UNBC’s athletics department and sports information staff learned this week they have been selected for the Canada West Sports Information and Digital Award for feature of the year in 2023-24.
Rich Abney, UNBC’s sports information officer, wrote the harrowing story about Timberwolves soccer goalie Brooke Molby and the agony of losing her brother Ty to a fentanyl overdose.
The story was released on Opioid Awareness Day and it was the most-read piece released by the athletics department over the past three years.
Abney’s compelling story was reprinted in the Prince George Citizen on its website, where it received thousands of page views, and in its print edition, and was also well-received by our readers.
The story prompted numerous individuals to contact UNBC staff to share their own personal accounts of struggles with drug addiction and the pain of losing a loved one to opioid overdose. It gave Molby more incentive to speak up publicly about the growing issue that continues to plague society.
The annual Canada West SID awards highlight the efforts of sports information staff to tell the inspiring stories and achievements of Canada West's student-athletes, coaches and staff, also providing stats, photography, webcasts and social media posts, photography that highlight varsity athletics.
The top feature award is the fifth CW SID Award in five years for UNBC athletics, the most of any school in conference history.
In 2022, UNBC won the video of the year award for its feature on the historic jerseys designed by Indigenous artist Trevor Angus. The T-wolves program was also recognized for social campaign of the year for its marketing efforts to sell the Indigenous-themed jerseys and merchandise with proceeds going to scholarships and Lheidli T’enneh youth programs.
