Our lab member, Madelyn Eybergen was awarded Female Athlete of the Year at the Celebration of Champions 2026

The 2026 Vikes Celebration of Champions is our annual year-end celebration of Vikes achievements. They celebrate the past season’s success and present our major awards to our Vikes student-athletes. In a remarkable debut season with the Vikes, Madelyn Eybergen established herself as one of the most dominant distance runners in the country. She captured the U SPORTS individual cross country champion title and was named U SPORTS Female Athlete of the Year, leading the Vikes to their first national team championship since 2001 and a Canada West team title. Her performance also earned her selection to represent Canada at the FISU World University Cross Country Championships. She carried that momentum onto the track, setting both a UVic and U SPORTS record in the 3000 metres (9:01.64)—the fastest time in the country by six seconds and a mark that ranked her 47th in the world. Beyond her results, Eybergen's confidence and belief helped elevate the Vikes women's program to its most successful season in over a decade. A Master of Science in Kinesiology student, she is committed to advancing athlete performance while also giving back as a coach with Junior Vikes Track and Field. New article: https://govikesgo.com/news/2026/3/25/vikes-honour-top-performers-at-annual-celebration-of-champions.aspx