Canada West Hall of Fame Unveils Class of 2026-27

Aug. 17, 2026 - The Canada West Hall of Fame is welcoming nine new inductees with the unveiling of its Class of 2026-27.

The class spans four categories with inductees representing six member institutions. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba each have two inductees, while Calgary, Trinity Western and Regina all have one.

Five former student-athletes will be enshrined, including women’s volleyball stars Lorriann Ludwig (Manitoba) and Bonnie MacRae-Kilb (Calgary), along with men’s basketball standouts Andrew Spagrud (Saskatchewan) and Chris Biegler (Regina). Trinity Western women’s soccer standout Vanessa Kovacs rounds out the group.

The Builder category recognizes two influential men’s hockey leaders: Saskatchewan’s David King and Alberta’s Steve Knowles. King began his distinguished coaching career with the Huskies, leading the program to one national championship and three Canada West titles. Knowles has made a profound impact on numerous facets of the Golden Bears hockey program and Canada West men’s hockey as a whole.

Legendary Alberta men's soccer coach Len Vickery is the lone inductee in this year's Coach category, recognizing his remarkable 35-season tenure at the helm of the Golden Bears.

The 1990-92 Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball dynasty joins the Team category, celebrating a dominant three-year run where the team captured three consecutive CIAU national championships.

Individual spotlights for all nine inductees will be released on the Canada West website and social media channels over the coming months.

The Canada West Hall of Fame was established in 2019 to commemorate 100 years of university sporting excellence across Western Canada. All previous inductees can be viewed on the Canada West Hall of Fame website.

Athlete Category

Chris Biegler

Regina Cougars Men's Basketball | 1985-89

After beginning his university career at Saskatchewan, Chris Biegler transferred to Regina and established himself as one of the top players in the CIAU. A three-time All-Canadian and four-time GPAC First Team All-Star, Biegler remains the only Cougar to win the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as national Player of the Year.

Biegler remains Regina’s all-time leader with 23.1 points per game and ranks third in program history with 1,362 career points. In his final season, he led the Cougars to their first national championship appearance and helped the program reach the semifinals with a quarter-final victory over UPEI.

Vanessa Kovacs

Trinity Western Spartans Women's Soccer | 2011-15

One of the most decorated players in Canada West women’s soccer history, Vanessa Kovacs starred in the Trinity Western midfield from 2011 to 2015. The North Delta, B.C., product helped lead the Spartans to three Canada West championships, a conference silver medal and two U SPORTS national titles during her five-year career.

Kovacs earned Canada West First Team All-Star and U SPORTS All-Canadian honours three times each, including two First Team All-Canadian selections. She was also named a national championship tournament all-star three times and captured tournament MVP honours while leading Trinity Western to the 2013 national title.

Lorriann Ludwig (Sawatzky)

Manitoba Bisons Women's Volleyball | 1990-95

A dynamic six-row power hitter, Lorriann Ludwig was a driving force during one of the most successful eras in Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball history. She helped the Bisons capture consecutive CIAU national championships in 1991 and 1992 and earned five national championship medals overall. Ludwig was named CIAU Player of the Year in 1994-95 and was a three-time All-Canadian, earning First Team honours in each of her final two seasons.

Ludwig finished her Bisons career as the program’s all-time leader in kills, service aces and attempts while ranking second in career digs. A two-time Bisons Female Athlete of the Year and five-time Academic All-Canadian, she also received the inaugural TSN Award recognizing excellence in athletics, academics and community service. Ludwig later co-captained Canada at the 1995 FISU World University Games, played professionally for six seasons in France and Germany, and continues to contribute to the sport as a coach.

Bonnie MacRae-Kilb

Calgary Dinos Women's Volleyball | 1979-85

Bonnie MacRae-Kilb established herself as one of Canada’s premier women’s volleyball players during the 1980s. She earned Canada West First Team All-Star honours in every season she competed and was twice named conference Player of the Year. A three-time CIAU First Team All-Canadian, MacRae-Kilb helped lead the Dinos to Canada West championships and national silver medals in 1982, 1983 and 1985. She was also twice named the University of Calgary Female Athlete of the Year.

Already a Sport Canada carded athlete before entering university, MacRae-Kilb represented Canada at both the junior and senior national-team levels. She helped Canada win gold at the 1980 NORCECA Junior Championship and later competed at the junior world championship, the 1985 NORCECA Championship and the 1985 World University Games. MacRae-Kilb also spent a season playing semi-professionally in Italy before returning to complete her decorated Dinos career.

Andrew Spagrud

Saskatchewan Huskies Men's Basketball | 2003-08

Canada West’s all-time leading scorer, Andrew Spagrud concluded his Huskies career with a conference-record 2,182 points - a mark that still stands today. He made an immediate impact after joining USask, earning Canada West and CIS Rookie of the Year honours in 2003-04 while also being named a conference Second Team All-Star.

