Finalists for the 2025 Victorian Sport Awards (VSAs) have been announced across 18 categories that recognise and celebrate the achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes at both a grassroots and high-performance level.

With over 290 nominations received, individual and team athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media personnel and the initiatives that promoted participation from both metropolitan and regional areas were all acknowledged for the exceptional contributions made during the 2025 calendar year.

Find the full list below and learn more about the finalists' achievements here.

In order to select the finalists and eventual winners from these nominations, 35 highly qualified people from the Victorian sport and recreation industry were invited to constitute this year’s judging panels.

Judges included four-time Olympian Steve Moneghetti AM OLY, General Manager of High Performance & Pathways at Netball Victoria Sharelle McMahon, Australian 110m Hurdles record holder Kyle Van Der Kuyp as well as CEOs from Girls Sport Victoria (Michelle Barry), Athletics Victoria (Matthew Duck), Swimming Victoria (Jason Hellwig), Calisthenics Victoria (Jennifer McIntyre), School Sport Victoria (Rayoni Nelson), Netball Victoria (Andrea Pearman), Disability Sports Australia (Ayden Shaw) and Bowls Victoria (Tony Sherwill).

Cycling is well represented in the two high-performance awards with Blake Agnoletto named a finalist for the Frank Wilkes Award after winning the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic while Tara Neyland and Alessia McCaig will battle for the Kitty McEwan Award.

Tara won five road and track titles at the UCI World Championships in her first year classified as a para-athlete and Alessia won the oldest bicycle race that is still running, the Austral Wheelrace.

They will take on Alanna Smith (Basketball) who was named the WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year and Jemma Holt (Life Saving) who claimed 15 medals at the Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships, including nine gold, before being named Life Saving Victoria’s Youth Athlete of the Year.

Coming up against Blake for the Frank Wilkes Award, Mark Bulka (Sailing) became a five-time Contender World Champion, Dyson Daniels (Basketball) was the NBA’s steals leader and made the All-Defensive First Team and Scotty James (Snowboarding) who claimed an unprecedented fourth career World Championship title in 2025.

Other notables finalists include Peter McNiel (Coach of the Year) from the Winter Olympic Institute of Australia who leads a team including Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham while the Team of the Year award will be contended by Gymnastics Victoria’s Aerobic Gymnastics Team that represented Victoria at the 2025 World Games, Hockey One champions HC Melbourne, Super Netball premiers Melbourne Vixens and the North Melbourne AFLW team who claimed back-to-back Premierships while taking their undefeated streak to 27 games.

Presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport, the VSAs will be held on Wednesday 13 May 2026, in the Members Dining Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

In addition to the 18 awards nominated by the Victorian sporting community, the most prestigious honour of the night, the State Government Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport Award, will be bestowed to an individual for their lifelong commitment to sport in Victoria.

Previous recipients of the award include Mel Jones OAM, Neale Daniher AO, Cathy Freeman AC and Cadel Evans AM.

Vicsport CEO Elyse Jenkins says:

“Victoria is one of the best places in the world to be involved in sport. These high calibre finalists showcase the depth and breadth of talent, community spirit, passion and dedication that is alive and well across our sector. They provide yet another great example of the power sport has to motivate, inspire, foster connection and build belonging.

“I want to thank all the judges who took on the challenging but rewarding task of deciding this year’s finalists and I look forward to announcing the 2025 winners at the Victorian Sport Awards in May.”

The Hon. Ros Spence, Minister for Community Sport says:

“It’s fantastic to see these outstanding Victorians nominated by their communities for going above and beyond at all levels of sport.

"The high calibre of athletes, coaches, and administrators across Victoria highlights the strength of our home-grown sports sector and the passion that continues to drive outstanding performances on and off the field, from grassroots to elite.”

"We're delighted to shine the spotlight on these local icons at the 2025 Victorian Sport Awards."

