INTRODUCING THE SHE’S GOT NEXT 2026
STARTING FIVE
Our inaugural cohort of athletes recognized for their leadership, contribution, and what’s still to come.
Athletes selected from applicants across
Canada
Directed to women athletes and sports programs in 2026.
Made possible by the SGN community. ❤️
⅓
One-third of every membership fee supports Canadian women athletes and sports programs.
THE 2026 RECIPIENTS
Meet our Starting Five
These are the five women our community is proud to stand behind this year. They’ve already made an impact through the way they lead, contribute, and show up for others. Now we’re excited to help open doors for what comes next.
We hope you’ll follow their journeys, celebrate their successes, and champion them alongside us.
Emma Campbell
ICE HOCKEY · WESTERN UNIVERSITY
BSC KINESIOLOGY · MASTER OF MANAGEMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCE
Emma has spent nearly two decades in hockey, including five years at Western as a captain, Wellness Lead, mentor, and advocate for her teammates. She served on the Mustangs Athlete Student Council, helped connect teammates with mental health resources, became a Hockey Gives Blood Ambassador, and mentored a young athlete through the Girls Forward Foundation.
As she begins a Master of Management (Applied Science), she’s preparing for a career in professional sport or healthcare, bringing with her the same commitment to leadership and supporting others that has shaped her time at Western.
“This award is an incredible honour and a reminder of the impact that investing in people can have. I’m grateful for the leaders who came before me and helped shape who I am, and I’m excited to join a community committed to learning from and supporting one another. I hope to pay that forward by creating those same opportunities for the next generation.”
Ellie Saplywy
CHEERLEADING · UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
BSC KINESIOLOGY · PhD, Fandom & Women’s Sport Research
Ellie has spent more than 15 years competing at the highest levels of all-star cheerleading, earning multiple World Championship medals with the Vancouver All-Stars, representing Team Canada, and competing on some of the sport’s biggest international stages.
Today, she’s bringing that experience to her academic work. As a graduate researcher at UBC, Ellie is studying how fandom develops in Canadian women’s U SPORTS athletics, with the goal of helping universities build stronger support for women’s varsity sport. She also contributes to research exploring how funding models affect physical activity for people living with limb loss, a project that’s deeply personal following her father’s amputation. Ellie plans to continue her research through a doctorate and build a career contributing to the growth of women’s sport in Canada.
“I’m incredibly grateful and excited to be recognized as part of the inaugural Starting Five, and to join a community of leaders in women’s sport. Beyond titles and trophies, cheerleading shaped me into the person I am today and fostered a lifelong passion for sport that I have carried into my academic career. My research at UBC now explores the experiences and impacts of fandom in Canadian women’s varsity sport.”
Jessica Kim
FLAG FOOTBALL · WESTERN UNIVERSITY
DOUBLE HONOURS — BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION & POLITICAL SCIENCE
Jessica has a habit of creating opportunities where they don’t already exist. As Outreach Coordinator for Western’s flag football team, she helped raise more than $10,000 and coordinated the team’s trip to Football Canada’s Collegiate Nationals despite having no university funding.
She also coaches a girls’ flag football team, represented BC at Nationals, and, as Sports Editor of The Western Gazette, championed greater coverage of women athletes and emerging sports. With a double honours specialization in Business Administration and Political Science, Jessica is interested in bringing together business, advocacy, sport, and storytelling as she figures out what comes next.
“I’ve had the privilege of experiencing the impact of SHE’S GOT NEXT firsthand through the community they’ve built. As a member of the inaugural Starting Five cohort, I’m excited to continue learning from the talented women leaders at SGN and carry those experiences with me as I build toward my future.”
Kylee Speedy
BASKETBALL · UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK
MA EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY [IN PROGRESS]
After a full ACL, MCL, and meniscus tear cost Kylee an entire season, she returned to help UNB win its first AUS Championship in 27 years and earn a U SPORTS silver medal.
Now completing a Master’s in Experimental Psychology, Kylee is researching whether autonomy-supportive coaching can help protect athletes from burnout. Her goal is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and ultimately work as a sport psychologist. Alongside her studies and basketball career, she’s spent eight years coaching youth basketball and giving back to her community in Fredericton. She already has a high-school coaching role lined up for what comes next, continuing a relationship with the game that extends well beyond playing it.
“Receiving the SHE’S GOT NEXT Starting Five Award means so much to me because I am passionate about sport and giving back to the next generation of women athletes. I am honoured to be part of the SHE’S GOT NEXT Leadership Cohort and look forward to connecting with and learning from such an inspiring group of women leaders in sport.”
Tia Jordo
RUGBY · UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · [HOMETOWN]
Faculty of Arts · WORKING TOWARD SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM
Tia joined UBC’s rugby program as a walk-on and became an integral part of back-to-back U SPORTS national championship teams. Along the way, she helped capture multiple CanWest titles, represented BC at the inaugural Canada Summer Games rugby sevens, and co-captained UBC’s undefeated CanWest championship team.
When injury sidelined her this season, she found new ways to lead from the sidelines while continuing to coach young athletes and run clinics in communities like her hometown of Kelowna. With her sights set on representing Canada on the HSBC SVNS Series and at future Olympics and World Cups, Tia is continuing to pursue the highest levels of the sport while helping grow the game for the athletes coming behind her.
“This award is such an exciting opportunity to showcase female varsity athletes, and help bridge that gap between university and our national teams. As I transition out of my time at UBC, this award helps to support many aspects of this change, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”
THE STARTING FIVE AWARD
More than a grant. A community committed to opening doors.
Each Starting Five recipient receives $1,200 in funding for training, education, or career development, along with membership in the SGN community, access to The Huddle — a small-group experience with accomplished women who’ve made the same transition — and real connections to women leading across industries in Canada.
SUPPORT THE MISSION
Help us do more of this.
The Starting Five is one way the SHE’S GOT NEXT community is putting its support behind women in sport. With more members and supporters, we can fund more athletes, support more programs, and create more opportunities for women across Canadian sport.
Invest in Change
Your donation helps fund future Starting Five recipients while continuing to strengthen women’s sports programs across Canada.
Join SGN
Be part of a community that’s committed to creating more opportunities for women through sport. Programs like the Starting Five exist because our members imagine them, shape them, and help make them possible. One-third of every membership fee goes directly to supporting women athletes and sports programs.
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