2025 Athlete of the Year Nominees
Will Riley (Kitchener, ON) – Basketball
Will Riley became the first Canadian to be picked at the 2025 NBA Draft after being selected 21st overall by the Washington Wizards. In his final NCAA season with Illinois, Riley averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 43.2 per cent from the field and 32.6 per cent from three-point range. Riley is a member of Canada Basketball’s National Elite Team: off the court he participates in youth basketball camps and regularly visits local children’s hospitals.
Madison Richardson (Kitchener, ON) – Climbing
Madison Richardson is Canada’s top-ranked female bouldering athlete, known for her powerful climbing style and consistent performances on the international stage. In 2025, Richardson won the North American Cup Series in Montreal, and was ranked 23rd in the IFSC (International Federation of Sport Climbing) standings. Beyond competition, Madison is passionate about athlete wellness and mental health in high-performance sport and channels that perspective into leadership as the Chair of Climbing Canada’s Athlete Commission.
Dhane Smith (Kitchener, ON) – Lacrosse
Dhane Smith had a historic 2024-25 National Lacrosse League season for the Buffalo Bandits, earning NLL Offensive Player of the Year honors and breaking his own single-season assist record for the fourth consecutive year with 102 assists. He finished the 2025 regular season tied for the league lead with 134 points. Away from lacrosse, Smith hosts a podcast, The Dhane and Josh Show, with Bandits and Chaos teammate Josh Byrne. Both Smith and Byrne, who are Black Canadians, have supported the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mark Scheifele (Kitchener, ON) – Hockey
Winnipeg Jet’s centre Mark Scheifele is a veteran leader and franchise record-holder for goals and points. In 2025 he recorded 88 points in 81 regular season games, adding another 11 points in 11 games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Scheifele became the Winnipeg Jets all-time franchise points leader in November 2025. Off the ice, Scheifele is a sport ambassador for KidSport Winnipeg.
Jet Greaves (Cambridge, ON) – Hockey
Goaltender Jet Greaves has established himself as a key player for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He made his NHL debut on April 4, 2023, in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and set the record for most saves by a Columbus goaltender in their debut match, making 46 saves. Greaves recorded his first NHL shutout against the Washington Capitals on April 12, 2025, and as a result of his efforts he was recognized as the NHL’s First Star of the Week on April 14, 2025. In the year 2025 he played a total of 33 games, recording 884 saves for a +90% save percentage.
2025 Outstanding Athlete Achievement Nominees
Foster Malleck (Kitchener, ON) – Athletics
Foster Malleck’s running career reached new heights in 2025. He won the mile run and 3000 metres race at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships in March 2025 and also finished 3rd in the mile at NCAA Division Indoor Track and Field Championships in Virginia Beach the same month. He competed in the 2025 NACAC Championship, winning the gold medal in the 1500 metres, and broke the championship record with a time of 3:37.55. Malleck ran a personal best 3:32.38 for the 1500m performance at La Classique de Montreal a time qualifier for the World Championships that moved him to second on the Canadian all-time list, and competed for Canada at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championship in China. In September 2025, Malleck was a semi-finalist in the 1500 metres at the World Championship in Japan.
Charles Davalan (Waterloo, ON) – Baseball
Charles Davalan was the first Canadian-born player selected in the 2025 MLB Draft (by the Los Angeles Dodgers). Previously, he spent two seasons in NCAA with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he he hit .346, with 14 home runs over 65 games and an on-base plus slugging of .994. Davalan was a team leader in base hits (93) and stolen bases (10) and finished second in runs scored (71). He was also named the the ABCA/ Rawlings All-American second team and the NCBWA All-American second team.
Brady Martin (Elmira, ON) – Hockey
Brady Martin, a forward selected 5th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators, recorded 1 assist in 3 NHL games in October 2025 before being assigned back to the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL where he had a dominant 2024-25 OHL season recording 72 points in 57 games. In April 2025, Martin represented Canada at the IIHF World U18 Championships. During the tournament he ranked second on the team in scoring with three goals and eight assists in seven games, and scored two goals in the gold medal game against Sweden. In December 2025, he represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship where he recorded four goals and four assists in six games. Off the ice, Martin spends his time working on his family’s farm in Elmira.
Leah Herrfort (University of Waterloo) – Hockey
Leah Herrfort has played for the University of Waterloo Warriors (OUA) and represented Canada at the FISU World University Games. Known as a prolific scorer, she was named the 2023 OUA Player and Forward of the Year. In 2025 she finished 2nd in team scoring with 17 points. Herrfort was part of the silver medal team at the 2025 Winter World University Games where she scored 12 points in 5 games, making her the leading scorer for Team Canada for the tournament. In 2025, Herrfort made it on to the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) eligibility list along with nearly 200 players from around the world who are ready to make their mark on professional hockey.
Marley Gayler (Kitchener, ON) – Cross Country Skiing
Marley Gayler has been a Special Olympics athlete for 16 years. In 2025 she was named to the Special Olympics Team Canada to compete at the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 in cross-country skiing. It was a standout games for Gayler who made it onto the podium three times, winning a gold in 4x1K Relay – Free Technique, a silver in the 2.5K – Classical Technique, and a bronze in the 1 K – Free Technique. Gayler is a double-threat as an athlete, having represented Canada in powerlifting at the 2023 Summer World Games in Germany where she won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal.
