Athletes of the Year

Canada West has a rich history of outstanding student-athlete success. The conference's Athletes of the Year move on annually as the Canada West nominees for the The Honourable Lois Mitchell and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athlete of the Year Awards (formerly the U SPORTS Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards, Howard Mackie Awards and Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) Awards), which are awarded annually to the top male and female athlete in U SPORTS.

The female winner receives the Jim Thompson Trophy, while the male winner receives the Doug Mitchell Trophy.

Each of the 56 U SPORTS universities select a male and female athlete as a nominee. Each conference - Atlantic Canada, Canada West, Ontario and Québec - then select both a female, and male conference nominee. These eight nominees are then considered for the The Honourable Lois Mitchell and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athlete of the Year Awards based on their athletic accomplishment, outstanding sportsmanship and demonstrated leadership. The Canadian Athletic Foundation – a non-profit board established to administer the Awards – serves to protect the integrity of the selection process, and select winners.

Selection Criteria - The Honourable Lois Mitchell and Doug Mitchell U SPORTS Athlete of the Year Awards

The eight nominees are selected based on the following criteria:

• Must have participated in a U SPORTS sport for two years (including the current year of nomination)
• Must be in a course of study leading to their first undergraduate degree or graduate program (minimum second year);
• Must be the university's Athlete of the Year or runner-up; and
• Cannot have previously been named a winner of the award 

All-Time Canada West Athletes of the Year / Lt. Gov. Award Nominees