Hedda, Sam given captains armbands

Two of the University’s best and brightest student-athletes will lead the University of Melbourne and its sporting teams into battle in 2015.

Rower Hedda Cooper and tennis player Sam Thompson have been selected as women’s and men’s sports captains. Both have represented the University and Australia with distinction on a number of occasions.

Cooper is in her final year of studies towards a Bachelor of Science. She is the Melbourne University Boat Club captain and has represented the University at several Australian University Games/Championships, winning a number of national championships.

She has also been a crew member of two winning women’s eights in the Australian Boat Race. She has two Full Blues for rowing and was an Australian representative at the 2013 Junior World Championships in the coxless four.

Having recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Thompson is now undertaking a Master of Science in Mathematics and Statistics. Earlier this year he won through to the main draw of the Australian Open with mixed doubles partner Masa Jovanovic, where the eventual champions, Martina Hingis and Leander Paes, bundled them out in the first round.

Sam has also represented Australia at two World University Games, in Kazan, Russia (2013) and Shenzhen, China (2011). He is a Full Blue for tennis (2011, 2012 and 2013).

Both students were excited to be chosen from more than 750 of their peers, who will represent Winged Victory across more than 70 national university championships in 2015.

“It’s an unbelievable honour to have been chosen as a captain,’’ says Cooper. “And I’m looking forward to supporting our teams over the next couple of months as we prepare for the Uni Games on the Gold Coast and for my rowing championship event in Adelaide.

“The Gold Coast is a great location for a Uni Games,’’ says Thompson. “The facilities are great. The weather is perfect. And it’s great all of our 450-strong team stays together in the one accommodation property.’’

Sport co-ordinator and University Team Manager Tom Lutwyche, says Cooper and Thompson were standout choices.

“Hedda and Sam have represented the University on multiple occasions with great individual and team success. Hedda has also been a valuable member of the Boat Club, while both students have supported many of the outreach programs associated with our Elite Athlete Program,’’ says Lutwyche.

While the Australian University Games and the Australian University Rowing Championships are still some months away (in late September), Cooper and Thompson have been keeping busy training for another big event.

At the time of writing, both were gearing up to represent Australia at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, Korea, on 3-14 July.

Cooper will row in the women’s pair with fellow University of Melbourne student-athlete Claudia Zuchelli. Thompson will compete in the men’s singles.

The University will also be represented by rower Alice Arch, badminton player Luke Chong, swimmer Raymond Mak (representing Hong Kong), track and field athlete Deluca Lawson-Matthew, fencers Amy Reynolds and Lucas Webber and water polo player Madeleine Steer.

Find out how these student-athletes fare at the Games by visiting

www.sport.unimelb.edu.au.