NWU sporting excellence takes centre stage at the 2026 North West Sports Awards
· Citizen
The North-West University (NWU) has emerged as one of the most represented institutions on the shortlist for the 2026 North West Sports Awards, with 10 athletes, three coaches and the NWU Soccer Institute nominated across several leading categories.
The awards recognise achievements recorded between 1 January and 30 June 2026 and will take place on Saturday, 1 August 2026, at the Sun City Superbowl.
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Bradley Nkoana.At the heart of this recognition is a clear purpose: to create an environment where student-athletes, coaches and teams can pursue excellence while opening doors to higher levels of competition.
That purpose is powerfully reflected in the nomination of the NWU Soccer Institute for Team of the Year. The Eagles earned promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after winning the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs, securing the university’s first-ever place in South African professional football.
Captain Aphelele SibisiThis milestone not only marks a breakthrough for NWU football, but also creates a new pathway for student-athletes to compete at a professional level.
NWU’s coaching strength is also strongly represented, with Dorita du Toit, Nkululeko Malgas and Shawn Bownes nominated for Coach of the Year. Their recognition points to the role that leadership, preparation and mentorship play in shaping high-performance sport within the university environment.
The university’s athletics programme continues to stand out among the finalists. Olympic silver medallist Bradley Nkoana has been nominated for both Sportsman of the Year and Young Athlete of the Year, and is also among the nominees for Sports Star of the Year.
Valco CAAHe is joined in that public-vote category by Andrea Steynberg and Aphelele Sibisi, further underlining NWU’s presence among the province’s leading sporting achievers.
Andrea Steynberg has also been shortlisted for Sportswoman of the Year, while pole vaulter Valco van Wyk and hurdler Franco le Roux are nominated for Sportsman of the Year. Sichel Peens and Nicole Barnard are finalists in the Young Athlete of the Year category.
NWU’s impact extends to para-athletics as well, with Liezel Gouws nominated for Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability and Khumo Pitso shortlisted for Sportsman of the Year with a Disability. Their nominations reflect the breadth of sporting achievement being nurtured through the university’s structures.
Hosted by the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation in partnership with the North West Sports Confederation, the awards celebrate athletes, coaches, teams, administrators and volunteers who contribute to sport in the province.
The 10th edition will feature 18 award categories and will include the presentation of the Sports Star of the Year award, determined through public voting.
For NWU, the shortlist is more than a list of nominations. It is a clear signal of what happens when purpose is matched with opportunity, coaching, discipline and institutional support.
From the track to the football field, and from emerging athletes to recognised coaches, the university’s sporting community is creating impact that strengthens pride in NWU and raises the profile of sport in the North West province.
At North-West University, sporting futures are not only imagined. They are built, tested and celebrated.