditioning Intern of the Year Award)
Soren Pasiciel (Men’s Hockey, Volleyball, Rugby)
 
Strength and Conditioning Team of the Year
Men’s Rugby
 
Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year
Cheye Gustafson (Women’s Rugby)
Kieran Eve (Men’s Soccer)
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships. TWU has also won 16 Individual U SPORTS Gold Medals in Track & Field and Cross Country.
 
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
 
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