The 2025 NICA Award winners are HERE!
Across the country, these individuals and teams are showing what it means to live NICA’s core values and build community on and off the bike. Please join us in celebrating this year’s winners and all of the incredible nominees who make NICA what it is.
NICA Awards typically open in January and close in February each year. Check back for your chance to nominate your NICA hero next year!
Congratulations to our 2025 Winners!
NorCal
Lifetime Achievement Award
New Jersey
Community Impact Award
Kentucky
Outstanding Team Award
NorCal/GoSo
NICA Distinguished Alumni Award
Pennsylvania
Extraordinary Character Award
Missouri
Extraordinary Character Award
Mississippi
Coach of the Year Award
Oregon
Coach of the Year Award
NorCal
Inspiration Award (Coach)
Kentucky
Inspiration Award (Student-Athlete)
Congratulations to all of our 2025 Nominees!
Trek Extraordinary Character Award (Male)
Eli Pack, Kentucky
Broden Ala, Arizona
Jonathan Yates, Missouri
Charlie Skeath, Golden State South
Davis Hinckley, Utah
Connor Peterson, Nebraska
Jonas de Oliveira Beckmann, Pennsylvania
Nathan Epplin-Rincker, Missouri
Finn Garwood, Golden State South
Valentino Margaritini-Toscano, Virginia
Noah Davis, Utah
Jack Billowitz, Oregon
Max Wessmen, Utah
Trek Extraordinary Character Award (Female)
Kate Crandell, Wisconsin
Kyla Bush-King, NorCal
Alaynah Olander, North Carolina
Tessa Fowler, Utah
Stella Schoen, Missouri
Marlowe Weis, Missouri
Rochelle Bartschi, Utah
Jane Ladyman, Missouri
Lisa Holt, New York
Anna Morozowich, Arizona
Maxine Richards, Tennessee
Sam Braden, Virginia
NICA Distinguished Alumni Award
Brady Hron, Tennessee
Eli Young, Texas
Evan LeClair, Texas
Ian Schwing, Maryland
James Schoonover, Wisconsin
Joseph Sasser, Utah
Anya Simonovich, Golden State South
Kyle Koering, Mississippi
Parker Mefford, Florida
Sam Morrison, Florida
Lifetime Achievement Award
Adam Wagner, Texas
Anna Morozowich, Arizona
Cassie Smith, West Virginia
Cort Cooper, NorCal
David Gaske, Virginia
Heather Ferguson-Sims, Utah
Laura Childress, NorCal
Melissa Davies, National
Mike Warren, NorCal
Nathan Stark, Texas
Renner Hurban, Arkansas
Rick Mabus, Texas
Stephen “Doc” Worden, West Virginia
Terry Coddington, Arkansas
William (Bill) Brannock, Virginia
Community Impact Award
Adam Sherf, NorCal
Alex Maldonado, Arkansas
Andrew Boccolucci, North Carolina
Craig Woolston, Florida
Eliana Reynolds, North Carolina
Joesph Sasser, Utah
Josh Gillum, Texas
Laura Childress, NorCal
Mike Gourley, Golden State South
Milo Gmyrek, Maryland
Nathan Shay, New Mexico
Richard Lamb, Texas
River Custis, Missouri
Kevin Akeret, New Jersey
Sunshine Oelfke, Wisconsin
The PICL Crew, Pennsylvania
Outstanding Team Award
North Baltimore County Copperheads, Maryland
OZ MTB-Cedarburg HS, Wisconsin
Tuscazoar Composite, Ohio
Susquenita Mountain Bike Team, Pennsylvania
CRC Junior MTB Team, Virginia
Rankin County Composite, Mississippi
Boise Brave MTB, Idaho
Hardin-Elizabethtown Composite, Kentucky
Spooner MTB Team, Wisconsin
904 Duval Devils Composite,, Florida
South City Composite, Missouri
Poplar Bluffs Hellbenders, Missouri
Niskayuna Mohawk Composite Mountain Goats, New York
SRAM Coach of the Year Award (Male)
Benjamin Haas, Missouri
Brad Purtle, Texas
Brad Yellitz, Oregon
Brandon Cooper, Arkansas
Bree VanOss, Florida
Brent Baris, Florida
Brent Morvay, Montana
Brian Enlow, Indiana
Brian Hope, Arizona
Brian Schoolcraft, Texas
Christopher Farney, Missouri
Clint McCaleb, Idaho
Al Kennedy, Mississippi
Dan Clark, Maryland
Danny Van Den Ende, New Jersey
Derek Rothrock, Kentucky
Eric Maisch, Pennsylvania
Eric Morway, Nevada North
Erin Tetro, Utah
James Holifield, Arkansas
James Meredith, Arkansas
Jim Martin, Delaware
John Rankin, Ohio
Josh Baugh, Texas
Josh Gormley, Wisconsin
JT Martinez, Idaho
Kelcee Bailee, Arkansas
Ken Holt, Tennessee
Kevin Malhame, Ohio
Matthew Brewer, Virginia
Nathan Stark, Texas
Pat Greehan,, Wisconsin
Reed Reynolds, North Carolina
Richard Kuhlbars, Virginia
Richard Lamb, Texas
Rob Tuft, Idaho
Rob Webb, NorCal
Sean Goode, Arkansas
Steve Stringham, Utah
Tobin McKnight, Florida
William (Bill) Brannock, Virginia
