The UQ Sport Club and Sports Awards shine a spotlight on outstanding achievements in sport and university life. A record high 74 nominations were received for the 2024 awards.
Each award represents not only individual triumph but also the collective spirit of teamwork that defines UQ’s sporting ethos. Jeremy Wooldridge (Beach Volleyball Club) is one of six recipients who embodies these values and was awarded the Club Service Award.
“A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes of a UQ sporting club, so it’s great to be recognised not only for myself but also for the whole club” Jeremy said.
Note – Oscar Pannifex, Will Siganto, and Claire Colwill were absent and had friends/family collect awards in the images above.
Todd Morschel has been working behind the scenes of the UQ Handball Club since 2002. He was awarded the Club Administrator of the Year for managing the travel, sponsorship, and stakeholder needs in the lead-up to UQ Handball Club’s international debut at the IHF Super Globe Tournament in Saudi Arabia.
“I’ve had the pleasure of playing every role at the club during my time: Men’s and Women’s coach, player, administrator and Club President. The biggest thing I’ve tried to instil in the UQ Handball Club is that we provide the opportunity for all skills levels to experience the game for anyone walks through the door to play handball. I’m very proud of that” Todd said.
AFLW Brisbane Lions Captain Bre Koenen and Vice-Captain Natalie Grider were special guests on the night, bringing along their recent 2023 AFLW Premiership Trophy. As past Blues Awards Recipients and UQ Australian Football Club players, they were best suited to present the awards to the ten different sporting clubs that were awarded this year.
Caitlyn Blade had an outstanding year, playing an integral part in the UQ Rebels Touch Football Association winning the Metro Cup and Queensland State Cup while maintaining a GPA of 6.7 for her Advanced Finance and Economics degree in 2023. For her achievements, Caitlyn was awarded the Club All-Rounder of the Year.
The UQ Mountain Club was awarded the 2024 Hulbert Bursary for a consecutive year after a hugely successful 12 months. The club offered a record 135 trips for their predominant student member base.
The President’s Cup was awarded to the UQ Judo Club after an outstanding 2023 season. The club secured 17 medals across major competitions, including multiple golds at the UniSport Nationals, State Championships, and National Championships.
Claire Colwill joins fellow Hockeyroo representatives Kay Lehmann and Rebecca Greiner as a winner of the UQ Sportswoman of the Year award. She has been juggling her Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours) with playing an instrumental part in the Hockeyroos securing Paris Olympic qualification and winning the 2023 Hockey One League with the Brisbane Blaze.
Tom Neill has been awarded the UQ Sportsman of the Year Award for the second time, after earning his first in 2022. He joins an elite list of two-time Sportsman of the Year awardees, including Olympic medallists Dane Bird-Smith and Ian Edmunds. Tom represented Australia at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan, claiming Bronze in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay. The Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours) student now has his sights set on another Olympic berth in Paris.
2024 UQ Club and Sports Awards – Winners
- Sportswoman of the Year: Claire Colwill (Hockey)
- Sportsman of the Year: Tom Neill (Swimming)
- Hulbert Bursary: UQ Mountain Club
- President’s Cup: UQ Judo Club
- Club All-Rounder of the Year: Caitlyn Blade (Touch Football Association)
- Club Coach of the Year: Renee Murphy (Touch Football Association)
- Club Administrator of the Year: Todd Morschel (Handball Club)
- Club Volunteer of the Year: Peter Billings (Hockey Club)
- Club Service Award: Jeremy Wooldridge (Beach Volleyball Club), Bill Bridgeford (Boat Club), Oscar Pannifex (Rugby League Club), Marguerite Howard (Rugby Union Club), Will Siganto (Rugby Union Club) and James Sharp (Touch Football Association).
