Vaibhav Bhatta Named ACAA Male Player of the Year
(Truro, NS) Vaibhav Bhatta has been named the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association’s Male Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season during Saturday’s ACAA badminton league awards banquet.
This award is just the latest in Bhatta’s illustrious three-year career with the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves. He has also been named UNB Saint John Male Athlete of the Year as well as ACAA Rookie of the Year and brought home two medals, a silver and a bronze, from CCAA Badminton Nationals in mixed doubles with former partner, Sydney Arseneault. This season Bhatta has won every event he has entered, outside a men’s doubles match in the first tournament of the year where he finished second.
“Vaibhav has been a top threat in the ACAA and CCAA leagues since the UNB Saint John team started back up,” said Seawolves head coach, Paul Higgins. “His successes can be attributed to how thoroughly he prepares for every upcoming tournament, and his willingness to take advantage of all seven days of the week to put that work in. He earns his reputation every day with his effort and commitment to perfecting his craft. He is confident, determined, takes control of his situations and, most importantly, executes in practice and in competition.”
Higgins was not the only one to praise his student athlete, as Natasha Kelly, Director of Athletics for the Seawolves, had the following to say about Bhatta’s season.
“This season Vaibhav has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his development. He has invested significant time and effort into preparing for the ACAA Championships and national qualifiers, showing noticeable growth in both his technical execution and competitive maturity.”
With him winning the award he becomes the first Seawolves athlete to be named Male Player of the Year, and the second athlete overall to be bring home Player of the Year honours after Jing Bing Lam was named Female Player of the Year in the 2006-07 season.
"Vaibhav is an exceptional talent whose accomplishments continue to set a new standard for excellence within the UNB Saint John Seawolves program,” added Kelly. “Having earned both a silver and a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the past two CCAA National Championships, he is rapidly becoming one of the most decorated student athletes in our campus’ history.”
Other league award winners:
Female Rookie of the Year – Nicole Carr (DAL)
Male Rookie of the Year – David Kim (MTA)
Coach of the Year - *Co- Coach of the Year – Andrew Harding (DAL) and Aidan Badcock- Parks (UKC)
Female Player of the Year – Ritu Shah (UKC)
Sunday will feature the National Qualifying tournament where Bhatta and the rest of the Seawolves will look to cement their place at CCAA Badminton Nationals, hosted by the Seawolves from March 5-8.