University and Tertiary Sport NZ

The Role of the SAC

The UTSNZ Student Athlete Commission aims to allow the voice of the student-athlete to be effectively communicated with the organisation. It provides advice to the UTSNZ Executive about issues of student sport participation and achievement, and the development of UTSNZ. The Commission also helps to build awareness of UTSNZ within member students groups and to implement student-focused initiatives.

About Us

The University and Tertiary Sport NZ Student Athlete Commission comprises of up to 11 member students. These students are:

Currently enrolled at a UTSNZ member institution at the time of election
Elected by their tertiary institution
Participants in competitive sport themselves, currently or within the last five years, ideally at a national level

Current Student Athlete Commission representatives are:

Hannah Francis (Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington)

Hannah is a first-year Bachelor of Biomedical Science student at Victoria University of Wellington. Growing up in Wellington, she has been involved in muliptle sports including netball, aerobics, touch rugby, and badminton, but her passion is cricket.

Starting cricket at age 5, Hannah progressed through Wellington's representative age-group system. In 2022, her U19 Wellington team won the National Tournament, ending a 16-year drought, and she captained the U17 team to victory in the inaugural U17 National Tournament. Currently, she is a contracted player for Wellington Blaze and remains active in the U19 programme and her club team. Her goal is to make the NZ U19 team for the 2025 World Cup.

Hannah also plays indoor cricket for Wellington, who recently placed third at the National Provincial Championships, and was part of the NZ U18 girls' team that finished 2nd at the 2023 Junior World Series in Dubai. She also plays representative badminton and coaches junior touch rugby.

For Hannah, sport is a way to stay fit, have fun with friends, and manage the stress of study. Balancing sport and academics has honed her time management skills, and she’s eager to engage with UTSNZ and connect with others who share her passion for sport.

Emma Howie (Massey University)

Emma is a second-year student at Massey University is studying a Bachelor of Food Technology, majoring in food process engineering with Honors. Over the past two years, Emma has been both a sports scholar and an academic scholar, receiving the Academy of Sport Scholarship in her first year, alongside several other scholarships to support her studies.

Growing up, Emma was highly active and enjoyed participating in a variety of sports including water polo, football, futsal, volleyball, and also had a keen interest in surfing and tramping. Football and futsal are now her main sporting codes.

Emma has represented the Bay of Plenty at the national level for both football and futsal, and more recently has also taken on coaching and assistant coaching roles for Waibop futsal, which has provided her with another outlet to stay involved in the sport she loves while recovering from a temporary injury. Additionally, Emma has been part of Waibop’s women's National Ford Futsal super-league squad. Her greatest sporting achievement was being selected for the New Zealand U17 development football squad in 2021.

Being able to balance sport and study is important to Emma, as sport provides a refreshing break and a source of relaxation from the stress of studying. Emma finds that sport allows her to unwind, have fun, and stay active. Finding the right balance between sport and study at university has been a learning process for Emma, but she is determined to overcome any hurdles by following a flexible plan that prioritises both her studies and her passion for sport.

Emma is excited about the year ahead and her new role working with the UTSNZ and hopes to bring fresh insight to the team, as well as collaborate with passionate, like-minded students.

Adam Bayer (University of Canterbury)

Adam is a second-year student at the University of Canterbury studying a Bachelor of Sport, majoring in management and marketing. Hailing from Southland, Adam began playing basketball in high school. Academic and sporting efforts are both important to Adam, being the recipient of the Te Kakau A Maui Scholarship for his studies and the Murial Archer Basketball Scholarship from Eastern Southland Basketball Association in 2023.

Adam has represented Southland and Canterbury in age-group basketball competitions. He most notably also represented the University of Canterbury at the National Tertiary 3x3 and Basketball Championships in 2024, winning the championship in both. His 3x3 team went on to compete in the FISU Oceania 3x3 Continental Qualifying Tournament in Australia, which they won, and the FISU University World Cup 3x3 in China, where they placed 9th, the first time a UC team participated in such an event. His 3x3 team also won the University of Canterbury Team of the Year at their annual Blues Awards.

Adam also has experience coaching, managing, and refereeing basketball teams at a secondary school and regional level and plays a role in his local church as a youth leader.

For Adam, the balance of sport and study is important to ensure he's setting himself up for success now and in the future. It’s something that has taught him time management, communication, and discipline, skills that have benefitted him further than just in the library or on the court. Adam is excited to navigate the opportunities and challenges that being a member of the UTSNZ Student Athlete Commission will bring.

Alex Duff (University of Otago)

Alex Duff is a first-year student studying First Year Health Sciences at the University of Otago. Growing up in Dunedin, Alex has been immersed in sport, particularly athletics and basketball, and has spent the last few years balancing high-performance sport with education. Looking ahead, Alex aspires to pursue a career in the health sector while continuing to compete internationally in one or both sports.

In athletics, Alex has represented Otago for 11 years and now specialises in javelin. Over the past three years, Alex has won the national title for their age group at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships and, in 2025, placed second in the open women’s category. Alex was also selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics team in both 2023 and 2024.

In basketball, Alex began playing at around eight years old and has progressed through Otago’s representative age-group system from U13 to U20. Alex has competed at numerous National Championships and, in 2023, signed with the Southern Hoiho, the team representing the lower South Island in the Tauihi national women’s basketball league. Alex was also named as a reserve for the Junior Tall Ferns in both 2023 and 2024.

Outside of competing, Alex is passionate about giving back to the sporting community and has coached both athletics and basketball at the primary school and intermediate levels. Sport has played a significant role in Alex's personal development, instilling discipline, time management skills, and a strong work ethic, alongside creating lasting connections and memories.

Hannah MacDonald (University of Auckland)

Hannah is in her second year at the University of Auckland, studying a conjoint degree in Arts and Commerce, majoring in Psychology and Economics.

A talented netballer, Hannah has represented Auckland for many years, highlighted by winning Nationals in 2024 with the U18 team. She was selected for the Auckland Opens team in 2025 and has competed in the National Netball League over the past two seasons – playing for the Comets in 2024 and the Marvels in 2025. At university level, she received a sports scholarship in her first year, was named Rookie of the Year, and helped her team claim the Tertiary Nationals title, where she was also selected in the Tournament Team.

Having captained several of her teams, Hannah is passionate about leadership and developing her skills both on and off the court. She is excited to continue pursuing opportunities that combine her love of sport with her future career aspirations.

Ellie Pillar (Lincoln University)

Ellie Pillar began her karate journey at just seven years old and has since developed into one of New Zealand’s leading para karate athletes. A 2nd Dan Black Belt, Ellie has proudly represented New Zealand at multiple international competitions.

A multiple-time national and international medallist, she has been selected to the New Zealand team on numerous occasions and has competed at prestigious events, including the 2024 international competition in Japan and the 2025 World Karate Championship in Sweden, where she achieved a career highlight by winning a World Championship title. In 2026, Ellie is preparing to once again represent New Zealand at two major international tournaments in Brazil and Hungary.

In addition to her competitive achievements, Ellie is a registered karate instructor and a qualified regional karate referee. She is passionate about contributing to the growth of karate by sharing her knowledge, mentoring others, and supporting the development of the sport at both club and regional level.

Balancing elite sport with her studies has required strong discipline, resilience, and excellent time management. Through karate, Ellie has developed valuable leadership skills and a commitment to continual improvement, both on and off the tatami. Outside of training and competition, she enjoys travelling, spending time with family and friends, and giving back to the karate community.

Ellie is passionate about continuing to represent New Zealand at the highest level while inspiring other young athletes to pursue their goals through dedication, perseverance, and hard work.