The USC Sports Awards are an annual event held by the University to celebrate the sporting achievements of its students.
Congratulations to our 2021 Award winners!
Nominations are now open for 2022 and close 5pm, Friday 28 October 2022.
2022 UniSC Sports Awards
Date: Thursday, 17 November 2022
Time: 6:45pm-8:00pm
Canapes served from 6:00pm
Venue: UniSC Auditorium (Hall 1), Sunshine Coast Campus
Dress: Cocktail
RSVP: sportevents@usc.edu.au by 5:00pm Tuesday, 15 November 2022
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.
2021 recipient
- Katja Dedekind - Swimming
Previous recipients
- 2020 - Brianna Orams (Stand Up Paddling)
- 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)
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.
2021 recipient
- William Thorley - Open Water Swimming
Previous recipients
- 2020 - Elliot Brown (Skeleton)
- 2019 - Jacqui Russell (Netball)
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.
2021 recipients
- Gemma Kinnealy - Netball
- Leona Collins - Netball
- Kai Pang - Badminton
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 2021 Nationals Division 1 and/or Division 2.
2021 recipient
- USC Spartans Womens Basketball - Aleisha Howey, Brianna Gregory-Johnson, Brooke Taylor, Darcy Condon, Deni Hughes, Ella Thompson, Francis Donders, Georgia Berry, Grace Smith, Jess Johnston, Rachel Whittet, Taisha White, Sharon Glover (Manager UBL), Vern Robataeu (Coach UBL), Camryn Hughes (Coach UniSport Nationals)
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
2021 recipients
- Alexandra Clarke - Kayaking
- Lucy Dring - Swimming
- Keely Andrew - Surfing
- Hayden Cotter - Open Water Swimming
- Alastair MacKellar - Cycling
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
2021 recipients
- William Thorley - Open Water Swimming
- Karla Pretorius - Netball
- Keira Stephens - Swimming
Continued Excellence
Recipients have previously received a full Blue Award and has reproduced or bettered their results from previous awards.
2021 recipients
- Kaia Parnaby - Softball
- Katja Dedekind - Swimming
Vice Chancellor & Presidents Excellence Award for service to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
This award recognises the contribution of USC representatives to Olympic and Paralympic Games events. This year we recognise the following members of the USC community.
Open water swimming
- WilliamThorley
- Kareena Lee
Wheelchair basketball athletes & coaches
- Hannah Dodd
- Graeme Rousseau
- Adam Robertshaw
Cycling athletes & coaches
- Alastair Donohue
- Maeve Plouff
- ACA Pro Racing
USC spartans swim team athletes & coaches
- Kaylee McKeown
- Katja Dedekind
- Blake Cochrane
- Braedan Jason
- Ruby Storm
- Keira Stephens
- Ben Hance
- Brendan Burkett
- Nathan Doyle
- Chris Mooney
- Mark McKean
- Danielle Doyle
- Max McKenzie
- Geoff Lovell
- Gary Slater
Softball
- Kaia Parnaby