Hockey Scholarship recipients announced

Congratulations to Abby Lennon and Taylor Duffy, recipients of the inaugural Otago Polytechnic and Otago Hockey Scholarship.

Originally from Gore, Abby will begin studying for a Bachelor of Nursing at Otago Polytechnic in 2020, while Taylor will study Occupational Therapy.

The scholarships cover a maximum of three years study, depending on the specific programme, and will take effect from the beginning of 2020.

The scholarships are performance-based: recipients must meet the entry criteria for their programme of study and are required to pass 70% of their programme each year; they are also required to consistently perform at a high (representative) sporting level.

“Sports scholarships like these allow hockey to present the option of study to young up-and-coming athletes from around Otago and New Zealand,” says Megan Gibbons, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Learner Experience, Otago Polytechnic.

“This has to be good for both our local and regional sport and the education providers in the city.”

Abby, who played for the Rangi Ruru 1st XI, went on to be a key member of a successful Canterbury Under-18 regional team, a member of the Canterbury Cats National League squad, and was selected in the New Zealand Under-18 programme in 2018.

Taylor has played for the Southern Under-18 and Under-21 teams as well as the title-winning Momona Hockey Club after being a stalwart of the successful St Hilda's 1st XI.

Otago Hockey General Manager Andy McLean says the initiative is exciting news for young hockey players throughout New Zealand.

“Dunedin is a fantastic place to combine tertiary education and sporting ambition.

“The hockey turf is adjacent to Otago Polytechnic’s Student Village, Te Pā Tauira, and Otago Polytechnic’s campus is just across the road. And High Performance Sport New Zealand is just around the corner at the stadium. It is pretty special,” McLean says.

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