Sage Stephens and Langelihle Phili emerged as the standout names of the evening as Stellenbosch Football Club brought the curtain down on its 2025-’26 campaign in style, hosting its seventh annual senior awards ceremony at the historic Stellenbosch Town Hall on Tuesday 19 May.
With the men’s season still set to conclude this coming weekend, the club gathered its players, staff and officials for a prestigious celebration of the year’s finest achievements – and it was captain and goalkeeper Stephens who took home the night’s biggest honour, being named the Footballer of the Season.
The Bafana Bafana international also retained the Sportsman of the Season title for the second consecutive year, a double that spoke volumes about the kind of campaign he has delivered.
Phili claims four
And what a campaign it has been. Stephens kept 11 clean sheets across 39 appearances in all competitions, played a pivotal role in steering Stellenbosch to back-to-back MTN8 finals, and cemented his legacy at the club by becoming its all-time appearance record holder with 176 caps to his name – a milestone that tells the story of a man who has given everything to the Maroon cause.
“It’s very special, and it came unexpectedly,” Stephens said. “It was nice to be nominated for a few awards on the night, but to get the big one is special, especially in the context of the season that we’ve had as a club.
“It’s nice to know that certain performances that helped the team throughout the season were highlighted and contributed towards me getting this award. It’s nice to get the recognition.”
While Stephens claimed the night’s most prestigious individual prize, it was forward Langelihle “Major” Phili who left the Stellenbosch Town Hall with the heaviest haul.
The young attacker swept four awards in a single evening, taking home the Players’ Player of the Season, the Rama Fans’ Player of the Season, the Oshwin Andries Young Player of the Season, and the Golden Boot – a clean sweep that underlined just how influential he has been throughout the season.
The 21-year-old’s 10 goal contributions – nine goals and an assist – made him the most dangerous and consistent attacking force in the Stellenbosch setup, and his Rama Fans’ Player of the Season award places him in select company, making him only the third recipient of the accolade after Iqraam Rayners and Sihle Nduli.
“Firstly, I want to thank the coaches, my teammates, and everyone who made this moment possible for me,” Phili said. “I am very happy and feel like this is a motivation for me to keep on trying to deliver my best for the team moving forward.
“The Players’ Player of the Season award is particularly special, because that comes from my teammates. We all voted, and they voted for me, so I’m glad that they value my efforts and that they have my back and believe in me.”
“These awards are a very good motivation for me and give me hunger for what I can still achieve. I just have to keep my head down, be humble, respect my coaches and teammates, and do my best on and off the pitch.”
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Others honoured
The celebrations were not confined to the senior ranks.
The club’s reserve team stars were given their well-deserved moment in the spotlight, with Keanan Johannesen – a proud Stellenbosch-born talent – claiming the Reserve Team Footballer of the Season award. In a touching nod to the club’s development pathway, his trophy was handed to him by Stellies academy graduate and current Queens Park Rangers defender Tylon Smith.
Tauric Gamildien was recognised as the Reserve Team Golden Boot winner after scoring 16 goals in the DStv Diski Challenge – the second-highest tally in the entire competition – while captain Liam Slade rounded out the reserve team awards with the Sportsman of the Season honour.
Earlier in the evening, Jean-Pierre Farrugia, the club’s head of youth, received the coveted CEO’s Award from Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie in recognition of his exceptional work overseeing the club’s academy structures and supporting the reserve team.
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Special achievement awards were also presented to Thabo Moloisane and Genino Palace, both of whom surpassed the 100-appearance milestone for the club, while assistant coach Wesley Irwin-Sergel was honoured for his remarkable contribution across more than 300 matches on the Stellenbosch bench.
The evening’s most heartfelt moment, however, was reserved for Lee Langeveldt, who received a Career Achievement Award following an extraordinary 21-year playing career – seven of which were spent with the Maroons, during which he was part of squads that claimed both NFD and Carling Knockout glory.
Taken together, the evening painted the picture of a club that is not simply competing at the top level of South African football, but nurturing a culture of excellence from the ground up. As the 2025-’26 season heads into its final weekend, Stellenbosch FC have made one thing abundantly clear – there is plenty more still to come from the Maroons.
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