Melbourne’s Libby Birch (left, current LEAP member) and Carlton’s Kerryn Harrington (right, LEAP alumni) were both named on the half-back line of the 2020 AFLW AA team on Tuesday in acknowledgement of their elite performance throughout the season.
A current La Trobe student studying a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Physiotherapy Practice, Libby Birch capped off an excellent first season with Melbourne with her debut selection in the All-Australian team.
The 2018 Western Bulldogs premiership player crossed to the Demons at the beginning of the AFLW season and took her game to a new level in 2020, averaging 12 disposals per game and solidifying her reputation as one of the competition’s best lock down defenders.
Birch’s selection in the All-Australian team tops an excellent week for the 22-year-old, who was also named in the AFL Players’ Association 22Under22 team last week.
For Harrington, this was her second All-Australian honour on the trot following her selection in the team in 2019. The Carlton co-captain ranked third in the competition for marks and fourth for intercept positions in 2020, underlining her value as one of the pre-eminent defenders in the AFLW competition.
A former LEAP member who studied on La Trobe’s Bendigo campus, Harrington graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Physiotherapy Practice.
La Trobe University has over 100 students currently registered under LEAP. Our athletes compete at a national and international level across 35 different sports; including AFL and AFLW, Soccer, Wheelchair Basketball, Swimming and Netball.
Our athletes are studying a range of courses across the University at the Melbourne, Bendigo, Mildura and City campuses as well as online; which include Health Sciences, Law, Commerce, Sport Management, Nursing and Business degrees.
Our LEAP athletes study over 30 different undergraduate courses, along with seven studying a postgraduate course completing their Masters and two PhD candidates.
For more information on La Trobe’s Elite Athlete Program, visit the La Trobe Sport website.
La Trobe University is a member of the Elite Athlete Education Network (EAEN). The EAEN recognises the unique needs of students who participate and compete in sport at an elite level.
