Rushlee Buchanan
Rushlee is currently studying a Bachelor of Science- Resource and Environmental Planning with her favourite subject being geography. Rushlee is a Track and Road Cyclist and her career highlight to date is winning a Silver Medal at the Junior World Track Championships in Austria in August 2005. in 2006 she will only be doing part time university as she has a scholarship at the World Cycling Headquarters in Switzerland from May to August, when she will go to Belgium to attend the Junior World Champs again. She has a number of national titles and records to her name and trains all year round.

Sarah Campbell
Sarah is in her first year studying a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in psychology with an ultimate goal of becoming a forensic psychologist. Sarah has trained in Wado-kai Karate for 7 years up until last year when she decided to part-take in a GAP year in England. Previous to this she represented New Zealand at Oceanic gaining third place and was ranked second in NZ in the Women’s Cadet Kata (Form) Division. Currently she is training for reselection in the NZ team and hopes to make it to Oceanic later this year in New Caledonia.

Nikki Cox
Nikki is a two times NZ Surf Life Saving representative. She competed at the International Surf Life Saving World Champs in 2006 where she won the Surf Ski race, 2nd in the taplin relay, 3rd iron women and 3rd in board race. Nikki was part of the Kawana Waters Surf Life Saving team that won the overall Interclub World Championship in 2006. She was also selected into the High Performance Squad for Kayaking 2006. Nikki is currently in second year of Bachelor of Management Studies.

June Dams
June wants to become a opera singer and is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Music in Performance voice and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies with a second major in Composition. In 2005 she won the first prize in the acoustic section and the performance prize in the Lilburn Trust Student Competition Awards. She was winner of the program class at the Te Awamutu singing competitions and awarded most promising singer under 21 years. She received a Waikato University Blue Award and was offered a membership of the Golden Key International Honors Society. In 2005 June performed at Student concerts and in the Opera “The 3 Franks” composed by David Griffith’s in which she sung the part of Mrs. Flynn and the Narrator.

Chris Dunn
Chris is currently doing a Bachelor of Computer and Graphic design; he is in his third year and will continue on to do honours. Chris is also currently the New Zealand 19-24 year old Wakeboard Champ, and aims to further his wakeboarding with a goal to represent NZ at the Worlds.

Caroline Gill
Caroline Gill is currently doing a Diploma in Secondary Teaching at the University of Waikato and intends to teach drama, dance and physical education in secondary schools on completion. She has been up at Waikato University for the past 3 years doing her Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies and is also a mother to 2-year-old twin girls. Caroline love performing and her true passion is being on stage and sharing her talents with others. She has taught Jazz Ballet here in Hamilton and Cambridge and would like to extend her repertoire in dance and also get doing some choreography and directing off stage shows.

Claire Gray
I'm doing a BA majoring in Theatre Studies and minoring in Te Reo Maori.  I hope to become a teacher of both subjects after doing a post-graduate diploma in secondary teaching.  At the moment I'm invovled with a show called Swamp Treasures.  I hope to continue dance and mabe tie it into my career because it is the passion of my life.

John Gray
2006 is John Gray’s first year a Waikato University. The former Western Heights High School head boy from Rotorua is studying towards a BMS/BSc conjoint degree. John has mountain biked competitively since 2003, and in 2005 he represented New Zealand at the Oceania Champs where he placed fifth in the junior men U19 category. He also placed 2nd at the National champs in the same class. While at the University, John plans to continue training hard and hopefully be selected for this year world champs team in Rotorua in August.

Mark Hedley
Mark is a new student from Matamata College. He is studying a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies. He is a Waikato Tennis Player. He has represented Waikato Juniors since the age of 12 and now is a member of the Waikato Senior Men’s Team.

Sarah Ho
Sarah has come a long way since immigrating to New Zealand from Taiwan with her family at the age of 10, unable to speak English and with no specific sporting skills. Her rapid advancement in just seven years of competing is her chosen sport, table tennis, demonstrates her determination, strong competitive streak and an active pursuit of excellence.
In 2005 Sarah was selected in her Table Tennis NZ Commonwealth Games Squad, missing final selection for the team by a narrow margin. While gaining selection for the Commonwealth Games was a primary sporting focus for Sarah during 2005, she made major technical improvements to her game during the year and has built a much stringer base to pursue her longer-term goals from. The year was not without its successes, winning Waikato women’s title for the fourth year, gaining selection for New Zealand in a test match against Australia (winning her match) and winning open tournaments in Auckland and the lower North Island. 2006 has started in excellent fashion for Sarah with her selection in the NZ women’s team for the World Teams championships in Germany in April. In addition Sarah is a strong candidate for selection for the Oceania Champions and has another busy study year pursuing a degree in Law and Social Science.   

