The USC Sports Awards are an annual event held by the University to celebrate the sporting achievements of its students.
Congratulations to our 2020 Award winners!

Brianna Orams
Sportsperson of the Year
The university’s highest sporting accolade is awarded to the USC student considered to have produced the best result/s in their sporting arena as determined by the Sport Awards Committee. The winner has not only achieved success in their chosen sport, but they are also someone of good character who displays sportsmanship on and off the field.
2020 recipient
- Brianna Orams - Stand Up Paddling
Previous recipients
- 2019 - Hayley Maddick (Touch Football)
- 2018 - Jake Packard (Swimming)
- 2017 - Jordan Mercer (Paddleboarding)
- 2016 - Kyle Bridgwood (Cycling)
- 2015 - Kyle Bridgwood (Cycling)
- 2014 - Blake Cochrane (Swimming)
- 2013 - Blake Cochrane (Swimming)
- 2012 - Tessa Wallace (Swimming)
- 2011 - Andy Yates (Kite-boarding)
- 2010 - Brodie Gardner (Triathlon)
- 2009 - Chloe Turner (Triathlon)

Elliot Brown
Vice Chancellor's Sporting and Academic Excellence
In 2019 we introduced a brand-new award, the Vice Chancellor’s Sporting and Academic Excellence award. This award celebrates student athletes who excel in their chosen sport whilst maintaining a high academic level.
2020 recipient
- Elliot Brown - Skeleton
Previous recipients
- 2019 - Jacqui Russell (Netball)

Matthew O'Donnell & Quinn Edwards
Outstanding Service to Sport Award
- Recognises a student or non-student who has shown outstanding service, team spirit, leadership and contribution to sport either through a volunteer or manager position; or
- Recognises a person who was deemed by the Sports Awards Committee to have displayed exemplary skill and sportsmanship at UniSport Nationals Div1 and/or Div2.
2020 recipients
- Matthew O'Donnell - Rugby League 9s
- Quinn Edwards - Volleyball
- Iesha Jackson - Volleyball

USC Rugby League 9s
Team of the Year
Awarded to a team that has shown outstanding achievement both on and off the field. The team possesses a high level of sportsmanship and team spirit at all times and had the best results at UniSport 2019 Nationals Division 1 and/or Division 2.
2020 recipient
- USC Rugby League 9s - Matthew O'Donnell, Joe Lowe, Jordan Matthewman, Steven Mewton, Harry Robertson, Jon Brienesse, Hunter Macpherson, Joseph Law, Owen Blinco, Blake Scholten, Drew Mitchell, Bradman Turner, Matthew Johnson, Jai Smith, Cody Turner

Holly Lubcke & Chris Holland
Half Blue
This performance-based award recognises those with outstanding sporting performance.
- success at an open national level, or
- success at a youth international level or selection on a youth national squad or similar, including Youth Olympics, Youth Commonwealth Games or Age World Championships, and
- displays good sportsmanship in and out of competition
2020 recipients
- Chloe Gubecka - Open Water Swimming
- Chris Holland - Show Jumping
- Holly Lubcke - Mountain Biking
- Jenaya Massie - Canoeing
- Phoebe Wills-Grace - Canoeing
- Lani Pallister - Surf Life Saving
- Rebecca Rasmussen - Outrigging

Pro Vice Chancellor (Students) Denise Wood presenting Full Blue certificate to Katja Dedekind
Full Blue
This performance-based award recognises those with outstanding sporting performance.
- success at open international level or selection on an open national squad, including Olympic, Commonwealth Games or World Championship representation
- has reached a standard comparable to Australia’s best sportspeople, and
- displays good sportsmanship in and out of competition
2020 recipients
- Elliot Brown - Skeleton
- Katja Dedekind - Swimming

Kaia Parnaby
Continued Excellence
Recipients have previously received a full Blue Award and has reproduced or bettered their results from previous awards.
2020 recipients
- Kaia Parnaby - Softball

Jane Larkin & Zack Gilmore
2020 Resilience Award
Recognises a student who, despite the challenges of 2020, has achieved great results in the time period through training, competition, USC community engagement or charity work.
2020 recipients
- Jane Larkin - Athletics
- Zack Gilmore - Cycling