The UNSW Blues and Sport Awards Dinner is an opportunity to celebrate success and reflect on the year that has just been. It's a rare opportunity for the entire UNSW sporting community to get together and look back on some of the great achievements of the past year.
This year, every award will be hotly contested, with deserving nominees across the board. Each week we will delve into a few of the categories and take an in-depth look at the nominees and their achievements.
We start this week with the Female and Male Student Athlete of the Year awards. These prestigious categories are full of our highly successful elite athletes and selecting a winner won't be an easy task for the awards committee.
Female Student Athlete of the Year
This award was won by cricketer Georgia Redmayne for the past two years, as she made her mark on the UNSW sporting community. Georgia has now graduated, which opens the door for a new winner in this category.
Tait Mackrill has re-signed for the GWS Giants in the AFLW after a strong season with the team in 2019. She made her debut in February, becoming Giant #46 when she pulled on the orange guernsey against Carlton in Blacktown.
Matilda McDonell also made her debut for the Giants in 2019, playing in the Suncorp Super Netball competition. She won silver with the NSW team at the Australian 19 & Under Championships and was subsequently selected in the Australian 19 & Under team and the Australian 21 & Under squad.
Amy Ridge has had a sensational year with the UNSW-Wests Killer Whales in the Australian Water Polo League, finishing in third place. She also won a bronze medal with the Aussie Stingers at the FINA World Championships in Korea in a strong performance.
Claire Rocuet is the captain of the UNSW Underwater Rugby team and has achieved success across national level competitions in 2019. She was also selected in the Australian team and played at the World Championships in Austria, where her team finished eighth.
Georgia Winkcup had a breakout season in athletics in 2019. After winning the 3000m steeplechase at University Nationals and breaking the Unisport Australia record, Georgia went on to take 39 seconds off her personal best and achieve selection for the IAAF World Championships.
Male Student Athlete of the Year
Won in 2019 by hockey star Tim Brand, this is another category where there are plenty of deserving nominees. With a diverse range of sports represented, it will be fascinating to see who takes the prize in 2020.
Jack Adams is part of UNSW's all-conquering Snow Nationals team, who won their fourth consecutive University Nationals in 2019. On an individual level, Jack won gold in the Alpine Slalom, Giant Alipine Slalom and Cross Country relay events.
Max Balard is a football star in the making, playing the Australian Under 19s Schoolboys team for their tour of the UK and Ireland in 2019 and captaining the team for their win over New Zealand in July. He is part of the Central Coast Mariners National Youth League squad and is quickly moving through the ranks.
Tim Brand returns to this category following a sensational 2019. It was a year when everything he touched turned to gold, winning the ingugural FIH Pro League with the Australian Kookaburras and also taking out the inaugural Hockey One Australian national league with his NSW Pride team, scoring three goals in the final.
Alex Fitzsimmons is a highly accomplished figure skaterwho competed in the invitation-only Shanghai Trophy in 2019. His team finished 15th at the World Syncronised Figure Skating Championships - the highest ever placing for an Australian team.
Nathan Power has been an integral member of the Aussie Sharks water polo team, competing at the FINA World Championships in 2019. Nathan plays professionally in Croatia’s national water polo league for Jadran Split, who won a bronze medal in the 2019 competition.
Don't miss out on seeing the winners celebrated - buy your tickets to the UNSW Blues and Sport Awards Dinner now!