The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks celebrated its student-athletes at the annual KODIs award show Tuesday night.
The event celebrated a successful year for Kodiaks Athletics, which saw teams and student-athletes earn over 45 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association honours. These included eight CCAA Academic All Canadians, 16 All-Conference selections, three All-Tournament selections, two ACAC Rookie of the Year awards, and 13 ACAC individual and team medals.
Additionally, the Kodiaks anticipate that at least 62 student-athletes will achieve CCAA National Scholars Honours, as well as ACAC Academic Honours.
“The 2025-26 Kodiaks committed to the culture that has built the program to the level it is and again experienced a very memorable year,” said Todd Caughlin, Kodiaks Athletics and Recreation Services director. “The KODIs represent the opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the work that was done toward honouring the Three Pillars of Kodiaks Athletics, and this year’s teams did just that. Kodiaks Nation should be proud once again!”
Officials noted that the Three Pillars of Kodiaks Athletics include academic accountability, athletic excellence, and the student-athlete experience.
The pillars help guide the award selection process, which is done by members of Kodiaks Athletics administration and coaching staff, with public input also playing a role. This year’s vote set a record, with 935 participants.
Some of the award winners include the women’s indoor track team for Best Championship Performance of the Year, as well as the Val and Flora Matteotti Kodiaks Team of the Year award – which they shared with the women’s cross-country team.
Khloe Jankowiak won the Tim Tollestrup Female Leadership Student-Athlete of the Year award. The third-year member of the women’s soccer, futsal and indoor track team was a CCAA Academic All-Canadian, a two-time ACAC All-Conference selection, and won an individual bronze in the 3,000-metre indoor track running event. She also played a key role in leading the women’s indoor track team to its first championship banner.
Meanwhile, Levi Balderson of the men’s basketball team won the Tim Tollestrup Male Leadership Student-Athlete of the Year award. The second-year student-athlete was a CCAA Academic All-Canadian and earned ACAC first-team all-conference honours. He was also named to the tournanment all-star team after leading the championships in scoring, helping Lethbridge Polytechnic win a silver medal and qualify for nationals, where the Kodiaks finished in fifth place.
A new award was unveiled this year, with Taren Hayward winning the Coulee Glass and Aluminum Ltd. Assistant Coach of the Year award. Officials said Hayward worked “tirelessly to recruit, develop and support” members of the women’s indoor track team.
Ryan Heggie was named the winner of the Electrical Solutions Inc. Kodiaks Coach of the Year award. He helped the Kodiaks men’s basketball team qualify for the ACAC championships, where they beat the number one seed, which earned them the Best Upset of the Year award, and an eventual silver medal finish.
A full list of the KODI award winners for the 2025-26 season is available on the Kodiaks Athletics website.
