It was a nailbiter right to the end.
While the University of Fraser Valley might have taken the 2025 Canadian College Baseball Conference regular season pennant, no team ever felt out of contention during the spring.
Less than four games separated the Cascades from the fourth-place Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack, with the Okanagan College Coyotes and Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs sandwiched between.
That point was accentuated through the CCBC World Series weekend in Lethbridge, where the Coyotes claimed the crown for the first time since 2022.
League president Kevin Kvame says it’s a testament to the teams and their ability to bring top-notch players and coaches to their respective programs.
“The conference is getting more competitive,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.
“The talent is continuing to show that Canadians can play, go to our educational institutions, and have success.”
Prior to the start of the World Series, the circuit held its annual CCBC Awards Banquet to celebrate the best of the spring.
LEADER OF THE GOLDEN TIDE
After an all-conference season with the Victoria Golden Tide in 2024, Tyler Burton turned it up a notch in his senior campaign.
The Victoria, B.C. native finished first in the league in hits (51) and triples (6), second with a .402 batting average behind Vancouver Island University’s Trevor Nicoll (.410). Burton was also second with 30 runs scored, and he finished tied for fourth in doubles with 10.
He also contributed with 19 runs batted in and nine stolen bases to claim the CCBC’s Most Valuable Player Award.
“What helped me the most during the course of the spring was maintaining a consistent routine, having a pitch-by-pitch mental approach, and trusting my stuff,” Burton said.
“Focusing on these three aspects gave myself the best chance to be the best teammate and leader I could be.”
He says receiving the award truly meant a lot.
“I’m incredibly grateful to my coaches and teammates for always being there and pushing me throughout the year,” the centrefielder said.
“If it wasn’t for the group of guys I was fortunate to play alongside, I never would have had this opportunity.”
Burton’s trophy cabinet will also need to house the league’s Top Senior Award, as well as a CCBC Team Leadership Award.
Other winners of team leadership awards include: Jack Hudson (Prairie Baseball Academy), Lane Grunerud (University of Fraser Valley), Brad Jolley (Edmonton Collegiate), Sam McPherson (Vancouver Island University), Adrian Orioli (Okanagan College), Simon Crossfield (Thompson Rivers University) and Ben Franz (University of Calgary).
BRILLIANT ON THE BUMP
There were several fantastic pitching performances in the CCBC during the spring, highlighted by Matthew Ridsdale’s no-hitter with the Edmonton Collegiate Hawks.
A total of 11 pitchers totalled more than 40 innings of action, while 12 pitchers tallied complete games, led by TRU’s Zac Robinson with three.
The league also had 12 starters who registered earned-run averages under 3.50 in what many thought was going to be an offense-first kind of season.
One pitcher who stood above the rest was Ethan Webster of the University of Calgary Dinos, who went 3-2 in eight games, posting a league-leading 2.36 ERA, allowing just 11 earned runs in 42 innings of work.
The White Rock, B.C. native also finished third in the circuit with 46 strikeouts, behind UFV’s Kam Sparrowhawk and OC’s Teagan Ribbink.
He says the award shows his teammates that he put in the work during the offseason to evolve and give the Dinos a chance to win every time he was on the mound.
“It was so special to get the moment while surrounded by friends and it still feels surreal,” Webster said of the award. “I’m just proud that what I said in words was put into action and I got my confidence back for the summer, next season, and onwards with the rest of my baseball career, whatever it may look like.”
TRU’s Manny Recchi was named the CCBC Reliever of the Year after posting a 2.46 ERA in seven appearances out of the bullpen, striking out 22 in 18-plus innings of work.
BIG FIRST IMPRESSION
It was another strong year for the freshman and, as always, Prairie Baseball Academy had some of the biggest contributors.
Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Owen Lucas, this year’s winner was Will Turner.
The Calgary native was among the league leaders in several categories, including posted a .350 batting average while finishing tied for second in the league in RBI (27), third in runs (29), fourth in hits (42), and tied for sixth in home runs (3).