Finalists in the 18 nominated categories of the 2025 Victorian Sport Awards are as follows:
 
Leasexpress Coach of the Year

• Jessica Haintz – Gymnastics
• Ryan Holloway – Basketball
• Craig Jackson – Swimming
• Peter McNiel – Skiing

Gallagher Community Coach of the Year

• Alana Baldi – Cricket  
• Narelle Draper – Netball
• Rebecca Farnell – Calisthenics
• John Fleming – Cricket

Sports Accounting Australia Official of the Year

• Richard Lawysz – Athletics  
• Tim Marshall – Netball
• Stephen Michetti – Cycling
• Maria Patrikis – Football 

etrainu Community Official of the Year

• Sue Andrews – Rowing
• Mary Collins – Life Saving  
• Lynette Cousins – Calisthenics
• Stephen McLennan – Athletics

AFL SportsReady Young Team of the Year

• 2025 U18 Victorian Country Men – Basketball Victoria
• Henri and Miles Levenspiel – Sailing
• Tri-Series Team – Swimming Victoria
• Victorian Pathway U18 Team – Rowing Victoria

Team of the Year

• Aerobic Gymnastics Team – Gymnastics Victoria
• Hockey Club Melbourne Men – Hockey Victoria
• Melbourne Vixens – Netball
• North Melbourne Football Club – AFL Women’s

My Sport Live Community Sporting Event of the Year

• 2025 National Sports Tournament – Queer Sporting Alliance
• 2025 Victorian Country Long Course Championships – Mildura Swimming Club
• The Dimboola Regatta – Dimboola Rowing Club
• Maccas City Cup – Melbourne City FC

Love the Game Community Sporting Club of the Year

• Davey's Bay Yacht Club – Sailing
• Footscray Rugby Union Club – Rugby Union
• Frankston & District Netball Association – Netball
• Surf Coast FC – Football

revolutioniseSPORT Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year – Eunice Gill Award

• Selin Arpaci – Football
• Nadelle Legge – Triathlon  
• Natalie Pafralis – Football and Futsal
• Benjamin Seccull – Hockey

Bunnings Trade Local Government Initiative of the Year

• JL Murphy Reserve Synthetic Pitch – City of Port Phillip 
• Ryder Pavilion Redevelopment – City of Melbourne 
• Shepparton BMX Multi Use Events Facility – Greater Shepparton City Council 
• Swim Unity – Maribyrnong City Council 

Vicsport Volunteer of the Year

• Daniel Fabien – Basketball  
• Reg Poxon – Swimming
• Huw Provis – Sailing
• Veronica Treloar – Life Saving

VicHealth Sport and Active Recreation Initiative of the Year

• Abilities Unleashed – Disability Sports Australia 
• Mornington LSC Schools Program – Mornington Life Saving Club 
• Portland Tri-State Games – Kyeema Support Service Inc. 
• Total Teams Wellbeing Project – Baseball Victoria and Melbourne Winter Baseball League 

Involve Masters Athlete of the Year

• Lisa Griffiths – Judo
• Genevieve Jordan – Cycling
• Jenny Pettenon – Cycling
• Cindy Rella – Kettlebell

Southern Cross Trophies Young Athlete of the Year

• Milanke Haasbroek – Modern Pentathlon
• Jack Howell – Paratriathlon
• Joshua Jolly – BMX
• Jonah Mercieca – Diving

Outstanding Media Coverage of Sport Award

• 2025 Mattioli Victorian Age Long Course Championships – Swimming
• Leah Keh – Sailing
• Red Energy Arena Marketing Team – Basketball
• Marnie Vinall – Australian Rules
• Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award
• Alana Baldi – Cricket 
• Equity and Inclusion in Sport Program – Mildura Rural City Council  
• Adaptive Surf Life Saving – Life Saving Victoria 
• Frankston Softball Association – Softball 

Frank Wilkes Award

• Blake Agnoletto – Cycling 
• Mark Bulka – Sailing
• Dyson Daniels – Basketball
• Scotty James – Snowboarding

Kitty McEwan Award

• Jemma Holt – Life Saving
• Alessia McCaig – Cycling
• Tara Neyland – Cycling
• Alanna Smith – Basketball

Learn more about the finalists' achievements here.

Event details:

Wednesday 13 May, 2026

6pm - 9.30pm

Members Dining Room

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Tickets are now on sale until 8 May.