2019 Sports Awards | An evening celebrating rural and regional success

Last Wednesday evening we had the pleasure of celebrating our 71st annual Sports Awards.

We were joined by an incredible group of student-athletes, UNE officials like the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, community members and sports stars who are mentors to our sporting teams.

Highlights of the night include;

• An inspiring welcome from the University’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brigid Heywood, who touched on the importance of sport and the role it plays in our wellbeing. Prof. Heywood also noted how sport is a conduit for community connection, be it the University community itself, or the wider community of the New England and how sport can play an enormous role in the experience of all people across all areas, ages, and abilities.
• Our Master of Ceremonies and delightful speaking panel for the evening, who all shared their own stories of sporting excellence, touching on their individual passion, drive, and successes. These experiences were all tied together highlighting a balance between work, life, study, and their chosen sports. We thank the panel:
  • UNE’s own Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology student and UNE Sports Academy star, Katherine Hosking, who at just 18 years of age has been named National Champion and has recently returned from the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Canada.
  • Former Australian Rugby 7’s Representative, Tui Ormsby, who has previously captained both Sydney and the Wallaroos and is now the Assistant coach for the UNE Lions.
  • Australias only global Women’s Sports Leadership Acadamy inductee, Inge Visser, who after a long and prestigious career in International Rugby 7’s and Rugby 15’s, has now accepted the position of Head Coach for the UNE Rugby Lions.
    
• The opportunity to celebrate our student-athletes. Presenting a wide array of awards, boasting the wonderful achievements and success to and for our student-athletes, sporting administration, and the University.
• The delicious meal and excellent service from the team at Life, Functions & Catering in The ‘Stro who worked day and night to make this evening such a success!
• A very heartfelt thank you and closing comments from Chancellor Mr. James Harris, who spoke on community and compassion, and the very important role that UNE Life, and the greater University, plays in Armidale connecting town with gown.

“It’s very impressive to see the great qualities of our student-athletes coming out of UNE. They’re participating at local and regional competitions right through to international levels. They are wonderful ambassadors for our community and play an important role also representing rural and regional universities of Australia” David Schmude

The evening boasted the wonderful achievements and successes of our student-athletes!

Awards given on the evening were;

• Club Honours Award – Layla Jeffrey & Maddison Fryer
• Sports Administrator of the Year – Russell Devine (UNE Basketball) & Jade Cooksley (UNE Basketball)
• Spirit of Sport at UNE Award – UNE Futsal
• UNE Life Club of the Year Award – Robb College Rugby Club
• Coach of the Year Award – James Treweeke (UNE Nomads)
• UNE Club Team of the Year Award – St Albert’s Netball, A Grade
• Spirit of the Games Award – Mixed Netball, Nationals Div 2
• The Sportsperson of the Year Award – Katherine Hosking
• Half Blue Award – Emma Kennedy & Sarah Whitehouse
• Sports Recognition Award – Karina Brown, Lachlan Barrett & Lauren Nott
• Olivia Molineux Memorial Award – Kelsey Muller (Duval)
• Intervarsity Team of the Year – UNE Squash – Nationals Div 1, Silver Medal
• UNE Interdepartmental Award – Student Success

“The sacrifices are big…but, in the end, they seem so small when you get to compete against the best in the world” Katherine Hosking

A big shout-out goes to the people that made this night such a huge success! The Student Services & Amenities Fee,  which gives us the opportunity to participate in, and celebrate university sport. Those people behind the scenes, as well as the people on stage; our Master of Ceremonies, Thomas Pembroke, UNE student, and world ocean swimmer. Once again, the incredible panel of sporting guests;  world-class mountain biker, Katherine Hosking, international athlete, former Wallaroos Captain, and UNE Lions assistant coach Tui Ormsby and International Rugby 7s Representative, member of the Global Women’s Sports Leadership Academy and our UNE Lions head coach Inge Visser.

We are honestly so proud to have these inspirational young people as our very own! Well done to you!

A big shout out goes to the team at SportUNE who play a key role in our student-athletes experience at UNE.
Thanks also goes to Simon Scott for the brilliant collection of photos of the evening.
Please check out UNE Life’s Facebook for the album. #SimonScottPhoto