By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE 2025 Northern Mariana Sports Association annual banquet, sponsored by the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, concluded at Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan on Saturday night with historic “firsts” and a celebration of the explosion of talent across the NMI.
The Team of the Year Award went to beach volleyball duo Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson.
The pair has become the gold standard for NMI beach volleyball, embarking on a whirlwind 2025 season that saw them consistently reach podiums across the globe.
Their year was highlighted by a dominant first-place finish at the 2025 CBVA Men’s Open in San Diego, California, in August. They followed that success with a silver medal at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau, narrowly falling to Australia’s Finley Bennett and Jed Walker in a hard-fought finals match in June. Not content with regional success, they ventured into the Asian circuit, earning a bronze at the AVC Pingtung Open in Chinese Taipei and a silver at the AVP Next Men’s Open in Ohio.
Although the duo was not present to receive the award, a video message was shared. “I wanted to thank you guys for nominating both me and Andrew for the Team of the Year award. It was a great year representing the CNMI. Just know that there is more to come,” said Logan Mister.
Notable nominees
Joining them in the spotlight were several other standout teams:
• NMI U19 Badminton Junior National Team. Received a standing ovation for their bronze medal finish at the Oceania Junior Championships 2025, marking the Northern Marianas’ first-ever continental medal in badminton.
• NMI U20 Women’s National Team. Secured a 3-0 victory over Bahrain during the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan — the team’s first-ever win in an AFC-sanctioned competition.
• NMI Swimming Male Relay Team. Comprising Kouki Watanabe, Michael Miller, Justin Ma, and Matthew Szefler, the team took silver in the 4×100 freestyle relay at the NSW Senior State Championships in Sydney, Australia, finishing just behind Japan.
• NMI Women’s 3×3 Basketball Team. Alliyah Fernandez, Kina Rangamar, Kaia Travilla, and Yasmeen Younis secured the Northern Marianas’ first-ever bronze medal in women’s basketball at the Pacific Mini Games, defeating Papua New Guinea.
Coaches of the Year
Behind every great athlete is a dedicated mentor, and this year, NMSA honored two stalwarts: Janelle Pangilinan (badminton) and Richard Sikkel (swimming).
For over a decade, Pangilinan has been instrumental in elevating badminton in the CNMI. A certified BWF Level 1 coach, she leads both elite and grassroots programs with equal passion. In 2025, she coached the NMI U15 team to a bronze medal in the Pacific U15 Team Challenge and guided the U19 team to the NMI’s first-ever medal at the Oceania Junior Championships.
Beyond international success, she manages the Junior National Development Program year-round, delivers Shuttle Time sessions in schools and community organizations, and serves as lead educator for coaches and teachers, nurturing the next generation of athletes and coaches.
Joining her is Richard Sikkel, who has exemplified dedication, leadership, and athlete-centered development. He rebuilt the swimming program through persistence and advocacy, ensuring swimmers had access to training and competition opportunities.
Under his guidance, athletes have competed internationally, including at the World Junior Swimming Championships, and secured 27 medals at the Pacific Mini Games. Beyond results, he instills discipline, pride, and a deep sense of responsibility in representing the NMI.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
