05/03/2026
As the season comes to a close during , we recognize the significance of practicing and sharing a Japanese martial tradition within an American collegiate sports setting. This year, we introduced a new tradition to reflect both influences: team awards.
In U.S. sports culture, awards like MVP (Most Valuable Player) recognize the athlete who contributes most to the team’s overall success, MIP (Most Improved Player) honors the athlete who has shown the greatest growth over a season, and a Coaches’ Award is given to someone who exemplifies leadership, attitude, and commitment to the team. The coaches select the award recipients.
While individual awards are less emphasized in , there are parallels, such as the sansho (special prizes) in Sumo, which recognize qualities like fighting spirit (kantosho/敢闘賞), technique (ginosho/技能賞), and outstanding performance (shukunsho/殊勲賞) beyond just winning.
We introduced these awards this year as a way to connect both Japanese and American traditions: to honor the values of budo while also recognizing the individual efforts that strengthen our team.
CU Naginata 2025–2026 Award Recipients:
🏅 Most Improved Player: Aiden Park (CC ‘29)
🏆 MVP: Liam Stiles (CC ‘27)
🎖 Coaches’ Award: Nigel DaSilva (CU ‘26)
We are incredibly proud of the dedication, leadership, and growth these members have shown this season.
