April 22, 2026
Hagen wins Canada West Feature Story of the Year for powerful piece on David Kapinga
Canada West Communications
For a second-straight year, MacEwan Griffins Sports Information Specialist Jefferson Hagen has won the Canada West Written Feature Story of the Year, the conference announced Wednesday as it unveiled seven different winners in its annual SID and Creative Awards.
Hagen won for his May 2025 feature on new Griffins men's basketball head coach David Kapinga, who escaped war-torn Africa as a young child with his family.
KAPINGA'S BASKETBALL SUCCESS STORY BORNE OUT OF FAMILY'S DARING ESCAPE FROM FIRST CONGO WAR
When the MacEwan Griffins hired David Kapinga as the program's new men's basketball head coach, he came with an incredibly courageous back story after escaping war-torn Africa as a young child.
The story details Kapinga's poignant journey from young child in the middle of the First Congo War to leading the Calgary Dinos to a national championship as a player to landing his first U SPORTS head coaching job at MacEwan.
The article resonated with a wide audience on Griffins social media channels, gathering over 13,000 views and reaching over 8,000 Instagram accounts.
Hagen was one of seven winners announced by Canada West on Wednesday, joining:
• Communications Department of the Year: UBC Thunderbirds
• Action Photo of the Year: Derek Elvin, Saskatchewan Huskies (Electric Umbrella)
• Social Media Content: University of Alberta Bears and Pandas (contributors Connor Hood, Dayln Livingston and Gabby Castelblanco)
• Sports Info Assistant of the Year: Jenna Stevenson, Calgary Dinos
• CanadaWest TV MVP: Adam Donnelly, Thompson Rivers WolfPack
• Video of the Year: Manitoba Bisons Rebrand Launch (contributors Neil Noonan and AK Gassama)
