Massey backs beach volleyball team

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Massey backs beach volleyball team to World University Games

Massey University has provided sponsorship, the coach and two of its students are team members in the women’s beach volleyball competition at the World University Games starting in Germany this week.

Anna Scarlett, who is studying extramurally towards a Certificate in Human Development at Massey, and her partner Susan Blundell are one of two teams representing New Zealand at the games.

The other team includes Massey extramural business studies student Hayley Griffiths, who partners Shannen Bagge. Both pairs are coached by Warren Smith, who lectures in coaching in the Department of Management at the University.

But Massey will have a greater presence at the games, as a sponsor of the New Zealand team.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Ian Warrington says the University’s sports-related academic programmes in the Colleges of Business, Sciences and Education are attracting increasing numbers of students.

“This combination of academic programmes, initiatives to support emerging and elite athletes and our growing partnerships with a number of sporting codes across New Zealand provide real points of difference for Massey University in terms of attracting athletes as students, securing grants for sports related research projects and securing positive publicity for the University,” Professor Warrington says.

Coach Warren Smith says the NZL1 team of Ms Scarlett and Ms Blundell are hoping to make a strong showing in Hamburg.

“They’re competing in the World Tour this year for the experience and are looking to make a serious push towards the Olympic Games in London in 2012. But I’m confident they’ll do well in Hamburg.”

ENDS

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