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, March 27.
The following Varsity Blues athletes were nominated by their coaches and chosen through the awards selection process as finalists for the women's Frank Pindar athlete of the year award, given annually to an athlete competing in a sport whose official season concludes with either an OUA or other university recognized championship event (in alphabetical order):
Shirley Chan - Softball
Chan's performance on the softball diamond saw her shine as one of the top players in the Ontario University Softball (OUS) conference this season. A Kinesiology major from Hong Kong, Chan earned OUS all-star honours after delivering stellar defence at third base and setting three new program records with 38 regular season hits, a .566 batting average and 25 stolen bases. Her outstanding play helped the Blues achieve a league-best 19-1 regular season record and earn provincial bronze.
Jackie Dent - Badminton
Contributing to the Blues third consecutive OUA Championship banner, Dent also garnered OUA all-star honours for a third straight season. At the provincial showcase, the Commerce student from Waterloo went undefeated with four women's doubles victories and three mixed doubles wins. This included victories in both categories during the Blues gold medal match versus the Waterloo Warriors.
Anastasiya Dyadchenko - Tennis
Named a 2025 OUA all-star and 2025 OUA Player of the Year, Dyadchenko helped the Varsity Blues claim their third straight OUA banner. Serving as the team's No. 1, the Social Science major from Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont., lifted the Blues through the first two rounds of the championship weekend with four wins across two singles and two doubles matches, not conceding a single set to her opponents. She then helped U of T secure the doubles point in the gold medal match alongside her partner.
Gabriella Guo - Figure Skating
Guo, a Psychology and Physiology student from Markham, added to a career medal tally as the Blues figure skating team won the 2025 OUA Championship. Receiving OUA all-star honours, she earned three gold medals at the provincial showcase winning the Novice Women Short Program, Senior Pair Freeskate, and Freekskate Fours.
Devon Lynch - Water Polo
Playing a pivotal role in the Blues NCWP Championship this season, Lynch earned Most Valuable Player honours for a second time and was named an NCWP first team all-star. A Social Sciences student from Calgary, she was a primary goal-scorer for U of T, leading an offence that outscored opponents by an average of 15 goals across nine games. This included a 12-6 gold medal victory versus McGill.
Valerie Qi - Fencing
Qi, a first-year Computer Science major from Toronto, contributed big points for the women's fencing team in their provincial banner win this season. An epee specialist, she earned an OUA silver in the individual epee competition at the OUA Championship before adding OUA gold in the epee team relay. The double medal performance earned her OUA all-star recognition. She additionally this season earned gold for U of T in both the junior and senior individual epee categories at the Brock Open.
Mia Wong - Golf
A Commerce student from Markham, Wong led the charge for the U of T women and claimed the overall individual gold medal at the OUA Golf Championships this season. She would post a tournament-best round of 71 on Day 2, leapfrogging her four spots into first place to claim the Judy McCrae Trophy as individual champion with a two-day total of 148. Her spectacular Sunday was highlighted by five birdies and nine pars, helping her achieve OUA all-star status. Wong's outstanding performance also helped the Blues claim team silver.
