Student-athletes from UniSA’s Athlete Development Program have been making their mark across Australia and around the world in recent months, balancing elite-level performance with their academic pursuits. Representing UniSA, their state, and even the nation, these students have achieved exceptional results that highlight the strength and depth of UniSA’s sporting talent.
Final-year Bachelor of Secondary Education student Cassidy Perkins led the South Australian U22 women’s indoor cricket team—the Southern Spiders—at the Indoor Cricket Nationals held in Western Australia from 28 June to 6 July. As team captain, Cassidy played all 10 games and finished the tournament as the top run scorer for SA with 182 runs at a strike rate of 141.09, and took nine wickets, the second-highest for the team. South Australia placed fourth overall in a highly competitive national competition.
Daniel Roberts, a third-year Bachelor of Physiotherapy student, represented Australia at the World U-24 Ultimate Championships in Logroño, Spain, from 21 to 28 July. Daniel played in all ten of Australia’s games, scoring five goals and collecting one assist throughout the tournament. Australia secured five wins, ultimately finishing eighth in a strong 16-team international field. The team faced a challenging quarterfinal against the eventual champions, the United States, and closed out the tournament with narrow one-point losses to Austria and Colombia.
In the world of distance running, second-year Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours) student Tiana Cetta delivered an outstanding performance at the Australian Half-Marathon Championships and the UniSport Australia Distance Running Championships, held as part of the Gold Coast Marathon Festival on 5 July. Representing SA and UniSA, Tiana finished the race in a personal best time of 1:13:22. She placed fourth overall in the Australian Championships, sixth female overall in the event, and took home the gold medal in the UniSport Women’s Half Marathon—cementing her as a national leader in university long-distance running.
First-year Bachelor of Psychology student Ethan Penck also competed at the Gold Coast Marathon Festival, taking part in the 10km race. He crossed the line in 32:04, placing 32nd among all male competitors and sixth overall in the UniSport Nationals 10km event, a promising performance early in his university sporting journey.
In international athletics, Bachelor of Illustration and Animation student Tryphena Hewett has been selected to represent Australia at the 2025 FISU World University Games (WUGs), to be held in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany from 16 to 27 July. With 18 sports contested across six cities, the Games are the world’s second-largest multisport event, behind only the Olympic Games. Tryphena will compete in athletics alongside fellow UniSA student Isabella Guthrie. As part of her preparation, Tryphena recently competed at the Night of Athletics in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, where she finished fifth with a jump of 4.23 metres.
Meanwhile, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) student Taylor Larsson delivered strong results whilst representing Australia at the 2025 Mini Pacific Games held in Palau, 29 June-9 July. Taylor claimed silver in the Open Women's Shot Put with a distance of 14.18 metres, surpassing her own open and U/20 club records. She also finished fourth in the Open Women's Discus with a throw of 44.46 metres—an impressive double performance on the regional international stage.
Bachelor of Architectural Studies student Isobella Nitschke continues to compete at the national level in wheelchair basketball as a member of the Adelaide Thunder. She is currently playing in the Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL) Championships, facing teams from across the country, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and the Gold Coast.
Third-year Bachelor of Business (Design and Marketing) student Jonathan Raw is contributing to the sport from the officiating side, recently taking part as a referee at the U16 Nationals in Bendigo. His involvement highlights the importance of developing leaders in all areas of sport.
Also achieving on the international circuit is Diploma of Health student Angus Thomas, a member of the Australian Fencing Federation’s National Squad in Men’s Sabre. This season, Angus competed in the Grand Prix in Seoul and recorded four top-ten finishes in national events on the Australian Fencing Circuit, with his best placing being sixth. He is currently the top-ranked South Australian and is tied for eighth nationally in the Men’s Sabre rankings.
These achievements reflect the commitment, discipline, and drive of UniSA’s student-athletes. As they continue to train, study, and compete at the highest levels, they are not only building successful sporting careers but also inspiring the UniSA community with their dedication and passion.