Shane Hooks
Shane is completing his fourth and final year studying secondary teaching and sports and leisure studies at the university and hopes to become a PE teacher or personal trainer once he finishes in October. He plays soccer for Melville United during the winter season and national league for Waikato FC during the summer. He is having reconstructive shoulder surgery on the 7th March so unfortunately will be out for the whole winter season but hopes to be back to full fitness for the beginning of the 2006/2007 national league season.

Chloe Hoolihan
Chloe has just completed her seventh form year at Hillcrest High School and is now in her first year of a Bachelor of Management Studies. For the last two years Chloe has represented Waikato in the Junior Women’s Squash Team. In 2004 Chloe won the U19 Girls title at the Waikato Junior Age Groups. And in 2005 was runner up for both the U19 Waikato Age Group event and Division 1 of the Waikato Junior Open. Chloe’s current squash grade is ‘B2’ and she is aiming to improve her grade this year to ‘B1’. Her goal in squash is to reach ‘A’ grade and be selected for the Senior Waikato Women’s Team.

Jennifer Johnson
Jenny has had a passion for music for a while now. After years of clarinet she changed to oboe at high school and, has been rapidly improving ever since. Jenny has been a prominent member of many groups around Waikato including the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra, and more recently Chamber Orchestra. Jenny intends on studying performance on Oboe onto graduate level.

Alex Lubransky
Alex is studying towards a Bachelor of Science, and has received her Hillary Scholarship for badminton. She was a member of the South Island U19 team, which competed in the Australasian teams’ tournaments in 2004 and 2005. She has also been a member of the Wellington North Division 1 team, competing in New Zealand teams finals. Her leadership skills have also been rewarded through her attendance at the national Genesis Research science and technology forum as a group leader for two-week program in January 2006.

Jesse Manson-Bolt
Jesse is in her first year studying towards a Bachelor of Management Degree. Last year she was Head Girl and joint-Dux of Otorohanga College and represented Waikato in the U19 Netball Black Team.

Courtney Mason
Courtney is currently in her second year of studying towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Theatre Studies. Courtney is passionate about musical theatre and has performed in several Hamilton productions. She aims to open her own theatre company one day.

Michelle McCarthy

Michelle, from Wellington is undertaking her first year of a BMS. Michelle also received a Prime Minister's Scholarship for Table Tennis and her goals this year are to win the U19 singles at the NZ Open and to make the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Sam McNally

• Was a member of the NZSS Orienteering team 2003-2005 that competed in Australia, regaining Southern Cross Junior Challenge each year.
• Member of the NZ Orienteering team that competed in the Junior World Champs in Switzerland 2005
• NZ M18 Long Distance Champion 2005
• NZM18 Middle Distance Champion 2055
• 2nd M18 Oceania Champs
• 3 National titles gained in 2003
• Recently been selected in the NZ Orienteering Team to compete in the Junior World Orienteering Champs in Lithuania July 2006.

Chris Musgrave

• First year at University doing BMS
• Force Three Federation Rep U15, U16, U17 and U18 National Youth League Team.
• Hamilton Boys’ High School 1st X1 2003, 2004 and Captain 2005
• U19 New Zealand Secondary School Representative 2005 Tour of Canada and Australia.
• 2006 Training Squad for Waikato FC

Future aspirations:

• Club player for either Melville or Wanderers
• New Zealand Football Championship player
• NZ U20’s

Thomas Nabbs
Thomas, who is originally from Cambridge, is in his first year of a Bachelor of Management Studies. Thomas who started playing rugby when he was just 5 years old is now playing for Fraser Tech this year and was selected for the Waikato U18 side last year. He is also a coach for the St. Pauls U15 rowing team.

Emily Olsen
Emily is a 2nd year conjoint Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies and Bachelor of Secondary Teaching student.  She attended Taupo Nui-a-tia College and captained the shooting team while there.  She is a member of the New Zealand Junior ISSF squad and was a member of the recent Oceania team competing in open women.  She is the 2004 New Zealand Girls Skeet Champion and also won the C grade New Zealand skeet classic in the same year.  In 2005 she won the ladies, junior and B grade section at the South Island north zone ISSF Champs.  She placed second at the New Zealand Nationals early this year.  Emily hopes to achieve high placings in all international events and be part of the world championships team later this year.

Charlotte Osborne
I am currently in my second year here at Waikato studying for a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies with a second major in Geography. I am a track athlete who specializes in the 400m and hold the New Zealand Junior 400m title. I have represented NZ at the World University Games, Youth Olympics and World Youth Champs. I enjoy all sports and I am keen on soccer, netball and volleyball.

Steven Rae
Steven is a first year student at the University of Waikato, enrolled in the newly offered Bachelor of Management Studies/Bachelor of Science Degree. During the 2005/06 cricket season Steven played for the Northern Districts under 19 side, as well Steven captained Tauranga Boys’ College to first equal in the national secondary schools competition, the Gillette Cup.

