The second NTU Sport Excellence awards were held on May 15th 2023, celebrating the remarkable contributions of students and athletes to NTU Sport throughout the academic year. It was a prestigious event that recognized achievements, highlighted personal growth, and fostered a sense of unity within the NTU Sport community.
Club Colours
The first award of the evening were the NTU Sport Club Colours Awards. These exceptional students were recognized for their outstanding dedication and contributions to the club, going above and beyond whilst being instrumental to their club’s success.
Club Colours Winners:
Anna Goddard: Women’s Hockey
Archie Shaw: Touch Rugby
Charlie Young: Equestrian
Christine Summers: Korfball
Ethan Brewer: Gaelic Football
Hannah Berry: Rowing
John Wilson: Canoe
Laina O’Hara: Athletics
Lauren Davies: Canoe / Canoe Polo
Leah Pugh: Women’s Football
Madeleine Thomas: Touch Rugby
Max Ellis: Men’s Hockey
Pippa Broomfield: Dodgeball
Sherina Gooden: Netball
Will Lake: Powerlifting
Katie Shattock: Canoe
Half Colours
Students who received the NTU Sport Half Colours awards have made exceptional contributions to the club’s successes throughout their time at NTU. These students have demonstrated their remarkable performance by either being part of a squad that reached the pinnacle of a BUCS championship final and achieved a gold or silver medal, earning an individual BUCS medal of any colour, or competing at the highest level in a non-BUCS equivalent event. Their noteworthy achievements have not only brought glory but have also played a significant role in advancing the university’s sports program.
Half Colours Winners
Ciara Lynch: Netball
Eve McInerney: Cycling
Harley Tideswell: Women’s Lacrosse
Indya Masser: Netball
Jamie Jonathan Foord: Powerlifting
Philip Johnson: Men’s Lacrosse
Rachel Duckers: Netball
Stephen McDonagh: Korfball
Katie Middleton: Women’s Football
Niamh Reynolds: Women’s Football
Joseph Agbodza: Athletics
Joss Foot: Athletics
Harry Whyley: Athletics
Mollie Patterson: Table Tennis
Niamh Reynolds : Women’s Football
Philip Johnson : Men’s Lacrosse
Rachel Duckers : Netball
Stephen McDonagh : Korfball
Full Colours
The final award of the evening went to athletes who have contributed most significantly to the success of the club and department during their time at university. These exceptional students have not only represented their sport on an international level or played for external professional clubs/franchises but have also dedicated themselves to competing for NTU for a minimum of two academic years while maintaining a consistent presence in the university’s first team. Most importantly they have contributed to the development of the university sport programme.
Full Colours Winners
Cameron Major: Men’s Lacrosse
Elliot Bickerton: Men’s Lacrosse
Jessica Haynes: Netball
Joshua Poke: Men’s Lacrosse
Luca Schurink: Men’s Lacrosse
Sofia Wise: Women’s Lacrosse
William Shirt: Men’s Lacrosse
Kieran Sullivan: ITF Taekwondo
Richard Akinyebo: Athletics
Ben Grinter: Touch Rugby
Paige Gillott: Women’s Hockey
Kerry Christie: Canoe
Lucy Lee-Smith: Canoe
Volunteer of the Year 2023
Volunteers play an indispensable role in the success of the NTU Sport programme. Their invaluable work in the community is highly appreciated, and this award was established to honour their remarkable contributions to NTU Sport.
The award nominees distinguish themselves by showcasing organizational skills, an impassioned dedication to sport development, and the ability to inspire others while showing a conscientious approach to advance NTU Sport. These nominees have exceeded expectations, showcasing their commitment to making a significant impact on NTU, NTU Sport and the local community.
Finalists
Sherina Gooden: Netball
Sherina has dedicated the last 3 years to develop NTU Netball, breaking down barriers for participation in minority groups and doubling BME involvement during her tenure. She has served as the Development Officer, President, and intramural Netball coordinator. Sherina’s countless voluntary hours have been instrumental in the day-to-day functioning of the club and is truly inspirational.
Tabby Gardiner: Tennis
Tabby’s contributions to the tennis community have been recognized through her nomination for the Nottinghamshire LTA Volunteer of the Year award. Her inspiring commitment to the sport is reflected in her exceptional volunteer work, such as delivering Play for Fun and Tennis Club Development sessions and bringing tennis to the wider community through the Rackets Cubed programme.
Phoebe Gammell: Hockey
Phoebe has volunteered as a coach across three women’s teams, leading BUCS 5’s to the Midlands Conference Cup final and winning all ten games of the Midlands league. Along with other volunteering roles such as umpiring and committee positions, Phoebe has consistently prioritized every member of the team while promoting university and club values.
Leah Pugh: Football
Leah has been an outstanding member of NTU Women’s Football for five years, serving on the committee for three years and running two training sessions and two games a week. Despite an unfortunate injury that prevented her from playing football, Leah has continued to contribute to the team’s success by managing the Sunday County team and coaching the third team to promotion.
The winner of Volunteer of the Year 2023 was… Sherina Gooden!
Sportsperson of the Year 2023
The Sportsperson of the Year finalists have achieved incredible levels of sporting excellence, standing out among their peers with exceptional performances and a passion for their sport. They inspire others, contribute significantly to the university and local community, and show commitment to personal development and teamwork. These athletes embody the height of dedication and achievement in NTU Sport, serving as outstanding ambassadors for Nottingham Trent University.
Finalists
Paige Gillott: Hockey.
Paige is a respected role model among the members of the hockey club and the wider NTU Sport community. Her contributions were integral in the team’s promotion to the BUCS national league and securing two national vases at the BUCS Big Wednesday tournament. In addition to her achievements at NTU Paige has also competed at international level, representing England GB in European and World competitions. Paige has consistently demonstrated success both on the field and in her academic pursuits.
Richard Akinyebo: Athletics.
Richard’s passion for athletics is inspiring. Previously taking silver at the BUCS 60m indoor competition for NTU he went on to become the UK Indoor 200m champion in 2023 setting a new personal best with a remarkable time of 21.10 seconds. Richard has since represented England at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Challenge, he also serves as the Sprint Captain of the NTU Athletics club, contributing significantly to its success. An amazing role model, Richard has a promising future in the world of sport.
Ben Grinter: Touch Rugby
Ben has been an incredible advocate for sport and Touch Rugby throughout the NTU community. To name just one of his achievements, Ben represented England and contributed to securing the gold medal against Ireland in the European Championships in 2022. Ben also coaches the England U18s Boys squad, making significant contributions towards developing the next generation of Touch Rugby athletes.
Mollie Patterson: Table Tennis
Currently ranked 4th in England for Table Tennis, Mollie has had an impressive year. Selected for the Commonwealth Games but unable to compete due to injury, Mollie’s standout achievement was winning the Senior Nationals Mixed Doubles championship. Mollie has also helped to boost NTU women’s first team results achieving second in the Premier North league and reaching the semi-final of the Women’s National Championship. Mollie has been elected as NTU Table Tennis President with plans to further elevate the sport in the coming years.
The winner of Sportsperson of the Year 2023 was… Richard Akinyebo!
We would like to say a huge congratulations to all of our nominees and winners from this year’s NTU Sport Excellence Awards, and we thank them for their efforts and contributions to the department and wider community throughout this academic year. NTU Sport can’t wait to watch you excel even further!
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