A Victoria Blues Award is the highest recognition that can be given to people who have, by their sporting achievements or contribution to sport, brought credit to the University.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford, who presented the awards with VUWSA President Jonathan Gee, says the Blues Awards are an opportunity to acknowledge those students who have achieved outstanding sporting success.
“This is, of course, worthy of celebration in its own right, but to achieve this success while also succeeding at university, is even more impressive.”
Master of Business Administration student Kyle Pontifex was named the Victoria Sportsperson of the Year.
In the past year Kyle has represented New Zealand as a member of the Black Sticks (New Zealand’s Hockey team) as part of the Oceania Cup, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and various home tests.
Kyle was a crucial member of the Capital National Hockey League Men’s team in the winning 2015 season, and is a member in the Capital National Hockey League Men’s 2016 team.
Wanaka Noanoa (Ngāti Porou) was named the Māori Sportsperson of the Year.
While studying towards a Bachelor of Law and Commerce, Wanaka has been a representative of the Wellington ‘Under 19’ Softball team and the New Zealand ‘Under 19’ Junior White Sox Softball team.
Joanah Ngan-Woo was named the Pasifika Sportsperson of the Year.
While working towards completing a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria, Joanah represented Samoa as part of the Manu Sina Women’s Sevens team, and New Zealand in the World University Sevens Tournament. Joanah plays for the Oriental Rongotai Rugby Club and is a member of the Wellington Women’s Pride Rugby team.
Brook Walker was named the Sports Administrator of the Year.
Brook, who is completing a Bachelor of Economics and Finance, is the captain of Victoria’s Rowing Club and has been instrumental in the recent rebrand of the club. He is one of the three lead coaches for the Wellington College Rowing Club programme and the lead coach of the Wellington College Rowing Club’s junior squad. Brook has completed two Rowing New Zealand coaching modules, and is the sole Victoria representative on the University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand Student-Athlete Commission.
The 2016 Victoria University Blues Award recipients
Sportsperson of the Year
- Kyle Pontifex for hockey
Māori Sportspersons of the Year
- Wanaka Noanoa for softball
Pasifika Sportsperson of the Year
- Joanah Ngan-Woo for rugby
Sports Administrator of the Year
- Brook Walker for rowing
Blue Awards for sport
- Adam Burrows
- Alex Brodie
- Cameron Webber
- Clark Samuel
- Danielle Davies
- Elizabeth Goulden
- Eva Weatherall
- Finn Stenner-Corbishley
- Grace Seeley
- Hamish Thornton
- Harriet McFetridge
- Jack Gilpin
- Jacob Matson
- James Preston
- Jess Fair
- Jess Kerr
- Joanah Ngan-Woo
- Kiriwera Nepia-Su’a
- Kyle Pontifex
- Li Yeoh
- Maddy Nash
- Madeleine Aiken
- Madeleine Hazleton
- Madeleine Stephen
- Matthew Davies
- Max Brown
- Max Ruffell
- Monique Dalley
- Nathan Oakley
- Navin Patel
- Nick Bielby
- Ollie Logan
- Qais Fawzi
- Richard Kay
- Rosemary Cockle
- Ross Little
- Royden Smith
- Ryan Hunt
- Satch Pryor
- Sauimoana Solia
- Shingo Ina
- Sian Moffitt
- Sophia Johnston
- Tai Barham
- Thomas Curtis
- Thomas Withnall
- Tristan Gregory-Hunt
- Tyler Titov-Smith
- Vincent McQueen
- Wai Ling Chan
- Wanaka Noanoa
2016 sports administration Blue awards
- Aleksa Djorovic
- Brook Walker
- Maddie Palmer
- Maddy Nash
- Oscar Battell-Wallace
- Richard Boag
- Ruby Meagher
- Tamara Jenkin