BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University Department of Athletics announced its annual award winners and celebrated another successful year at the 2025-26 WWBlue Awards Show last week on the south edge of the WWU campus.

 

A large group of student-athletes, coaches and staff gathered for the end of year event where awards were handed out for Athletes of the Year and Scholar Athletes of the Year, and W Varsity letters were presented to graduating student-athletes. In addition to the Athlete of the Year awards, All-Americans were celebrated and special awards were presented to student-athletes.

 

 

The 2025-26 season was highlighted by numerous awards, trophies and a celebration of the complete student-athlete for WWU Athletics. In addition to winning the GNAC All-Sports Trophy for the fifth consecutive season and 17th time overall, the Vikings won 10 regular-season conference titles (11 counting postseason), had 12 teams represented in the NCAA postseason and combined for 142 All-GNAC awards. Western also had another banner year in academics with an 89% graduation and 142 GNAC All-Academic awards.
 

WWU Athletics By the Numbers in 2025-26:

• 11 GNAC team titles
• 10 GNAC team of the Week awards
• 12 teams competing in NCAA Championships
• 31 All-Americans
• 52 GNAC Player of the Week Awards
• 98 All-Region Awards
• 142 All-GNAC Awards
• 142 GNAC All-Academic Honors

Junior Sarah Plemons earned the Women's Scholar Athlete of the Year award for her standout season in the classroom and as a key member of the national championship winning WWU Women's Rowing program. Plemons earned First Team CRCA All-America honors and was a First Team All-GNAC selection. As impressive as her athletic accolades are Plemons is also a star in the classroom with a 3.97 GPA as a double major in Geology and Spanish. She is a two-time All-GNAC Academic and CRCA Scholar Athlete selection.

 

Senior Joar Tidblom completed his four-year collegiate career on the WWU Men's Soccer team with a standout senior season. Tidblom earned First Team All-GNAC honors and All-West Region accolades scoring a team-high 10 goals in 17 games. As a student-athlete Tidblom carries a 3.90 GPA as a management major where he is nearing his degree from WWU. He was a three-time All-GNAC Academic pick during his career. Tidblom continues a tradition of a WWU Men's Soccer member receiving the Scholar Athlete of the Year award 10 consecutive years.

 

Senior forward Morgan Manalili put together a record-breaking season on the pitch during her final collegiate season in the fall. Manalili earned consensus All-America honors helping lead the Vikings to the GNAC regular-season title and another trip to the NCAA Tournament. The forward tied the GNAC single-season record with 17 goals, also contributing eight assists, finishing the season with 42 total points, the most by a Viking since 1983. In addition to earning All-America honors, Morgan was a First Team All-West Region selection, voted as the GNAC Player of the Year and became a four-time GNAC All-Star. Her four-year career included appearing in 89 games while scoring 35 goals and contributing 24 assists for 94 points.

 

Senior Bec Bennet earned four First Team All-America honors during the 2026 indoor and outdoor season to also earn the WWU Athlete of the Year award. Bennett claimed first-team honors from both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships, placing 8th at the indoor meet and 4th at the outdoor meet in her specialty 400-meter race. She ran the final leg of the 4x400 relay that also earned podium finishes placing 7th at the indoor championships and an amazing 3rd-place finish at the outdoor meet. Bec set the WWU indoor and outdoor 200 and 400 meter records, while also contributing to school records in both 4x400 relays and the DMR.

 

Junior Conrad Brown earned one of two WWU Men's Athlete of the Year honors following his record-breaking season in 2025-26. Brown was selected as a First Team PING All-American and was one of five finalists for the Jack Nicklaus Award presented to the D2 Player of the Year. Conrad led the GNAC in scoring average with 24 of 32 rounds at or under par, had nine top-10 finishes and won individual medalist honors at the West/South Central Super Regional topping the field of 108 golfers. His amazing season also featured winning the Otter Invitational in the fall and being selected as the GNAC Golfer of the Year.

 

Junior hurdler Maurice Woodring also earned the Men's Athlete of the Year award, repeating as a winner for his All-American 2026 season. Woodring placed third at outdoor nationals in the 400-meter hurdles, bettering his own WWU and GNAC record in a time of 50.50 seconds. His performance at nationals earned him First Team All-America honors, to go with his GNAC victory in the 400m hurdles where he earned the Men's Performance of the Meet award. He also earned the bronze medal in the indoor 400m at the conference meet and was part of the second-place relay team.

 

Team of the Year

• Women's Rowing - NCAA National Champions

AD Excellence Award:

• Elizabeth Swift

 

Viking Leadership Award:

• Jane Hmura

Most Inspirational:

• Lauren Lee

 

Comeback Athlete of the Year:

• Lucas  Brenek

 

Unsung Hero Award:

• TJ Parnow 
• Claire Potter 

 

Freshman of The Year:

• Dennis Johnson
• Alanna Wirtala 

 

Newcomer of The Year:

• Rex Wilson
• Olivia Hodges 

 

Moment of The Year:

• Women's Basketball winning the regular season GNAC title & cutting down the nets in Carver Gym
• Calvin Guittierez breaking the GNAC record in the hammer PRing by 6 meters at the Halsell Invitational 

 

Record of The Year:

• Liam Wall (discus)
• Asia Hardin (Minutes Played)

 

True to The Blue Award:

• Hailey Rath
• Blue Suits Crew 

 

Impact Player of The Year:

• Devyn Oestrich 
• Reiley Buri-Brown

 

• Olivia Hodges – Women's Basketball
• Maleah Andrews – Softball
• Morgan Manalili – Women's Soccer
• Conrad Brown – Men's Golf
• Lauren Lee – Women's Golf
• Delaney Speer – Volleyball
• Devyn Oestreich – Volleyball
• Casie Kleine – Track & Field (Indoor 4x400 Relay, Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Jayda Darroch – Track & Field (Indoor 4x400 Relay, Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Kennedy Cook – Track & Field (Indoor 4x400 Relay, Outdoor 4x400 Relay) 
• Emmy Kroontje – Track & Field (Indoor 800m, Outdoor 1500m)
• Maurice Woodring – Track & Field (400m Hurdles)
• Jakob Braunstein – Track & Field (Javelin)
• Kathryn Chapin – Track & Field (Hammer Throw)
• Bec Bennett – Track & Field (Indoor 4x400 Relay, Outdoor 4x400 Relay, Indoor 400m, Outdoor 400m)
• Jessica Polkinghorn – Track & Field (Indoor Shot Put, Javelin)
• Jackson Moffitt – Track & Field (Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Sam Foust – Track & Field (Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Evin Ford – Track & Field (Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Lucas Brenek – Track & Field (Outdoor 4x400 Relay)
• Taylor Wall – Rowing 
• Sarah Plemons – Rowing
• Malea Moy - Rowing