(Image Credit: Red Deer Polytechnic/Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Recognizing accomplishments

RDP honours student athletes, coaches, and staff at annual Athletics Awards night

Apr 2, 2026 | 12:00 PM

Red Deer Polytechnic honoured its student athletes, coaches, and staff, recognizing their sporting achievements at the annual Athletics Awards night on Wednesday.

This includes not only what they were able to accomplish in their respective sports but also in the classroom and in the community.

“The RDP Athletics Awards reminds us of what is possible when dedication, passion and engagement come together,” says Randy Stewart, Manager, Athletics and Student Life, Red Deer Polytechnic. “The Kings and Queens continue to raise the bar of excellence, and they do so with the backing of sponsors, donors, coaches, staff and fans who believe in them. Their achievements reflect excellence not only in sport, but in academics and community leadership.”

Most notably, three student athletes were presented with special honours, including Julianna Chipiuk, Colby Nemeth and Kaedence Mollin.

(Image Credit: RDP Atlhetics/Supplied)

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Chipiuk, a member of Queens’ cross country running and indoor track teams, was named the 2025-26 Outstanding RDP Female Athlete of the Year.

The second-year runner from Edmonton had a heckuva season helping the cross country team win gold, and the indoor track team claim silver at the ACAC Championships. Chipiuk earned a silver medal in the women’s six-kilometre race in 23:27 and won gold in the women’s 3,000 metres at the ACAC Indoor Track Championships.

Nemeth, a member of the Kings volleyball team, was named the Outstanding RDP Male Athlete of the Year.

The fifth-year power hitter helped lead the Kings to their 22nd ACAC gold medal and 15th CCAA national championship title. Nemeth led the ACAC with 4.23 kills per set in men’s volleyball and notched a total of 241 kills, which was second in the league.

He was also named the ACAC Men’s Volleyball South Player of the Year and ACAC Men’s Volleyball Championship MVP.

Meanwhile, Mollin, a member of the Queens hockey team, was honoured with the Al Ferchuk Athletic Leadership Scholarship.

The fourth-year defender, who also served as Queens’ captain, played an integral role in the Queens pushing the Lakeland College Rustlers to game five of the ACAC Women’s Hockey final and earning silver.

Mollin led by example during practices and games with tenacity and hard work. While being one of the top defenders in the league, Mollin also contributed two goals and six assists over 21 games.

Furthermore, the institution handed out academic excellence awards to 121 students who earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the fall of 2024.

Student athletes Kaedence Mollin, Tora Ward, and Nolan Doell were named ACAC Academic All-Canadians.

In total, RDP athletics won four Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) medals, including two gold and two bronze. They also captured 20 ACAC medals, including seven gold, nine silver and four bronze.

This season, five RDP coaches–Michael and Jenna Schnare (Cross Country Running), Mahziar Peyrow (Queens Soccer), Talbot Walton (Queens Volleyball) and Aaron Schulha (Kings Volleyball)–were recognized as ACAC Coach of the Year in their respective sports.

Finally, one member of the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Rodeo team has qualified for the Canadian Collegiate Rodeo Association Finals. This event will be held in Rimbey from May 1-3.

Additional RDP Awards

Red Deer Bottling High GPA Scholarship – Ryland McNinch (Kings Hockey)

Red Deer Bottling High GPA Scholarship – Madelyn DeZutter (Queens Volleyball)

Red Deer Bottling Outstanding Male Rookie of the Year (all sports) – Mason Bueckart (Kings Hockey)

Red Deer Bottling Outstanding Female Rookie of the Year (all sports) Kaily Sparks (Queens Curling)

Al Ferchuk Kings Hockey Student-Athlete Scholarship – Ryland McNinch

Jillian Walls Dance Leadership Scholarship – Sienna Wald

Team Awards

Dance – Katarina Spiridakis (Coach’s Award)

Dance – Elisa Arens (Most Improved Player)

Dance – Meghan Walker (Most Valuable Player)

Dance – Aunika Heise (Rookie of the Year)

Rodeo – Brieanna Nyal (Coach’s Award)

Rodeo – Aidyn Thomas (Most Improved Player)

Rodeo – Kaybree Zunti (Most Valuable Player)