He says it was awesome getting to see what can happen when you play for the guys on the field with you.
“I’ve worked hard my freshman year to give PBA the best I can give them,” Turner said. “I’m glad I was able to leave it all out on the field this year and hopefully we can win the championship in 2026.”
Turner’s teammate, Justin Scott, paced the circuit in home runs with six and RBI with 32.
ALL FOR THE TEAMS
Two other awards were handed out during the banquet.
Okanagan speedster Coleman Kawaguchi picked up the stolen bases crown with a record 25 swipes.
Meantime, the CCBC Umpire Service Award went to Lethbridge’s Tyler Malaka.
“Whether it’s filling game slots at the last minute that pop up, going above and beyond the call of duty on the field, or helping with things away from umpiring, Tyler did all of those things and then some,” Kvame said.
From a team awards perspective, UFV can credit their pitching and baserunning for much of their success.
The Cascades led the league in strikeouts with 256 and held opponents to the lowest combined batting average of .229. They also had the most stolen bases with 103.
Meantime, PBA made pitchers’ lives miserable all season, hitting a combined .310 as a team while leading the league with 190 RBI.
Okanagan College had the best team ERA at 3.57 while TRU earned a league-best .968 fielding percentage.
The league also unveiled its All-Conference Teams during the ceremony.
First-Team All-Conference
| Name | Position | Team | Hometown |
| Ethan Dean | SP | Victoria Collegiate | Parksville, B.C. |
| Matthew Ridsdale | SP | Edmonton Collegiate | Brampton, Ontario |
| Kam Sparrowhawk | SP | University of Fraser Valley | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| Ethan Webster | SP | University of Calgary | White Rock, B.C. |
| Manny Recchi | RP | Thompson Rivers University | Kamloops, B.C. |
| Daxton Vanderkooi | RP | University of Fraser Valley | Chilliwack, B.C. |
| Noah MacNeil | C | Prairie Baseball Academy | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Coleman Kawaguchi | IF | Okanagan College | Squamish, B.C. |
| Tetsu Nishida | IF | Prairie Baseball Academy | Calgary, Alberta |
| Brett Potter | IF | University of Calgary | Cranbrook, B.C. |
| Will Turner | IF | Prairie Baseball Academy | Calgary, Alberta |
| Dillon Bowie | OF | Vancouver Island University | Spruce Grove, Alberta |
| Tyler Burton | OF | Victoria Collegiate | Victoria, B.C. |
| Justin Scott | OF | Prairie Baseball Academy | Elmwood, Manitoba |
| Trevor Nichol | DH | Vancouver Island University | Errington, B.C. |
| Alex McLaughlin | Utility | Vancouver Island University | Nanaimo, B.C. |
Second-Team All-Conference
| Name | Position | Team | Hometown |
| Lucas Dykstra | SP | University of Fraser Valley | Chilliwack, B.C. |
| Jack Hudson | SP | Prairie Baseball Academy | St. Albert, Alberta |
| Keith Manby | SP | Thompson Rivers University | White Rock, B.C. |
| Teagan Ribbink | SP | Okanagan College | Kelowna, B.C. |
| Andrew Klassen | RP | Vancouver Island University | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Drayson Vodarak | RP | Okanagan College | Kelowna, B.C. |
| Rico Domingo | C | Okanagan College | Vancouver, B.C. |
| Easton Brons | IF | Okanagan College | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Parker Harris | IF | Victoria Collegiate | Vancouver, B.C. |
| Anthony Setticasi | IF | University of Fraser Valley | North Vancouver, B.C. |
| Max Skinner | IF | University of Calgary | Surrey, B.C. |
| Elijah Olaybal | OF | University of Fraser Valley | Langley, B.C. |
| Thomas Richards | OF | University of Fraser Valley | North Delta, B.C. |
| Jared Sucro | OF | Thompson Rivers University | Kamloops, B.C. |
| Ryan Deagle | DH | Victoria Collegiate | Campbell River, B.C. |
| Carter Spencer | Utility | Thompson Rivers University | Delta, B.C. |
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