William (Bill) Thornton, Arkansas
SRAM Coach of the Year Award (Female)
Kristin Fantozzi, Missouri
Abby Walker, North Carolina
Melissa Davies, Indiana
Jean Chesterman, Nebraska
Robyn Saunders Wilson, Oregon
Heidi Makoutz, Montana
Jen Holt, Tennessee
Jessica Hanna, New York
Raquel Tiyaga (Coach Rocky), Wisconsin
Sarah Lea Anglin, Mississippi
Laura and Hannah Childress, NorCal
Yadi Spangenberg, Idaho
Kristin Ritter, Golden State South
Jenni Greer, Nebraska
Ashley Burr, Utah
Lauren Orengo Cortes, Missouri
Lisa Holt, New York
GRiT Inspiration Award
Adam Rogers, Arkansas
Allison Ebert,, Wisconsin
Amy Skeath, Golden State South
Angela Brooks, Wisconsin
Annie Leys/strong, Utah
Anya DerGazarian, Arkansas
Ashley Bloomberg, Florida
Crystal Rothrock, Kentucky
Eliana Umberhandt, Oregon
Erika Kuhlbars, Virginia
Gracie Werth, Kansas
Jodi Holyfield, Arkansas
Kinsey Fortenberry, Kentucky
Lisa Holt, New York
Melissa Aukerman, Oregon
Meredith Hill and Maegan Fitzgerald, Texas
Michelle Ritter, Golden State South
Nikki Reick, Nebraska
Paige Cibart, NorCal
Payette Spangenberg, Idaho
Robyn Saunders Wilson, Oregon
Samantha Falkner, Wisconsin
Sarah Nelson, Utah
NICA Awards are given to individuals in each of the following seven categories:
Community Impact Award
The Community Impact Award honors a student-athlete whose efforts have created positive change in their community. The recipient is an outstanding representative of NICA, dedicating exceptional time and enthusiasm to the advocacy and stewardship of youth cycling.
All licensed coaches for the award year are eligible for this award.
SRAM Coach of the Year Award
The Coach of the Year Award acknowledges a coach whose qualities as a leader and motivator embody NICA’s mission to provide student athletes with the coaching and camaraderie to help them achieve both competitive and non-competitive goals.
All licensed coaches for the award year are eligible for this award.
Outstanding Team Award
The Outstanding Team Award honors a NICA team that has demonstrated clear commitment to NICA’s core values through the culture they have built. This team prioritizes fun and inclusivity, welcomes and enables the participation of athletes and coaches of all backgrounds, and serves the broader community in which they ride.
All NICA teams for the award year are eligible for this award.
Trek Extraordinary Character Award
The Extraordinary Character Award recognizes a student athlete who exemplifies the NICA core values through their contributions to their team and community. This individual has made a dedicated effort to pursue the best version of themself. This student-athlete serves as a role model for their peers.
All student-athletes for the award year are eligible for this award.
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes a former student-athlete who carries the spirit of NICA’s values beyond their high school years. This alumni is an ambassador for getting #MoreKidsOnBikes in any or all of the ways NICA celebrates mountain biking.
NICA alumni from any league and any year are eligible for this award.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual for their tremendous support of NICA and/or a NICA league. The recipient has dedicated great personal time and effort to furthering NICA’s mission and wholeheartedly believes in NICA’s values and the transformative power of youth sports. They have gone above and beyond to serve their community over an extended period of time and have impacted the lives of countless student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers.
NICA and league staff, league directors, coaches, and volunteers are eligible for this award.
GRiT Inspiration Award
The GRiT Inspiration Award honors a female student athlete and female GRiT coach who inspire kindness, courage, and connection within the GRiT community and beyond. Established in honor of Beth Pride Blythe, a founder of NICA GRiT, the award recognizes one student-athlete and one adult annually. This award celebrates individuals who have made a significant effort to make NICA and the sport of mountain biking more welcoming to and inclusive of girls and women.
