University establishes itself as a centre for sport in the south

Solent University now sits in the top third of UK universities offering high performance programmes for students through a bespoke combination of holistic services, including strength and conditioning sessions and financial support.

The 2024/25 SEP cohort is currently supporting 17 students who are studying at Solent while carving out a name for themselves in their chosen sport. Each student benefits from a bursary of up to £5,000, while the programme itself boasts an additional service provision worth more than £16,000 per athlete, positioning itself among industry leaders in high-performance sport at higher education level in the UK.

Sport Education Partnerships Manager, Iain Molyneux, says:

"Solent University's Sport Excellence Programme has proven to be a game-changer for our student-athletes. This year, we’re proudly supporting 17 exceptional athletes with dual career opportunities, financial assistance, and comprehensive sport services, including strength and conditioning, mental health and wellbeing, nutrition, and therapy.

“By providing this holistic support, Solent is positioning itself alongside industry leaders like Loughborough, ensuring our athletes have the resources and care they need to excel both academically and in their sport."

This year’s cohort represents eight different sports, including football, sailing, powerlifting and archery. Within the 2024/25 programme are seven female footballers, demonstrating Solent’s commitment to enhancing inclusion in the game.

Izzie Thorogood, a BSc Sport Coaching undergrad and BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science student, Jessica Soares have both played for Southampton Women’s FC, spelling big things to come, while their peers already have a range of experience with different teams across England. Jessica says:

“I was unsure about going to university, as I felt like it would make me drift away from football, but it did the opposite. It has motivated me to become the best version of myself as a footballer.

“When it comes to balancing my studies with football, it’s good having recorded lectures, as I can always look back and go at my own pace. The sports facilities at Solent are great, from strength and conditioning for recovery to working on certain things that will benefit my performance.”

Another athlete on the programme, Zak Mahamed, who is studying BSc (Hons) Sport Management, has been going from strength to strength in his career as a professional long-distance runner. Zak represented Team GB at the European Athletics Championships in 2024, and won the Great South Run in 2023.

Accredited by the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), recognising the high standard of support offered by the University to ensure the success of students with sporting ambitions, Solent provides young athletes with a launchpad for carving out professional careers in sport. The accreditation also signposts Solent as a go-to institution for guiding students towards finding a balance between their studies and sporting pursuits.

Eve Kennedy, a Sport and Exercise Science student pursuing sailing, who is being supported by SEP while she rehabilitates from injury, says, “As a dual career athlete the programme has meant I have had a support network around me throughout my injury both from a sports side and academic side.

“Having access to facilities like the gym, massage and injury clinic along with the other athletes has created a brilliant group of people who are all experiencing similar dual career experiences despite mostly competing in different sports, and at a variety of different levels.”

Kelly Simm, a former gymnast who has four Commonwealth Games medals to her name and was part of the University’s Sport Excellence Programme, is now an Athlete Support Officer at Solent. On the importance of programmes like these, she says:

"For athletes pursuing high performance sport, having other commitments such as a degree is a fantastic way of increasing their opportunities post sporting career and supporting their holistic development. Programmes like these encourage high performance athletes to pursue a dual career by providing them with a multidisciplinary team who can support them with the opportunity to excel at both.

“The programme also aims to support the athlete as a person, something becoming more prevalent as a necessity for athletes in high performance sport."