Around 140 people packed into Carlton Football Club’s Ikon Park Function Room on Thursday 13 November to acknowledge the successes of the University’s sporting fraternity at La Trobe Sport’s showcase event.
In the major awards presented on the night, the highly acclaimed Sportspeople of the Year Awards were presented to Mia King (Australian Rules Football, Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours) and Ben Cosgriff (Wakeboarding, Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours).
King was an integral member of the all-conquering North Melbourne AFLW team, having played in the Roos’ historic 2024 campaign where they became the first team in AFL and AFLW history to go through the season undefeated and win the premiership. Cosgriff on the other hand represented both Australia and La Trobe University at the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation University Worlds, competing in Slalom and Jump disciplines where he was the highest placed Australian with top five placings in each of these events.
Both King and Cosgriff were also recognised for the prestigious University Blue award, which acknowledges students for their professional sporting achievements on the national or international stage. Recent Australian Jackaroos debutant Olivia Cartwright (Lawn Bowls, Bachelor of Education) also received a University Blue award off the back off an outstanding 12 month period that saw her named as the Victorian Player of the Series at the Australian Sides National Championships before her international Jackaroos debut in Scotland last month.
University Half Blues for significant sporting achievements or representation at state or national level were awarded to Marcy Forge (Curling, Bachelor of Business), Amy Bachmann (Equestrian, Bachelor of Dental Science with Honours), Charlotte Sexton (Netball, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours), Conor Hayes (Open Water Swimming, Bachelor of Sport & Exercise Science), Iris Webb (Karate, Bachelor of Podiatry with Honours), Bianca Motta (Taekwondo, Bachelor of Food & Nutrition), Sophie Kurzman (Lawn Bowls, Master of Physiotherapy Practice) and Benjamin De Pedro (Trap Shooting, Bachelor of Cybersecurity and Bachelor of Criminology).
Bachmann was also named the recipient of the Sporting and Academic Excellence Award recognising the highest academic achievement of a University Blue or Half-Blue recipient with a weighted average mark (WAM) of 82.
In the Team La Trobe awards, Matt Debney was awarded the highly coveted Team La Trobe Athlete of the Year on the back of a fantastic 2025 University Basketball League (UBL) season which saw him named as the Men’s UBL competition Most Valuable Player.
The La Trobe University Football Club’s Senior Women’s team was named the Team La Trobe Team of the Year after a breakthrough premiership in the Victorian Amateur Football League Women’s competition, while Ushakanth Kovvuri (La Trobe University Cricket Club), Warwick Oliver (La Trobe University Hockey Club) and Ivan Jurinovic (Team La Trobe Uni Nationals Football Coach) were recognised for their longstanding contributions to sport at the University with Outstanding Service to Sport Awards.
The Coach of the Year Award was presented to Taya Stuart of the La Trobe University Hockey Club off the back of leading the club’s Senior Women’s team to the Vic League 2 premiership, while the La Trobe University Ice Sports Club took out the Sport Club of the Year Award for its excellence both on and off the arena.
Visit the La Trobe Sport Facebook page for a full gallery of images from the 2025 Blues Sport Awards.
Main Image: 2025 Blues Sport Awards Sportspeople of the Year Award winners Mia King (left) and Ben Cosgriff (right) with event MC and La Trobe University Journalism Alumna, Lauren Bordin (centre).
