KATH Partridge, former Olympian and University of New England (UNE) student will be the special guest of the University’s 75 Years of Sport Celebrations, on 21 September.
Kath who was UNE Sportsperson of The Year in 1982, was a member of the Australian Women’s Hockey Squad from 1982-1996, representing Australia at two Olympic Games and a gold medallist at one.
Kath is currently Assistant Coach of the Kookaburras, the Australian Men’s Hockey Team. She is the first female to be appointed to a men’s sporting program.
Kath Partridge remembers Armidale as a great sporting community.
“Sport at UNE has always been progressive and without the wonderful facilities they provided I could not have developed physically and in the capacity that I did going on to represent Australia,” she said.
A number of past and present UNE Olympians, will also be in town for the Anniversary Celebration Dinner which will be held in conjunction with the University’s Annual Sports Awards presentation evening.
Shaun Creighton, (Athletics),Emma Gillogly, (Women’s Australian Rugby rep) and Richie Campbell, current UNE student and member of the Beijing and London Olympic Waterpolo Teams, will join Kath on a Q&A panel.
Rugby League legend, Ricky Stuart is also expected to attend the evening. he former Parramatta Eels Coach has a strong personal connection with the University and is very much looking forward to continuing his support of UNE.
“We have a lot to celebrate,” Sport UNE CEO Dave Schmude said.
“UNE has a long sporting history and it will be a great to get together a number of UNE Alumni, current students, staff and the community for a night of celebrations.
“Historically, the sporting facilities at the University were built for students, by students,” Mr Schmude said.
“From very humble beginnings in 1938, today we are fortunate enough to enjoy first class facilities thanks to the legacy of our predecessors.
“It will also be a night when we will look back fondly at not only our past achievements, but also our more recent developments.”
The evening will include the Official Opening of the recent facility development work at SportUNE.
UNE Alumnist and newly elected member for New England Barnaby Joyce MP will officiate at the ceremony, alongside UNE Chancellor John Watkins (former Deputy Premier of NSW) and UNE Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jim Barber.
Former CEO of Northern Inland Academy of Sport Peter Annis-Brown will be MC for the evening and special guests will include SportUNE life members, past presidents and past sports award recipients.