Spagrud captured Canada West Player of the Year honours in 2004-05 and was named a CIS All-Canadian in each of his final four seasons. He also received the Huskies’ Howard Nixon Trophy as Male Rookie of the Year in 2003-04 and the E. Kent Phillips Trophy as the university’s Male Athlete of the Year in his final season.

Builder Category

David King

Saskatchewan Huskies

One of the most influential figures in Canadian hockey history, David King's legendary coaching career got its start at the University of Saskatchewan. After playing four seasons with the Huskies from 1968-72, he stepped into an assistant coaching role with the team in 1972-73. He would spend the next several seasons coaching in the junior ranks before returning to guide the Huskies as head coach in 1979. He would go on to lead the team to one of their most successful periods in program history, as the Dogs captured the Canada West Championship in 1981, 1982 and 1983. The team also experienced national success, finishing second at the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) championship in both 1981 and 1982, before winning it all in 1983.

King was selected as the Canada West Coach of the Year three times, and was named CIAU Coach of the Year in 1980.

King’s influence soon extended beyond university hockey. He coached Canada to its first-ever World Junior Championship gold medal in 1982 and later served as head coach of the national men’s team at three Olympic Winter Games, highlighted by a silver medal in 1992. His career would go on to include coaching roles in the NHL and professional leagues across Europe.

Steve Knowles

Alberta Golden Bears & Canada West

Since joining Golden Bears Hockey as team manager and statistician in 1978-79, Steve Knowles has become one of the most important stewards of the program’s history and traditions. Originally brought onto the team staff by legendary head coach Clare Drake, Knowles was part of Alberta’s back-to-back University Cup championship teams in 1979 and 1980. Across nearly five decades with the program, he has served as a manager, statistician, historian, public address announcer, donor and lifelong supporter.

Knowles’ influence extends throughout Canada West and Canadian university hockey. A former University of Alberta sports information director, he has produced detailed historical and statistical resources for the university, Canada West and University Cup championships. His work has helped preserve and share the stories behind a remarkable era in which the Golden Bears captured 25 Canada West titles and 12 University Cup championships, providing generations of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, media members and fans with a deeper understanding of the program’s accomplishments.

Coach Category

Len Vickery

Alberta Golden Bears Men's Soccer | 1985-2019

The longest-tenured head coach in University of Alberta history, Len Vickery established the Golden Bears as one of Canada’s premier men’s soccer programs. From 1985 to 2019, he recorded 307 victories while leading Alberta to seven Canada West championships, three national titles and eight national championship medals.

A four-time Canada West Coach of the Year and the 2006 CIS Coach of the Year, Vickery capped his remarkable career by guiding the Bears to conference and national titles in 2016 with a 20-1-2 record.

Vickery’s impact extended well beyond wins and championships. A respected recruiter, mentor and culture builder, he formed lasting relationships with his student-athletes while challenging them to become leaders within their communities. He also contributed significantly to soccer development in Alberta and Canada, leading provincial and national development programs, coaching Canada’s U17 women’s team and serving as head coach of the 2003 Canadian men’s FISU team. His commitment to developing athletes, coaches and community leaders created a lasting foundation for Golden Bears soccer and the sport throughout Alberta.

Team Category

Manitoba Bisons Women's Volleyball

1990-92

The Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball program enjoyed a remarkable three-year run from 1990 to 1992, capturing two GPAC championships and recording three consecutive CIAU national championships. Across those championship seasons, the Bisons compiled a combined 144-20 record against Canadian and American competition while winning 414 sets. The dynasty produced 12 GPAC All-Star selections and nine All-Canadian honours, while Michelle Sawatzky became the first student-athlete in Manitoba history to earn back-to-back national Player of the Year awards.

Manitoba’s run began in 1990 with a five-set comeback victory over Victoria in the national final, completing a 45-win season and securing the program’s second CIAU championship, and first since 1970-71. The Bisons remained the country’s top-ranked team throughout the 1991 season before defeating Saskatchewan 3-1 to repeat as national champions. Manitoba completed the three-peat in 1992 with a 49-4 record, avenging a GPAC championship loss to Winnipeg by defeating the Wesmen 3-1 in the national final.

ABOUT THE CANADA WEST HALL OF FAME

For the last century, organized university sport has been a central part of the student experience at institutions across Western Canada. Beginning with the University of Manitoba capturing the first Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU) men's hockey banner in 1919-20, student-athletes have been competing to reach their full potential in sport and the classroom, while enriching campus life. 

To commemorate 100 years of university sport across Western Canada, the Canada West Hall of Fame was created in the spring of 2019.