Varsityblues.ca will highlight the nominees of U of T's major awards – men's and women's rookies of the year, Dr. Clara Benson honour award, George M. Biggs trophy, as well as the men's and women's Frank Pindar and T-Holders' athletes of the year - to be announced at the Varsity Blues Awards Gala on Friday, April 4.
The following Varsity Blues athletes were nominated by their coaches and chosen through the awards selection process as finalists for the men's T-Holders' athlete of the year, presented annually to the athlete who has exhibited the highest degree of athletic excellence (in alphabetical order):
Julia Agostinelli - Track & Field
Agostinelli, a middle distance and distance runner for the Varsity Blues track and field and cross country teams, delivered exceptional run after exceptional run during appearances at four different championship events this season. Highlighting her 2024-25 campaign, she garnered U SPORTS first team all-Canadian status after capturing national gold in the women's 1500m at the U SPORTS Track & Field National Championships in Windsor. She additionally secured a fourth-place result in the 1000m at the national showcase. Prior to that, she picked up two provincial bronze medals, taking third in both the 1500m and 1000m at the OUA Track & Field Championships. Shifting back to the fall, her eighth-place finish at the OUA Cross Country Championships earned her OUA second team all-star status, while she also placed 15th overall in the 126-runner field at the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships.
Hannah Chown - Soccer
Chown, a standout defender on the Varsity Blues women's soccer team, helped her team reach the OUA quarter-finals after finishing the regular season with a record of 6-3-3 (5th East division). With an ability to shutdown opponent attacks, while contributing offensively from the spot or free kicks, Chown's exceptional individual performance earned her recognition as an OUA first team all-star, marking a fourth consecutive season she has received the prestigious recognition. She tied for the team lead in scoring while appearing in every match this season, showcasing her skill and impact all over the pitch.
Ashley Delahey - Hockey
A playmaking forward, Delahey played a pivotal role in the Blues team success as the women's hockey team claimed both the OUA McCaw Cup championship and U SPORTS national bronze this season. Honoured as an OUA second team all-star, Delahey led the Blues in scoring while ranking fourth in the OUA with 16 assists and 25 total points during the regular season. This included three separate six-game scoring streaks, helping U of T finish second in the OUA East standings with a 14-8-3-1 (W-L-OTW-OTL) record. Delahey also added two goals and two assists during the Blues postseason, aiding U of T in a 5-0 OUA playoff run to the provincial banner and 2-1 national championship record en route to U SPORTS bronze.
Deepi Gill - Field Hockey
A veteran goalkeeper with the Varsity Blues field hockey team, Gill culminated her U of T career with a sensational season. Concluding the 2024-25 season with a 7-0-1 (W-L-T) record, including six clean sheets, Gill earned numerous accolades including OUA all-star, OUA Goalkeeper of the Year, and U SPORTS all-Canadian. She led the province with an impressive 0.29 goals against average. This helped the Blues to a 9-0-1 regular season record, placing them first in the OUA East standings at the end of the regular season this fall. Additionally, she was named to the Canadian Women's Senior Development team.
Nina Mollin - Swimming
An accomplished swimmer in multiple disciplines, Mollin added even more hardware to an already impressive collection. At the provincial level, she helped the Blues claim the OUA banner by picking up four individual gold medals (200 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM) and one relay gold (400 freestyle relay) alongside her teammates. This garnered her OUA first team all-star status, along with both the OUA IM Excellence Award and OUA Swimmer of the Year. Then on the national stage, Mollin defended each one of her individual titles from a season ago, winning U SPORTS national gold in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and 200 IM, earning U SPORTS first team all-Canadian honours. Additionally, she added national relay bronze in the 400 medley relay, as the U of T women placed fourth overall in the team standings at the national showcase.
Julia Murmann - Volleyball
Providing the Blues women's volleyball team with both an offensive and defensive force from her outside hitter position, Murman helped her team reach the OUA semifinals after a 12-8 regular season. This included a 16 kill and 21 dig performance from Murmann in a massive quarter-final upset win over the top-seeded Queen's Gaels. Ranked in the OUA Top 5 in both total kills (267) and total digs (222) this season, Murmann was selected as both an OUA first team all-star and U SPORTS second team all-Canadian. She notched 10 or more points in all but two regular season matches, while also registering a new single game career-high 40 digs in a four set victory over TMU. She additionally represented Canada during both Olympic qualification and Volleyball Nation's League events this past summer.
