BE alumni sport stars join UNSW Sporting Hall of Fame

On Friday 8th June rugby great Ewen McKenzie and Olympic Silver medallist sprinter Patrick Dwyer were admitted to the UNSW Sport Hall of Fame in front of a large crowd of academics and sporting greats from UNSW.

Both are graduates of UNSW Built Environment. They remembered their uni days fondly as they mingled with friends, professors and other Hall of Fame members at a ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 

Ewen McKenzie played 51 times in the rugged, tough position of front row prop for the Wallabies, but he admits one of the hardest things he ever did was to hit the books after a game as he studied for his honours degree in Town Planning.

“I was actually studying for exams in 1988 when I got the call that I’d been selected for the Wallabies. We had a few drinks celebrating that night, but I kept the studies going. I was doing my thesis in 1991 and took uni books with me to England for the World Cup. I even studied during the week leading up to the final.”

The Wallabies won that match, and Ewen doesn’t recall doing much study that night. Despite his sporting success he was determined to finish his degree. “It was still an amateur game then. We were all studying or had jobs. I wanted a career in town planning after rugby and didn’t think I’d end up coaching. I worked in local government and waste management for a while.”

He grabbed the chance to coach rugby and last year brought the Queensland Reds from bottom of the table to Super Rugby Champions. He’s now being looked at as the next coach of the Wallabies.

“There’s no doubt what I learned at UNSW studying town planning helped me coach a rugby team. It’s all about managing people, a philosophy of discipline and using your resources in the best way possible.”

Ewen urged students who might be successful in sport or other pursuits to finish their degrees. “It’s about fulfilment in life. You won’t be playing sport forever and you need a working career to give yourself the best opportunity to be happy in life.”

Patrick Dwyer was one of the famous Silver Bullets, the Aussies who won silver in the 4x400 relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The same year he graduated from UNSW with a Bachelors degree in Building Construction Management.

“I had a UNSW Ben Lexcen Sport Scholarship and that was an enormous help to me while I was studying. To be an Olympic athlete you have to have extreme discipline. I hit the books while other athletes played Playstation. It took me eight years to do a four year degree because of my athletic commitments, but it was worth it. I urge anyone who has the opportunity to finish their degree. It will be with you for life.”

Patrick donated his Olympic running top to the UNSW Hall of Fame. The lunch raised money for the Lexcen Sport Scholarship which is currently valued at $5000. Money is being raised to increase it to $10,000 a year by 2014.

UNSW BE hosted a table at the event, attended by some of our great sporting champions past and present.  Catherine Brown, Development Manager attended with three members of staff, Professor Deo Prasad (Program Director, Sustainable Development), Paul Marsden, previous Head of Construction Management, who taught Patrick Dwyer and Nicholas Baxter and Adjunct Professor John Woollett, UNSW Blues.

Some of our distinguished alumni were also in attendance. Nicholas Baxter, BBCM, Ben Lexcen scholar and 2004 and 2008 Olympian rower, Victoria Bolton, BArch and Ben Lexcen scholar, 2001 women's junior eight rowing Australian champion, William Hamlyn-Harris, BArch, Ben Lexcen scholar and competitor in the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth games and 2004 Olympics and Robert Hearn, BBuild and UNSW blues.

Current student, Paris Cockinos, who won the St Hilliers scholarship also attended. The afternoon was a great success, raising funds and recognition for UNSW sports.

Story:  Frank Walker, UNSW Media & Communications Office (Built Environment)
Pictured L-R: BE Alumni Will Hamlyn-Harris, Patrick Dwyer and Ewen McKenzie with Wallabies great Simon Poidevin
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