Gabrielle Rogers
Gabrielle Rogers is currently in her final year studying towards a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure degree. She has been a member of the NZ U21 Rowing Academy for two consecutive years. At the NZ National Champs this year she finished first in the U21 pairs event and second in the premier eight. She aims to compete at the Trans-Tasman Rowing Regatta in July and at the University World’s in Lithuania in August.

Odette Sceats
I am currently studying first year law. I am a member of the Waikato Rowing Performance Centre. This year I hope to make the NZ U21 Rowing Squad, which is to travel overseas to compete at a number of International regattas. I am also involved in road cycling and mountain biking.

Ollie Sharp
Ollie is a current student at the University of Waikato currently studying in his third and final year of a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure. 2004 saw Ollie gain seventh overall in the National Open class, with injury forcing him out of the 2005 National Series. Ollie’s ambitions are to race professionally in the World Championships and work in the Event Management industry.

Robert Short
This year so far I played Pukekohe premier cricket, counties U19 and counties B cricket. In the winter I am playing rugby for the University U19’s. Last year I had 8 months off sport as I ruptured my ACL in my knee in rugby season so had to have a knee reconstruction in July. I began playing cricket in January again and had an excellent half season. I have been asked to train with the Northern Districts U19 team. So far am loving Uni life and am still playing the sports I love the most.

Callum Slee
Callum Slee is a first year student in the Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design course. He plays hockey for the Fraser Tech premier team and represents Waikato for under 18s. In past years he has captained Counties Manukau under 15s and Pukekohe High School 1st XI. He also represents Maniapoto Waikato in the annual national Maori tournament.

Tim Smith
Tim is in his third year of study towards a BachelorofManagement Studies at the University of Waikato. In 2005 he was a member of the NZ U18 and NZ University Mens Teams. Tim represented Midlands in his third season of National Hockey League. Locally he is looking forward to his third season with the local champions University Premier Lens. An injury-riddled 2005 season created time for Tim to start a coaching career. In 2006 Tim will be coaching secondary school and Representative age group hockey teams as well as being involved in Milo Cricket coaching clinics

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Ashleigh Stone
My name is Ashleigh Stone, and I have been cycling for seven years. I compete at the highest level in NZ, on both the road and track disciplines. I have been lucky enough to represent NZ on several occasions, most recently at the Oceania Games where I won two bronze medals, one in the 500m time trail and the other in the sprint event. I intend to compete at the highest level of cycling while obtaining excellence in academic studies at Waikato University.

Mark Taylor
I started coxing at the age of 13 and am currently in my sixth year. I have competed with North Island U18’s, North Island U21’s and for New Zealand Men’s eight in the Great Race. Spent the summer of 2005/2006 training with the elite squad and will be training for the NZ Men’s coxed four to go to the World Champs. Other hobbies include running, cycling, beaching, poker and chess.

Erin Tolhurst
Has been a member of the NZ Junior Women’s 8’s in 2003 and 2004 competing at the Junior World Rowing Championships. In 2005 she was a member of the NZ U21 North Island Rowing Academy that won the Rusty Robertson Trophy in Adelaide at the Youth Cup Regatta. In 2006 Erin was selected as a stroke of NZ Women’s Elite 8’s that is to compete at the World Lupin regatta’s in Europe, culminating in the World Champs to be held in Eton England.

Kate Trebilcock
Kate is beginning her first year of Bachelor of Science this year and came from Hillcrest High School. Last year she was a Waikato soccer, hockey and volleyball rep and also made the New Zealand Secondary Schools Tournament team for volleyball and was named Waikato All rounder of the Year. This year she plans to pursue her volleyball and soccer to a higher level.  

Emma Twigg
Emma Twigg has been in the New Zealand Rowing program since 2003 when she made the New Zealand Junior Women’s Eight. In 2004 Emma made the Junior Eight again after winning the U17 and U19 single skulls title at the Maadi Cup for the second year now. In 2005 Emma was selected to compete at both the Junior and U23 World Championships in the single skull. She gained 4th place at the U23 champs in Amsterdam and then went on to win gold at the Junior World Champs in Germany. In 2006 after a successful National Campaign with fellow scholar Erin Tolhurst, Emma has been selected as part of the NZ Elite Women’s eight to compete in World Cup regattas and then at the World Champs in Eton, England.

Tanya Wakefield
Tanya Wakefield is a member of the Claudeland’s Rover’s Women’s Northern League team and also plays in the Women’s Force Three National League team. She has completed her Bachelor of Sport and Leisure degree and is currently in her Honors program for Sport and Leisure. In completing this, she hopes to be a Sports Event Manager overseas.