Mollenhauer named Sport BC University Athlete of the Year

VICTORIA - On March 2, some of BC sport's biggest names over the past two years were announced as winners at the 55th Sport BC awards ceremony held at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Capping off an incredible varsity career, the University of Victoria field-hockey star and U Sports Player of the Year Anna Mollenhauer, was named BC Sport's University Athlete of the Year. 

Mollenhauer, also a member of the senior national team in the 2022 World Cup and Birmingham Commonwealth Games, helped lead the Vikes to their fourth consecutive U SPORTS national championship in the fall while receiving Canada West, U SPORTS, and U SPORTS championship MVP awards this season, edging out worthy candidates including University of Michigan and NHL No. five overall draft pick Kent Johnson of Port Moody, BC. 

"It is inspiring to be in a room filled with individuals excelling in athletics and all areas of life," said Mollenhauer in her acceptance speech. "Thank you to my teammates. I would not be the athlete I am without them."

Those teammates, the four-time consecutive national champion Vikes, were also nominated for a Sport BC award in the team category but lost out to the champion UBC Thunderbirds women's golf team. Vikes first-year women's rugby player Lucie Romeo was also on the shortlist as a BC Rugby Sevens Canada Games team member who was nominated in the same category.

UVic women's rowing coach Jane Gumley, who led the Vikes to a national title this season as the first-ever female coach to do so, was nominated for Female Coach of the Year. A deserving candidate, Gumley lost out to Canadian women's soccer head coach and Olympic gold medalist Bev Priesteman. 

Full Sport BC release