Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards: Emilia Mikanovich and Mika Cyr named AUS finalists
Emilia Mikanovich, a women’s volleyball player from Saint Mary’s, and Mika Cyr, a men’s hockey forward from Université de Moncton, are the first two finalists for the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards as the U SPORTS athletes of the year. They two nominees from Atlantic University Sport.
Emilia Mikanovich, Saint Mary’s women’s volleyball
A biology student from Minsk, Belarus, Mikanovich capped off one of the most decorated careers in Saint Mary’s women’s volleyball history by being named the 2025-26 AUS female athlete of the year.
The left-side hitter led the Huskies to back-to-back AUS championships for the first time in 19 years and helped Saint Mary’s qualify for three consecutive U SPORTS national championships.
Mikanovich was named AUS most valuable player and championship MVP for the second straight season in 2025-26 after recording one of the top offensive seasons in conference history. Her 355 points ranked as the fourth-highest single-season total in AUS history, while her 309 kills were also fourth all-time for a single season in the conference.
Over four seasons in Halifax, Mikanovich established herself as one of the top players in the country. She was a two-time U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian, a four-time Academic All-Canadian and a four-time AUS all-star.
She finished her university career with 910 kills and 1,052 points, ranking 12th and 17th respectively in AUS history despite playing only four seasons. At Saint Mary’s, she concluded her career third in program history in both kills and points, while also finishing fourth in career digs with 908.
Mikanovich arrived in Canada midway through the 2022-23 season after delays related to language testing, the COVID-19 pandemic and international travel complications. Despite joining the Huskies without previously visiting Halifax and adjusting to a new country and language, she quickly emerged as one of the premier players in Canadian university volleyball.
Prior to coming to Canada, Mikanovich represented Belarus at the U16, U17 and U18 European championships and played three seasons of professional volleyball in her home country.
Away from the court, Mikanovich completed her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology in fewer than four full academic years while maintaining a 3.75 GPA. She also volunteered at a local Halifax nursing home during her time at Saint Mary’s.
Mikanovich is the seventh Saint Mary’s athlete to be named a national finalist for the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards, following Andrew Peverill (2023), Justine Colley (2012 and 2014), Lucas Bloodoff (2013), Mark Rancourt (2009), Mesut Mert (2002), and Jadranka Crnogorac (1998). Colley won the national award in 2014.
Mika Cyr, Université de Moncton men’s hockey
A master’s student in educational administration from Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, N.B., Cyr completed his university career by being named the 2025-26 U SPORTS men’s hockey player of the year.
The fifth-year forward served as captain of the Aigles Bleus for each of the past three seasons and helped lead Moncton to three consecutive appearances at the University Cup national championship tournament from 2024-26.
Cyr earned first-team all-Canadian and AUS all-star honours in 2025-26 after leading the Aigles Bleus in scoring and finishing fourth in the AUS with 39 points, including 19 goals, in 30 games.
His standout final season came after overcoming significant injury setbacks earlier in his university career. During his second season at Moncton, Cyr suffered multiple shoulder dislocations that required surgery and limited him to just 28 games combined over two seasons.
Before joining the Aigles Bleus, Cyr played four seasons in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League with the Moncton Wildcats, serving as assistant captain for three years. He also represented the QMJHL all-star team at the 2017 Canada-Russia Series and attended NHL training camps with the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Montréal Canadiens.
Cyr was recognized nationally for both his performance and sportsmanship during his university career, winning the U SPORTS R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award in men’s hockey in 2025 in addition to his player of the year honour in 2026. He was also named a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian.
Away from hockey, Cyr has remained active in his community through coaching youth hockey, mentoring young athletes in summer training programs and participating in fundraising initiatives, including the Edmundston Hospital Foundation golf tournament and the EVEREST Challenge supporting multiple myeloma cancer research.
Cyr is also involved with girls’ hockey in New Brunswick, serving as an assistant coach with the Olympiennes de L’Odyssée high school team in Moncton.
He is the second Université de Moncton student-athlete to be named a national finalist for the Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards, following women’s hockey player Mariève Provost in 2011.
---
The Lois and Doug Mitchell Awards for the U SPORTS athletes of the year will be announced at a ceremony in Calgary on Wednesday, May 20. U SPORTS will profile the Canada West nominees on Wednesday, the RSEQ nominees on Thursday and the OUA nominees on Friday.