Abby Guezen and Ryder Rattee named 2025-26 U SPORTS Athletes of the Year

Abby Guezen, a volleyball player, and Ryder Rattee, a sprinter are the Lois and Doug Mitchell Award winners as the U SPORTS Athletes of the Year across all sports for the 2025-26 season. The winners, who both hail from the University of Alberta, were announced Wednesday night in Calgary as the awards program celebrated its 33rd edition, dating back to the launch of the Howard Mackie Awards in 1993.

This is only the second time that one university has swept both awards, following McGill’s Ann-Sophie Bettez and Marc-André Dorion in 2012.

All eight nominees – one female and male athlete from each of the four U SPORTS conferences – received a commemorative gold ring from Baron, the exclusive supplier of commemorative jewellery for U SPORTS. Guezen and Rattee were also presented with a trophy and a $5,000 scholarship to attend a Canadian university graduate or professional school.

The winners were selected by the Canadian Athletic Foundation, a not-for-profit board established to administer the awards and protect the integrity of the selection process.

“The eight nominees this year are all are exceptional student-athletes and citizens,” said Hon. Lois Mitchell, chair of the Canadian Athletic Foundation Board of Trustees. “Abby and Ryder had outstanding seasons, demonstrating their adaptability to any condition they have faced on the field of competition and in the classroom. They are excellent recipients of the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards." 

“On behalf of U SPORTS, congratulations to Abby and Ryder on winning the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards,” said Pierre Arsenault, U SPORTS CEO. “We had an outstanding group of nominees this year, with many national champions and athlete-of-the-year winners in their sports. To be recognized like this is a wonderful accomplishment for each of them.”

Guezen, who hails from Sherwood Park, Alberta, and just completed her third year of eligibility, took home the Lois Mitchell Trophy, presented annually to the female winner, and is the second Alberta Panda to win national athlete of the year honours, following fellow volleyballer Jenny Cartmell in 2000. She is the 10th women’s volleyball player, but the first since 2019, to win national athlete of the year honours.

Rattee, also a Sherwood Park native who just completed his second year of eligibility, returns home with the Doug Mitchell Trophy. The London, Ontario, product is the second Alberta Golden Bear to win in the men’s sport category, following volleyball player Joel Schumaland in 2009 and the fifth male winner to come from Track & Field.

The other female sport finalists were Saint Mary’s volleyball left side  Emilia Mikanovich of Minsk, Belarus; Concordia hockey forward Jessymaude Drapeau of Rivière-du-Loup, Que.; and Guelph soccer forward Olivia Rizakos of Toronto.The male sport finalists were Moncton hockey forward Mika Cyr of Ste-Anne-de-Madawaska, N.B.; Laval runner Philippe Morneau-Cartier of Quebec City and Toronto Metropolitan basketball guard Aaron Rhooms. 

Abby Guezen
Alberta
Volleyball (outside hitter)
Sherwood Park, Alta.
Third year
Kinesiology 

A kinesiology, sport and recreation student from Sherwood Park, Alta., Guezen completed one of the most successful seasons in Alberta Pandas women’s volleyball history by being named both the Canada West and U SPORTS women’s volleyball player of the year.

The outside hitter led Alberta to an 18-2 regular-season record and helped the Pandas capture the Canada West championship on their home court before winning the U SPORTS national title in Langley, B.C. It marked Alberta’s first national championship in women’s volleyball since 2007.

Guezen’s championship-winning campaign capped a remarkable three-year university career. As a rookie in 2023-24, she earned both Canada West and U SPORTS rookie of the year honours while helping the Pandas claim conference bronze and national silver. One season later, Alberta captured Canada West gold and U SPORTS bronze, with Guezen being named a conference second-team all-star.

In 2025-26, Guezen served as one of Alberta’s team captains and emerged as one of the top players in Canadian university volleyball.

Internationally, Guezen made her senior Team Canada debut at just 19 years old during the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League. She later represented Canada at the Women’s Volleyball World Championship, helping the national team advance to the round of 16.

This summer, Guezen will again suit up for Canada in the 2026 Women’s Volleyball Nations League before beginning her professional career in Italy’s Serie A1, widely regarded as one of the top women’s volleyball leagues in the world. 

Ryder Rattee
Alberta
Track & Field (sprinter)
Edmonton, Alta.
Second
Kinesiology

A sophomore sprinter from Edmonton, Rattee enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons in recent Canada West track and field history, earning Canada West male athlete of the year honours after winning three gold medals at the 2026 U SPORTS Track and Field Championships in Winnipeg.

Rattee captured national titles in the men’s 300 metres, 600 metres and 4x400-metre relay, becoming part of an exclusive group of athletes to win triple gold at a single national championship meet.

All three performances established new Golden Bears program records, while his 300-metre winning time of 32.75 seconds also broke the U SPORTS championship record. Rattee was subsequently named championship athlete of the meet after helping Alberta finish 3.5 points shy of the national team title.

Rattee went undefeated in individual races during the 2026 season despite competing through a lingering back injury. In addition to his national success, he won two conference gold medals and was named Canada West male track athlete of the year and Alberta’s male athlete of the year.

His athletic accomplishments are made even more remarkable by the adversity he faced earlier in life. At eight years old, Rattee underwent extensive medical treatment after being diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, enduring chemotherapy treatments, repeated medical procedures and nearly two years of uncertainty before later learning the original diagnosis may have been incorrect.

Throughout the process, Rattee remained determined to continue competing in sports and eventually emerged as one of the top young sprinters in the country.

Earlier this month, Rattee represented Canada for the first time at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana as part of the mixed 4x400-metre relay team. He is also scheduled to compete this summer at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa. 

U SPORTS ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Howard, Mackie Awards

BLG Awards

Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards

Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards