Kodiaks Celebrate 2025 KODI Awards
The athletic and academic achievements of Lethbridge Polytechnic student-athletes were recognized in April at the annual KODI Awards.
The awards capped a strong 2024-25 season for Kodiaks Athletics, with more than 40 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association individual and team recognitions.
The three pillars of Kodiaks Athletics – academic accountability, athletic excellence and the student-athlete experience – guide the selection process for all KODI awards, which is carried out by members of the Kodiaks Athletics administration team and coaches. Public input also plays a role, with this year’s vote drawing 865 participants, a new record for the KODIs.
The men’s volleyball team picked up the Val and Flora Matteotti Kodiaks Team of the Year, Best Comeback of the Year and Best Championship Performance of the Year; Hannah Pilling and Nolan Moes were recognized as the Tim Tollestrup Leadership Student-Athletes of the Year; Greg Gibos earned the Electrical Solutions Inc. Kodiaks Coach of the Year award; the women’s volleyball team won Best Upset of the Year after navigating through a season filled with roster challenges and closing out the season with back-to-back weekend upsets over the No. 1 teams in the south division; and student-athletes Samantha Demchuk and Keegan Hartery were named winners of the Calgary Flames Foundation Leadership Scholarships, which recognize student-athletes who excel in leadership, community involvement and academics.
Kodiaks earn Academic All-Canadian Honours
Three Kodiaks student-athletes earned national recognition as Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadians for the 2024-25 academic year – one of the highest honours in collegiate sport. The CCAA award celebrates student-athletes who excel in the classroom and in competition, achieving honours-level academics alongside outstanding athletic performance. Congratulations to Kodiaks recipients: Halle Aleman, women’s basketball; Megan Morrison, women’s soccer; and Owen Stewart, cross-country running.
Community Supports Student-Athletes at Lethbridge Polytechnic Golf Tournament
After a six-year break, the Lethbridge Polytechnic golf tournament made its much-anticipated return on Aug. 28, and the community showed up in full force.
Held at the Lethbridge Country Club, the sold-out event welcomed 144 golfers and dozens of sponsors and volunteers for a day of friendly competition. Most importantly, it raised close to $70,000 for student-athlete scholarships.
“This tournament is about more than golf, it’s about creating opportunities,” says Todd Caughlin, the polytechnic’s director of Athletics and Recreation Services. “Every dollar raised supports our Kodiaks student-athletes to help them succeed not just in their sport, but in their academic and career goals.”
With a longstanding tradition of bringing together business leaders, community supporters and alumni, the tournament has raised nearly $1 million in its history. This year’s event carried that legacy forward with strong local support, including title sponsorship from KB Heating, Plumbing and Air Conditioning.
“We’re incredibly grateful to KB Heating for stepping up as our title sponsor,” says Caughlin. “Their generosity, and the support from all of our sponsors, directly benefits student-athletes who are working hard every day in the classroom and in competition while representing the best of the Kodiaks in the community.”
Funds raised through the tournament will go toward scholarships that ease the financial burden on student-athletes, allowing them to focus on their studies, training and community involvement. It’s part of Kodiaks Athletics’ broader mission to foster leadership, resilience and academic success among student-athletes.
