2025 Blue Award Winners
Excellence doesn't happen by accident. It takes commitment, resilience and a willingness to keep showing up when no one is watching. Congratulations to our 2025 Blue Awards winners. Your achievements in sport, art, design and culture reflect the very best of what it means to perform at an elite level while succeeding in your studies.
Major awards 2025
Arts, Culture and Design Award of the Year
Havana Beal
Dance (Hip Hop)
A standout performer and proud member of The Royal Family Dance Crew, Havana Beal has excelled globally, winning 1st place at the World Dance Crew Competition in Auckland and placing 4th at the International Dance League in Los Angeles. Havana has also performed at the Suncorp Super Netball Finals and toured across the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe.
Māori Arts, Culture and Design Award of the Year
Ivy Lynde-Hancy (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Wairere, Tainui, Ngāpuhi)
Poetry
Poet Ivy Lynde-Hancy’s work has been published in anthologies like Everything That Moves, Moves Through Another and Puhia III. Her powerful poetic performances, including at Fred Graham’s exhibition opening, have earned acclaim. Ivy’s work has received multiple awards and national recognition, establishing her as a rising literary voice in Aotearoa.
Junior Athlete of the Year
Lucy Jordan
Waka Ama
Lucy Jordan is a dedicated Waka Ama athlete who represented Aotearoa as part of the J19 Wāhine team. She achieved gold at the IVF Va'a World Distance Championships, showcasing her strength, teamwork and commitment. Her achievements highlight her as a standout in the sport on the international stage.
Māori Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year
Briana Irving (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhaakata)
Surf Life Saving
Briana Irving is a top surf life saver, winning three gold medals at the World Championships on the Gold Coast. Earlier in the year, she also secured three golds at the New Zealand Championships. Her consistent excellence and fierce determination make her a standout competitor nationally and internationally.
Sport Scholar of the Year
Prudence Fowler
Cycling
Prudence Fowler is an elite cyclist whose talent and determination have earned her top honours on the international stage. She claimed 2nd place at the UCI Track Nations Cup and secured 1st place in the Team Pursuit at the Oceania Championships, showcasing her strength and strategic prowess on the track. Prudence is pursuing a conjoint Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Health Science, demonstrating excellence both in sport and academia.
Sport Blue Awards 2025
Winner | Discipline |
|---|---|
Ashton Reed | Ultimate Frisbee |
Bria FitzGerald | Hockey |
Briana Irving | Surf Life Saving |
Brianna Masterson | Trampolining |
Caleb Woodley | Rugby |
Charlie Vail | Volleyball |
Courtney Day | Football & Futsal Referee |
Emily Hunter | AFL |
Emily Stone | Ultimate Frisbee |
Gabrielle Wright | Athletics (Wheelchair Racing) |
Grace Foreman | Cricket |
Grace Kukutai | Rugby League |
Harison Clulow | Hockey (Floorball) |
Harlyn Saunoa | Rugby |
Ho Ting (Ruby) Chan | Fencing |
Holly Williams | Touch Rugby |
Hong Thuy Nguyen | Taekwondo |
Ivana Lauitiiti | Rugby League |
Lani Egelagi-Rawle | Beach Volleyball |
Levi Matheson | Archery |
Lucy Jordan | Waka Ama |
Mack Stevenson | Ultimate Frisbee |
Maeve White | Sailing |
Mirika Okaro Armstrong | Ice Figure Skating |
Nathaniel Ford | Lacrosse |
Oliver Lloyd | Yachting |
Olivia Skinner | Artistic Roller Skating |
Phoebe Ata | Hockey (Underwater) |
Preston Broadhurst | Touch Rugby |
Prudence Fowler | Cycling |
Quinn Masila | Touch Rugby |
Rebekah Trewhitt | Football |
Sophia Lafaiali'i | Netball |
Sophie Campbell | Football |
Sophie Gardiner | Water Polo |
Taimana Baillie | Touch Rugby |
Tara Vaughan | Kayaking |
Tysha Ikenasio | Rugby League |
Victoria Alves Flood | Hockey (Field) |
Zachary Tagomoa-Timo | Rugby League (Physical Disability) |
Arts Blue Awards 2025
Winner | Discipline |
|---|---|
Akane Shibata | Animation and Illustration |
Amelia Lee Chee | Architecture |
Ella Rhodes | Fashion Design |
Havana Beal | Hip Hop Dance |
Ivy Lyden-Hancy | Poetry |
Janaeyah Kite | Hawaiian Sanctioned Dance |
Junchang Zhang | Sound Art |
Luisa Montevirgen Bayot | Visual Arts, Painting |
Zena Elliott | Whakairo, Sculpture, Sonic Kōwhaiwhai, and Painting |
Gold medallist wins major Blue Award
The 2024 AUT Blue Awards saw Dame Lisa Carrington present her Olympic team-mate and AUT student, Tara Vaughn, with the Female Athlete of the Year Award.