Rodeo – Kaybree Zunti (Rookie of the Year)

Kings Basketball – Lado Lodo (Coach’s Award)

Kings Basketball – Samuel Idemudia (Most Improved Player)

Kings Basketball – Donovan Snider (Most Valuable Player)

Kings Basketball – Garett Cates (Rookie of the Year)

Queens Basketball – Kira Main (Coach’s Award)

Queens Basketball – Kira Main (Most Improved Player)

Queens Basketball – Jorgia Hicks (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Basketball – Kasha Caibaiosai (Rookie of the Year)

Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Julianna Chipiuk (Coach’s Award)

Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Kohen Meckelborg (Most Improved Player)

Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Japhet Kipkosgei (Most Valuable Player)

Kings Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Ryan Murei (Rookie of the Year)

Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Kammy Park (Most Improved Player)

Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Eiley Morrison (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Cross Country Running/Indoor Track – Kira Main (Rookie of the Year)

Curling – Jaden Morlock (Coach’s Award)

Curling – Reegan Cox (Most Improved Player)

Curling – Cassidy Blair (Most Valuable Player)

Curling – Kaily Sparks (Rookie of the Year)

Kings Hockey – Tanner Sklaruk (Coach’s Award)

Kings Hockey – Kody Willick (Most Improved Player)

Kings Hockey – Nolan Doell (Most Valuable Player)

Kings Hockey – Mason Bueckart (Rookie of the Year)

Queens Hockey – Arilyn Toews (Coach’s Award)

Queens Hockey – Mia McGregor (Most Improved Player)

Queens Hockey – Tora Ward (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Hockey – Natalie Tychkowsky (Rookie of the Year)

Kings Soccer – Korben Skjolde (Coach’s Award)

Kings Soccer – Liam Parsons (Most Improved Player)

Kings Soccer – Njegos Bajovic (Most Valuable Player)

Kings Soccer – Mikito Funase (Rookie of the Year)

Kings Futsal – Dylan Godbout (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Soccer – Kyra Remekie (Coach’s Award)

Queens Soccer – Jaeda Marquart (Most Improved Player)

Queens Soccer – Olivia Lundell (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Soccer – Yuri Umino (Rookie of the Year)

Kings Volleyball – Brett Lower & Dante Furlan (Coach’s Awards)

Kings Volleyball – Owen Langberg (Most Improved Player)

Kings Volleyball – Colby Nemeth (Most Valuable Player)

Kings Volleyball – Netana Samia (Rookie of the Year)

Queens Volleyball – Rachel Perry (Coach’s Award)

Queens Volleyball – Riley Dand (Most Improved Player)

Queens Volleyball – Autumn Letwin (Most Valuable Player)

Queens Volleyball – Brooke Bergstrom (Rookie of the Year)

Team Service Awards

Kings Basketball – Sharaya Aamir

Queens Basketball – Jessica Day

Cross Country Running – Jade Weber

Curling – Eldon Raab

Dance – Kiersten Brittain

Kings Hockey – Jake Wozney

Queens Hockey – Jordan Koopmans

Rodeo – Stacey Terpsma

Kings Soccer – John Leslie

Queens Soccer – Alisha Coules

Kings Volleyball – Keith Hansen

Queens Volleyball – Karlee Abt

Come Back Award – Kayle Lammle (Queens Basketball)

Minor Officials Award – Tim Finnigan, Alicia Ehret, Jonah Otten and Michael Moore

Tim Hamilton Student Trainer Hockey Award – Paightyn Russell (Kings Hockey)

Collegiate Sports Medicine/RDP Women’s Hockey Trainer Award – Shyla Jenkins

Jon Walsh Memorial Kings Volleyball Student Trainer Scholarship – Aidyn Martin (Kings Volleyball)

Red Deer Bottling Kings Pit Crew Award – Katie Young (Kings Volleyball)

Red Deer Bottling Queens Pit Crew Award – Karlee Abt (Queens Volleyball)

Tim Hamilton Student Trainer Queen Award – Jessica Day

Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award – Leah Falvey

Red Deer Bottling Student Trainer Award – Islay Pearman

Red Deer Bottling/Truant Family Student Trainer Award – Peyton Wagstaff