NICA Awards
Join us in celebrating those within our outstanding community who are getting more kids on bikes!
The annual NICA Awards recognize the student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers who bring NICA's core values to life. They celebrate community, partnership, effort, and impact. These awards shine a light on individuals whose leadership and dedication to the sport of mountain biking have had a meaningful impact — whether that impact has been felt by their team, league, or the entire NICA organization.
Scroll down to see all the 2023 NICA Awards nominees!
NICA Awards are given to individuals in each of the following six 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 student-athletes from 2023 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 2023 licensed coaches 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 2023 NICA teams 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 from 2023 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/directors, coaches, and volunteers are eligible for this award.
Congratulations to all of our 2023 Nominees!
Trek Extraordinary Character Award
Abigail Walker, Tennessee
Billye Jean Miller, Utah
Caris McConnell, Tennessee
Rachael Everett, New Jersey
Danaka Davenport, Missouri
Emily Van Dusen, Arizona
Finley Scott, Idaho
Lilikoi Nilsson, Utah
Maya Feldman Wang, Oregon
Neve Bawden, Utah
Norah Ellenz, Kansas
NICA Distinguished Alumni Award
Cayden Parker, Arkansas
Chailyn Hall, Nevada South
CJ Wiggins, Utah
Elise Fortin, NorCal
Isaac Engeling, Texas
Parker Faust, Wisconsin
Sahara Walker, Wisconsin
Lifetime Achievement Award
Barbara Rowland, Missouri
Birdie Speirs, Arizona
Brad Schmalzer, West Virginia
Bruce Bilodeau, NorCal
Chelle Frost, North Carolina
Christine Prescott, Nevada South
Dallen Atack, Utah
Heather Sims, Utah
Heather Wolfgang, Oregon
Ken Prosser, NorCal
Nancy Odle, Idaho
Olivia Berkenhaur, Kentucky
Rick Hoyt, Arkansas
Community Impact Award
Anja Lehmensiek, Virginia
Bella Fish, Arkansas
Cassie Smith, West Virginia
Clyve Jackson Cameron, Missouri
Estella Rogers, Wisconsin
Hazel Heaton, Oregon
Heather Sims, Utah
Katelyn Cook, Idaho
Lucy Dirnberger, Missouri
Luke Amato, Nevada North
Lynette Wood, Texas
Maia Shimko, Wisconsin
Morgan Chandler, West Virginia
River Custis, Missouri
Saskia Freedberg, NorCal
Steve Bowman, NorCal
Zoe Khuu, NorCal
SRAM (Male) Coach of the Year Award
Aaron Hairston, Virginia
Aaron Hordabay, Maryland
Andrew Rizzi, New York
Anthony Perkins, Idaho
Chad Mackiewicz, Tennessee
Chad Mackiewicz, Tennessee
Chandler Hoffman, NorCal
David Haines, Kentucky
David Larkins, North Carolina
Dino Pinto, New Jersey
Drew Erickson, Utah
Ed Curtis, West Virginia
Eric Frazier, Missouri
Erik Johnson, Utah
Evan Kruse, Oregon
Glen Carte, Arkansas
Harold Hoggard, Texas
James Phillips, Ohio
Jeremy Fox, Nevada North
Jeremy Holt, Utah
Jesse Kroll, Idaho
Joe Panella, Virginia
Ken Raab, Virginia
Kevin Holmes, Arkansas
Matt Matt DeFelice, New Jersey
Matt Yates, Missouri
Michael Glidewell, Tennessee
Mike Fraser, New Jersey
Nicholas Stevens, Arkansas
Nick Hoeper-Tomich, NorCal
Pervis (Fayette County), West Virginia
Randy Beyer, Utah
Reed Muehlman, Virginia
Royal Rose, Utah
Ryan Danell, North Carolina
Scott Dennis, West Virginia
Steve Bowman, NorCal
Tim Hacker, Arizona
SRAM (Female) Coach of the Year Award
Beth Ross, Wisconsin
Andrea Ellison, West Virginia
Briana Forgie, NorCal
Carey Dincauze, Tennessee
Charlotte Mindeman, Arkansas
Elle Lichter, NorCal
Heidi Makoutz, Montana
Heidi Makoutz, Montana
Jen Raab, Virginia
Jenni Greer, Nebraska
Jill Vanderpool, Pennsylvania
Jodi Mondy, West Virginia
Maria Dziembowska, Delaware
Paula Lanieniec, Virginia
Rachel Lloyd, NorCal
Roberta (Birdie) Speirs, Arizona
Sara Pointer, Missouri
Suemay Lewis, North Carolina
Sydney Meyer Shimko, Wisconsin
Virginia Pasek, Florida
Outstanding Team Award
Timberline High School, Idaho
Miller School of Albemarle Cycling, Virginia
Berkeley High School, NorCal
Charleston Composite and Wando Warriors (combined teams), South Carolina
Park City High School Team, Utah
Colonial Revolution Youth Mountain Bike Team, Virginia
Danville Hammer's (Elizabeth Begosh, Matt McElroy), Pennsylvania
Hays County High School Composite and Hays County Middle School Composite, Texas
Ed Curtis's Huntington Express NICA team, West Virginia
Hardin-Elizabethtown Composite, Kentucky
Susquenita MTB Team, Pennsylvania
Lakeland Composite, Florida
True North Composite Team, Ohio
Monticello High School Mountain Bike Team, Virginia
Prime Ability Composite, Maryland
Salem Composite, Oregon
South City Composite Otters, Missouri
