Hockey skills earn Hull a Blues award

HONOURS: Megan Hull, Waikato University student and old girl of Wairarapa College, has been feted for her exceptional ability on the hockey field. PHOTO/ STEPHEN BARKER

Waikato University student and old girl of Wairarapa College, Megan Hull, has been lauded yet again as a rising star of New Zealand hockey.

Media adviser Ann Huston said Hull, who this year played for Midlands in the National Hockey League, was this month presented with a Wallace Corporation University of Waikato Blues Award as one of 60 high-achieving students at the varsity who excel in sports, and the creative and performing arts.

The Blue is a prestigious award at Waikato University that recognises regional or national excellence, through to world champions. The awards are one of the University of Waikato's strongest traditions, dating back to 1971.

Hockey New Zealand in April named Hull in the Youth Olympics squad and put her in contention for the Future Blacks Sticks and in May she was selected for the Junior World Cup training squad.

Hull had won multiple awards at Wairarapa College in her graduation year of 2013 for her sporting success and leadership. Her accolades included a University of Waikato Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship, which provides support for students to achieve a high academic standard in a programme of study, excellence in a sporting code, hockey, and to develop leadership qualities.

Scholarship students have course fees covered and receive additional academic support and coaching in leadership and personal development, Ms Huston said.

Thirty-six University of Waikato students were recognised with a Blue last week for their sporting achievements, alongside 21 students for efforts in creative and performing arts.

Among the latest round of Blues handed out were Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year " Caleb Shepherd for rowing (Hamilton Boys' High School) and Zoe Stephenson for rowing (Tauranga Girls' College), Pou Ahurea (Maori Person of the Year) went to Tupuria King for waka ama (Kaitaia College), and Creative and Performing Arts Person of the Year went to Catherine Kwak for cello (Villa Maria College), along with awards for long service, club, sports team and sports coach of the year.

Ms Huston said the tradition of awarding Blues came from the rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge universities, which adopted different shades of blue as their colour for boat races in the early 1820s. Blues then became awarded for sporting excellence, she said.