Sports Awards
2006 UTS Union Sports Awards
Mark Dorling
Hugh Tait
It's not often that you can boast having a World Champion as your sportsman of the year. Well this year, UTS has not one, but 2 World Champions as our Sportsmen of the year.
These two men are very accomplished athletes. Between them they have over 28 years Sailing experience, and this year in September, they competed in the 3rd World University Championships. They blitzed the field taking out the World University Match Racing Championships.
2006 Sportswoman of the Year, Lucy Starrat
2006 Sportswomen of the Year, Melissa Ashton-Garard and Lucy Starrat
Melissa is a triathlete who competed in the Australian Championships in April where she was the second fastest Australian. This enabled her to qualify for the World Ironman Triathlon where as you heard earlier this evening, Melissa swam 3.8km, cycled 180km and then ran a full marathon. She finished an incredible 9th in a time of 9 hours and 38 minutes.
Lucy is a first year student at UTS who has managed to combine her academic studies with some incredible athletic performances. She is the current Australian under 20's Australian champion in the cross country following the National Championships, collected a medal for UTS at the Australian University Games and was invited to compete against Australia's elite in the Telstra A-Series. These impressive domestic performances saw Lucy selected twice to represent Australia overseas, first at the World Cross Country Championships in Japan and then followed by the World Junior Athletics Championships in China.
Club of the Year 2006
In 2006 the UTS AFL Club, with more players than ever, had 4 sides entered into the Sydney AFL Competition.
2 sides entered in Second Division, with the UTS Black side finishing 4th of 15 teams.
First Division saw both teams reach the Grand Final.
Their outstanding performance on and off the field and their contribution to UTS this year, made them deserving winners.
A number of club members participated in the Eastern University Games (EUG's) in July where the UTS team achieved its best ever result, topping their pool and finished overall Runners Up for the tournament.
Success for the UTS AFL Club was also abundant off the field.
A number of social events, designed not only to raise funds but to generate a real community interest in the Club, were organised throughout the year.
A wonderful year for a club who have demonstrated excellence not only on the field, but in cultivating a wonderful relationship with the UTS and greater community!
Sport Recognition Award 2006 - Paul Economides
- President of the UTS hockey club since 1994
- Played every grade of hockey within the club
- Has coached men's, women's and juniors
- 2006 Coach of the Year within the club
- 2005 managed 1st and 2nd grade
- Sydney women's delegate
- Team manager of hockey team at Australian University Games in Adelaide
- Founding member of the sports management committee at UTS
