AoC Sport Awards
The AoC Sport awards are the chance for member colleges from across the country to showcase and celebrate the achievements and inspirational work of students and staff in college sport.
The annual awards represent the very best approaches that colleges are adopting to ensure that every student is regularly participating in sport or physical activity.
About the awards
The award categories are as follows:
- Student Performer of the Year – celebrates the domestic and/or international success of a current student competing in AoC Sport competitions
- Team of the Year (sponsored by Matrix Fitness) – celebrates the domestic or international, success of a student team competing in AoC Sport competitions
- Inspirational Student of the Year – recognises the commitment of a student to the positive impact of sport in Further Education, as an athlete, volunteer or leader
- Volunteer of the Year – (strictly for Leadership Academy colleges) – recognises the commitment of an individual student to college sport and physical activity as a volunteer and/or leader
- Achievement in Disability Sport – awarded to a disabled sportsperson or team that has achieved improvement in their development
- Hall of Fame – awarded to staff who have made a continuous commitment and significant contribution to college sport and physical activity. There will be two awards available in this category.
AoC College Awards
The annual AoC Beacon Awards and the Student of the Year Awards recognise the outstanding and innovative practice provided by FE Colleges and achievement of their students. All colleges are encouraged to submit nominations during the year, regardless of whether they are involved in sport or not.
2022 Winners
After the first full academic year of sport competition and physical activity participation since the pandemic, we are delighted to celebrate and announce the AoC Sport Award winners!
These were announced on the AoC Sport Instagram account by European, World, and Paralympic Boccia Champion David Smith.
Student performer of the year winner
- Fraya Walker - St John Rigby College
Highly Commended
- Lilli Ives- Campion from Loughborough College
- Evie Rabjohn - Birmingham Metropolitan College
Team of the year winner
- Leeds City College Men's Basketball Team
Highly Commended
- Coleg Cambria Netball Team
- Newcastle Stafford College Group Volleyball Team
Inspiration student of the year winner
- Mohamed Alhaj - Leeds City College
Highly Commended
- Sara Ndoj - Newham College of FE
Student volunteer of the year winner
- Ria Lee - New City College Epping Forest
Highly Commended
- Kate Robertson - Loughborough College
- Sulaiman Shahid - Newham College of FE
Achievement in disability sport winner
- Thomas Young - Loughborough College
Highly Commended
- Ben Bartram - Easton College
- Megan Gray - Newcastle Stafford College Group
Hall of Fame winners
- Craig Davidson - USP College (Seevic)
- Phil Heseltine - New City College Epping Forest
2021 Winners
The 2021 Awards were once again affected by the pandemic, so only three categories could be awarded. These were announced on the AoC Sport Instagram account by Team GB and Olympic long jumper Abigail Irozuru.The categories were Inspirational Student of the Year, Student Volunteer of the Year and two Hall of Fame Awards.
Inspirational student of the year winner
- Vicky Newport – SGS College
Highly Commended
- Collins Augustine – Leicester College
- Aimee Johnson – Burnley College
- William Garner – Hills Road Sixth Form College
Student volunteer of the year winner
- Shannon Mansfield – Stoke-on-Trent College
Highly Commended
- Abbie Breakwell – Loughborough College
- Ntokozo (Joy) Dlamini – Loughborough College
Hall of Fame winners
- Matt Jefferson – Furness College
- Linda Swain – Hills Road Sixth Form College
2020 Winners
Team of the Year, sponsored by Matrix Fitness
- Worthing College Netball Team
Highly Commended
- Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) Men’s Cricket Team
- BMet College Ability Counts Football Team
Inspirational student of the year winner
- Gabby Welch – North Lindsey College
Highly Commended
- Joel Hales-Waller- Sandwell College
- Caitlin Ianelli- Burnley College
Hall of Fame winners
- Beth Harris – NewVIc College
- Anthony Viggars – Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group
Highly Commended
- Andy Green- New College Pontefract
- Stuart Reddington- Lincoln College
Achievement in Disability Sport winner
- George Chapman- Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group
Highly Commended
- Jack Rowland – Coleg Cambria
- Brook Dickson- Tyne Met College
Student performer of the year winner
- Jenny Hesketh- Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group (football and rugby)
Highly Commended
- Rob Warman – Buxton & Leek College (football)
- Zak Smith- Shelley- Burnley College (swimming)
Student volunteer of the year winner
- Yahya Sheik-Hassan- Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc)
Monthly Winners
- Marta Araujo De Lima – Newham Sixth Form College
- Ben Whittaker – Blackburn College
- Kheira Wilson – Tyne Metropolitan College
- Georgina Coulter – Bexhill College
- Imani Sayles – Dudley College
- Caitlin Wheat – Nottingham College
2019 Winners
Team of the Year, sponsored by Matrix Fitness
- Newcastle Stafford College Group (women’s volleyball)
Runners up
- Leeds City College- Rugby league academy
- Richard Huish College- Men’s and women’s basketball
- Loughborough College- Women’s rugby union
Student Performer of the Year
- Randy Jean-Guy from Leeds City College (basketball)
Runners up
- Mate Okros- Myerscough College
- Lauren Knight- Richard Huish College
- Abbygael Harris- Newcastle Stafford College Group
Inspirational Student/Volunteer of the Year
- Angel McGillan from Tyne Metropolitan College (pictured)
Runners up
- Tesfahun Awoke- The Sheffield College
- Kaitlin Willetts- Dudley College
- Saadia Abubaker- Gower College (Swansea)
Achievement in Disability Sport
- Matthew Harding from Wirral Metropolitan College
Runners up
- Rylan Casey- Myerscough College
- Lily Mills- New City College (Hackney)
- Thomas Ferry- Tyne Metropolitan College
Hall of Fame
- Lynne Gardner from Peter Symonds College
- Will Thompson from Nottingham College
- Student Performer of the Year – Randy Jean-Guy (Leeds City College)
- Hall of Fame – Will Thompson (nottingham College)
- Hall of Fame – Lynne Gardner (Peter Symonds College
- Team of the Year – NSCG women’s volleyball
- Volunteer of the Year – Angel McGillan (Tyne Met College)
2018 Winners
Inspirational Student/Volunteer of the Year
Nominees: Liam Waugh (Gateshead College), Sophie Hibbert (North Lindsey College), Joshua Benocci (Hartpury College)
Winner: Duncan Covey ( Truro & Penwith College)
Achievement in Disability Sport
Nominees: Robert Cliffe (Bradford College), Micheal Grover (Newham 6th Form College), Francis Kanu (Newham College)
Winner: Oliver Griffith-Salter (Coleg Sir Gar)
Student Performer of the Year
Nominees: Joshua Bennett (Bexhill College), Emily Syme (Richard Huish College), Harriet Lambe (Bridgwater & Taunton College)
Winner: Emily Rossiter (Bridgwater & Taunton College)
Team of the Year – Tennis (Peter Symonds)
Team of the Year
Nominees: Netball (Holy Cross College), Birmingham Met women’s basketball (Birmingham Met College), Women’s volleyball (Newcastle-under-Lyme College)
Winner: Tennis (Peter Symonds College)
Hall of Fame
Winners: Mark Howard (Walsall College) and Julie Penrase (Callywith College and Truro & Penwith College)