Capping off a strong year of competition, Brock Sports & Recreation has nominated six athletes for the 2025-26 Male Athlete of the Year.
The Brock Athlete of the Year Award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated superior athletic performance with a significant impact that led their team to reach the highest competition results and outcomes, earning individual athletic awards and honours.
The Parkway Conference Centre will host this year's Varsity Awards Gala, which is set to start at 6 p.m.
The nominees for Male Athlete of the Year (listed in alphabetical order) are as follows:
Devin Cooney – Men's Volleyball
Garnering his second consecutive Male Athlete of the Year nomination, Devin Cooney continued to showcase his dominance on the court, securing his third straight Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star nod as he was named a Second Team All-Star.
The Kanata, Ont., native was an offensive force during the season as his 253 kills and 293 total points placed him seventh in the province and 10th in the country. He also finished fifth in the OUA with 3.51 kills per set and sixth in the province with 4.1 points per set, placing him eighth nationally in both categories.
Cooney recorded double-digit points in 17 of his 20 games played this season, registering a season-high 29.5 from 22 kills, six service aces and 1.5 blocks in a win over the RMC Paladins on Jan. 16. The Business Communication's major also became the program's all-time leader in kills with 993 while surpassing 1,000 career points in the process.
Devin Cooney spikes the ball against the Waterloo Warriors at Bob Davis Gymnasium on Nov. 7. (Photo by Mackenzie Gerry)
Yazdan Farokhizad – Men's Wrestling
Also earning his second consecutive Male Athlete of the Year nomination, Yazdan Farokhizad shone on both the provincial and national stage, capturing gold medals at both the OUA Championships and U SPORTS Championships in the 90-kilogram division.
At the OUA Championships, the Tehran, Iran native didn't give up a single point, defeating all of his opponents as he helped Brock claim their10th straight and 27th overall provincial banner.
The third-year wrestler then overcame all challengers, only giving up two points during the competition to claim his second consecutive first-place finish at the U SPORTS Championships as the Badgers won their 23rd national title. These performances secured Farokhizad an OUA First Team All-Star nod and recognition as a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian.
Farokhizad, a Sport Management major, did not lose a single match all year during university competition for the second straight season, claiming seven gold medals along the way.
Yazdan Farokhizad control his opponent during the 2026 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Feb. 27. (Photo by Jarron Childs)
Michael Ivanov – Track and Field
Michael Ivanov, the 2024-25 Male Athlete of the Year, has been nominated for the award for the fourth straight year. During the season, Ivanov swept gold medals at both the OUA Championships and U SPORTS Championships.
The local Niagara-on-the-Lake native claimed his third consecutive gold medal in the men's pole vault event at the provincial meet, finishing with a jump of 4.90-metres, which was 5cm ahead of the second-place finisher. Following his dominance at the provincial championships, the Business major picked up his second straight U SPORTS gold medal in the pole vault, clearing a meet-high 4.90m on his first attempt at that height.
These results earned him status as an OUA First Team All-Star and U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian.
Michael Ivanov competes in the pole vault at the 2025 York Holiday Open on Nov. 29 at the Toronto Track and Field Centre. (Photo by Cyanne Armstrong)
Grant Meadows – Men's Rugby
Making a strong impact at the eight-man position for the Badgers throughout the season, Grant Meadows received his third straight OUA First Team All-Star honour, while guiding the Badgers to their sixth straight playoff appearance.
Appearing in six games for the Badgers, the Sport Management major scored three tries in the regular season and two in the playoffs. A threat on both sides of the ball, the Richmond Hill, Ont., native led the team in carries, metres gained and turnovers won.
The Sport Management major captained the Badgers this season, taking on a larger role and helping set the standard for the team's set pieces throughout the year.
Grant Meadows runs with the ball against the RMC Paladins on Sept. 6 at Alumni Field. (Photo by Mackenzie Gerry)
Ethan Miskolczi – Men's Soccer
Ethan Miskolczi showcased great poise on the Badgers' backline, securing league honours for the first time in his career as he was recognized with an OUA First Team All-Star selection.
Starting in all 12 games this season, the local Welland native consistently matched up against the OUA's top attacking threats, playing a key role in anchoring a defence that allowed the third fewest goals in the OUA during the regular season.
A vocal leader on the pitch, the Kinesiology major's play ultimately propelled the Badgers to a third-place finish in the OUA West division with a 6-3-3 regular season record. Miskolczi led the Badgers to their first OUA quarterfinal appearance since 2023 after a thrilling 1-0 win over the Laurier Golden Hawks in the first round of the playoffs on Oct. 15.
Ethan Miskolczi kicks the ball during Round 1 of the OUA playoffs against the Laurier Golden Hawks on Oct. 15 at Alumni Field. (Photo by Mackenzie Gerry)
Riley Watson – Rowing
Capping off a historic year with the men's rowing team, Riley Watson helped the Badgers capture their fifth straight OUA title, and he guided the team to a second-place finish at the Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURC).
Shining at the OUA Championships, the Medical Sciences major took home a pair of gold medals in the lightweight double and lightweight eight events, increasing his provincial career gold-medal tally to five. These results led him to be honoured as the OUA Men's Rower of the Year at the end of the event.
The Peterborough, Ont., product also excelled in the national circuit, collecting golds in the lightweight double and lightweight four at the CURC along with a silver in the lightweight single. For his strong performance, Watson received the CURC Male Athlete of the Year award.
Riley Watson prepares to compete in the 2025 OUA Championships at Henley Island in Port Dalhousie on Oct. 24. (Photo by Stephen Leithwood)
The Male Athlete of the Year award as well as the other major award winners will be announced at the 2025-26 Brock Badgers Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 25. The event can be seen online on
YouTube starting at 6 p.m.
