2025 U.S. Biathlon Annual Awards Celebrates Athletes and Coaches

The U.S. Biathlon community gathered at the Soldier Hollow Sport Discovery Center, home of the U.S. Biathlon Association headquarters, to celebrate the senior, junior, youth and coach of the year, Charlie Kellogg award and Walter G. Williams Endowment Fund Grant recipients. 

Athletes of the Year 

Deedra Irwin - Female Athlete of the Year

Irwin, winning her third consecutive female athlete of the year award, rounded out her 2024/25 season ranked 58th on the overall World Cup points list. Season highlights include shooting clean in the Kontiolahti short individual for a season best 15th place finish, shooting clean again in the Annecy-Le Grand Bornand pursuit to move from 41st to 22nd, and she teamed up with Campbell Wright for a 5th place single mixed relay finish in Pokljuka, just 9 seconds from the podium. 

Campbell Wright - Male Athlete of the Year

Wright, winning his second consecutive male athlete of the year awards, shined on the international stage, finishing the 2024/25 season ranked 17th overall on the World Cup points list. He raced to two silver medals at the 2025 World Championships in Lenzerheide in the sprint and pursuit, along with a 4th place mass start finish to round out the event. Wright finished the season wearing the Blue Bib to win the U23 Globe! 

Junior Athletes of the Year

Alexandra Rud - Female Junior Athlete of the Year

Rud came out of the 2024 Junior National and International Team Trials ranked the number one junior female. Season highlights include winning the mass start 60 at Junior Nationals and, later in the winter, Rud had the top U.S. Junior female finish at Junior World Championships with a 57th place finish in the junior women’s sprint.  

Wes Campbell - Male Junior Athlete of the Year

Despite a limited biathlon season because of his collegiate skiing schedule at Michigan Tech University, Campbell made the most of his biathlon season by securing a 9th place finish in the mass start 60 at the Poland Junior IBU Cup. He then followed up with a 14th place finish in the men’s sprint at the 2025 Junior Open European Championships. Campbell consistently held one of the fastest ski times at the Junior IBU Cup and Junior Open European Championship. 

Youth Athletes of the Year

Seven Bowen - Female Youth Athlete of the Year

Although Bowen is a youth athlete, she competed as a junior in her first international biathlon competitions at the Junior IBU Cup in Poland and Junior Open European Championships in Altenberg, Germany. Bowen went on to have the top U.S. results at both events, including qualifying for both mass start 60s, doing all of this as a youth competing against junior athletes.

John Lohuis - Male Youth Athlete of the Year 

Lohuis was the top youth athlete at Junior Nationals and International Team Trials. He went on to have fantastic results at Youth World Championships in Ostersund, Sweden with a 15th place finish in the mass start 60 and a 19th place finish in the individual. Lohuis also had a fantastic scramble leg of the relay at Youth World Championships, where he cleaned with no spare rounds and tagged in 4th place, just 30 seconds behind the leaders.

Coaches of the Year - Susan Dunklee & Rick Costanza, Craftsbury Outdoor Center 

Rick and Susan have done a fantastic job with the Craftsbury Biathlon Club. All you have to do is witness these two on a competition trip and you will quickly notice how they have created a cohesive team, that are inspired to be good teammates and become the best biathletes that they can be, all while having a great time! We are lucky to have these two in coaching positions and know that their efforts will transform the lives of many athletes both on and off the ski tracks.

Charlie Kellogg Awards

One of U.S. Biathlon’s most noted honors, the Charlie Kellogg Awards, recognize developing athletes who distinguished themselves through outstanding progress. This year’s award recipients are Luci Anderson and Wes Campbell. Anderson had an incredible year in her first year competing in biathlon. She proved to be among the fastest skiers on the World Cup, posting multiple top-20 course times, as well as proving that she can shoot as well with a 42nd place finish in the individual at World Championships. Campbell proved to be not only the top junior last year, but also one of the top development athletes in U.S. Biathlon. He showed this through his spectacular 2nd and 5th place finishes in the senior field at the 2025 Summer Nationals in Jericho, VT. 

The Charlie Kellogg Award is given annually to developing athletes who distinguish themselves through outstanding progress over the season. The award includes a training grant of $1000 made possible by Michael Martin and the Kellogg family to honor Charlie’s legacy as Biathlon's first US National Champion and his extraordinary leadership as a Board Member who cared deeply about developing athletes.  

Walter G. Williams Endowment Fund Grant 

The Walter G. Williams Endowment Fund Grant, created by the Williams Family, honors Walter’s contributions to biathlon as the first president of the U.S. Biathlon Association following the organization’s separation from Pentathlon. This award recognizes junior development athletes who distinguished themselves through outstanding progress. This year’s award recipients are Seven Bowen and Aidan Sands. Bowen has shown remarkable improvement and dedication to the sport, going from not competing at Junior Trials for the 2024 season, to racing in her first trials in 2025, making the Junior IBU Cup team, and then going on to have the best U.S. results at the Junior IBU Cup and Junior Open European Championships, despite being a youth athlete. Sands showed both remarkable improvement and composure last season, competing at Junior World Championships, despite being a youth athlete, and went on to have the top U.S. finishes at Junior World Championships in Ostersund, Sweden.