2025 Victorian Sport Awards Finalists Announced

Media Release

25 March, 2026

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.

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 & Pathwaysat Netball Victoria Sharelle McMahon, Australian 110m Hurdles record holder Kyle Van Der Kuyp as well as CEOsfrom 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 FrankWilkes Award after winning the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic while Tara Neyland and Alessia McCaig willbattle 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 whole ads 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 North Melbourne who claimed back-to-back AFLW Premierships while taking their undefeated streak to 27.

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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 Ilook 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 alllevels of sport.

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

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

Event details:

Wednesday 13 May, 2026

6.00pm – 9.30pm

Members Dining RoomMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased through the Vicsport website or on (03) 9698 8100.