UNSW Sport December & January Recap

December and January marked a powerful start to the new year for UNSW sport, highlighted by Olympic selections, international competition, national championships and major individual milestones. Across winter sports, football, cricket, rowing, rugby, athletics, handball and underwater rugby, UNSW athletes continued to represent the University with distinction on the world stage.

January delivered a major milestone for UNSW sport, with Charlotte Wilson, Emma Bosco and George Murphy officially selected to represent Australia in mogul skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, Italy. The trio’s selection continues UNSW’s strong presence on the world’s biggest sporting stage, following the University’s representation at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. All three athletes earned selection through consistent international performances, championship experience and progression on the World Cup and Nor-Am circuits. Wilson enters the Games following a breakthrough season highlighted by a World Cup gold medal and Rookie of the Year honours, while Bosco’s selection reflects years of perseverance, including a return from injury and strong international results. Murphy rounds out the team after delivering consistent performances across World Cup events and podium finishes at Nor-Am level. Full story HERE.

The UNSW Raiders delivered a ruthless performance in the Waratah Bowl XLI, overpowering the UTS Gators 48–6 in a championship clash that was effectively decided early. UTS won the toss and chose to receive, but any early momentum was quickly erased by the Raiders’ defence. After a holding penalty stalled the opening drive, Ben Fraser came up with a massive interception on the next play to flip field position. The UNSW offence capitalised immediately, with quarterback Clark Hazlett leading a rapid four-play drive finished by a touchdown pass to Kingsley Dennison. A two-point conversion to Rusty Todd made it 8–0. The pressure only intensified. Seb Riley returned an interception 90 yards for a defensive touchdown, and with Jet Key converting the two points, the Raiders closed the first quarter up 16–0. While the Gators managed a lone score, UNSW’s defence continued to dominate. Leo Koloboks added another interception, and with 37 seconds left in the half, Hazlett found Mitch Sawyer in the end zone. Jet Key’s conversion sent the Raiders into the break with a commanding 26–6 lead. By halftime, Key had rushed for 128 yards and the defence had forced four interceptions. UNSW wasted no time after the break. Hazlett connected with Sawyer again for a 34-yard touchdown, before Nate Barth jumped a route and returned an interception for another defensive score. Hazlett then capped off the night with a superb 46-yard strike to Michael Whitman to seal the 48–6 result.

During December 2025, a representative Indian Universities cricket team toured Australia, playing a six-match series against the Australian Universities side in Brisbane and Sydney. The series, a reciprocal exchange following Australia’s tour of India, saw competitive cricket across all fixtures, with the visiting Indian team winning 4–2 overall. Three UNSW Elite Athlete Program players Cameron Frendo, Ryan Gupta, and Ethan Jamieson represented Australia, after stellar UniSport Nationals T20 performances earlier in the year.

Nikolas Pender closed out a standout 2025 season by winning the Win Well Vocational and Educational Award at the 2025 Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards, recognising his excellence both on and off the water. The UNSW Elite Athlete enjoyed a breakthrough year internationally, claiming gold at World Rowing Cup regattas as part of Australia’s men’s four and contributing to the Australian men’s eight victory at Henley Royal Regatta, where the crew won the Grand Challenge Cup. Domestically, Pender continued his strong form with top finishes at the Australian Rowing Championships, cementing his status as one of Australia’s leading emerging sweep rowers. 

The UNSW Whales Underwater Rugby team tested themselves against the world’s best at the Underwater Rugby Champions Cup in Berlin, taking on elite club teams from across Europe and beyond. Competing on the international stage, the Whales battled through a challenging draw and a series of hard-fought matches to finish 8th overall, a strong result against world-class opposition.

Amelia “Milly” Whitaker has very deservedly earned a contract with the Wallaroos National Women’s 15s program following a standout season with the Australia A Sevens side in Dubai. Milly is a product of the Randwick Magic Girls Junior Club and a long-term member of the Randwick Junior Academy pathway, demonstrating her development from grassroots to elite levels. In 2025, she made her Super Rugby debut for the NSW Waratahs and impressed nationally with strong performances in the Australia A Sevens team and the broader National Sevens program, cementing her status as one of Australia’s rising stars in women’s rugby. The Wallaroos will assemble for two camps in February in preparation for their opening Test match of the season against Fijiana at GIO Stadium in Canberra on March 27.

Tamsin Colley opened her 2026 season in impressive form at the ACT Championships, competing against athletes from across the country in a high-quality meet of season openers. Racing in the Para Ambulant Open Women’s events, Colley claimed two gold medals, winning the 800m (3:03.21, 89.32%) and 400m (1:13.50, 91.10%). She also tested her speed across shorter distances, finishing eighth in the 200m (33.74, 83.60%) and ninth in the 100m (16.01, 85.44%). The meet provided a strong benchmark as she builds toward the 2026 competition season.

Lucas Velasque was selected for the Australian Men’s National Handball Team for the Asian Handball Championship in Kuwait, a tournament serving as a qualifier for the Handball World Championship and a key step in Australia’s long-term rebuild toward the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Despite suffering a Grade 3 ankle ligament tear shortly after selection, Velasque completed an accelerated rehabilitation and made his senior international debut just six weeks post-injury. Australia finished 14th overall, including a dominant victory over India, competing strongly against fully professional teams despite being the only self-funded amateur squad.

With Olympic selections, national titles, international tours and standout individual achievements, December and January set the tone for another strong year of UNSW sport. The breadth of performances across codes highlighted both the depth of talent within the University and the continued impact of UNSW athletes on the national and global sporting stage.