Meet our athletes

Sam Akano
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport Management

I'm grateful to be offered a scholarship by Solent University. I previously played for Myerscough College and we won the European Youth Basketball League (EABL) and became EABL champions with an undefeated season. I can't wait to get on the court this season, and to meet my new team-mates. My goal for this year is to improve in all aspects of being a student and an athlete. I'm currently NBL D2 and play for the BUCS first team and the Kestrels.

Yassin Belle-Mbaye
Basketball
MSc Marketing

I'm from Hackney, a diverse borough in London. From a young age I was always playing different sports, however I found basketball the most intriguing. Basketball taught me to work hard, be disciplined, and determined of the future. For my next venture at Solent University, I hope to develop my skills in marketing and thrive in basketball.

Justin Bessard
Basketball
MBA Global Master of Administration

I'm from Los Angeles, California and I've been in love with the game of basketball since I was seven years old -I'm now 25. I have tried to model my game after the great Carmelo Anthony for mostof my career. With that said, my passion for the game makes my desire to win almost deadly and I know I will leave everything I have within in me on the floor each night for the Solent Kestrels. I hope this will be another successful season for my career and I hope it will help me build for the future so I can continue to play this game until I can’t anymore. 

Harry Broderick
Cricket
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I have represented Hampshire academy since I was 15 and have also had the honour of playing a good amount of County 2nd team cricket for both Hampshire and Northamptonshire. I hope to develop both as a cricketer and a student during my time at Solent and hopefully gain a professional contract come the end of my time here. I look forward to playing in a what I’ve heard is a successful BUCS cricket team here at Solent too.

Lani Dickinson
Football
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm really looking forward to continuing my football career and studies at Solent University on a scholarship. I’ve been playing football since I was four years old and was selected to play for Swindon Town from the age of eight until I was 18. While at Swindon I was lucky to play abroad in Sweden, Barcelona and Dallas, and was top goal scorer for many clubs including Swindon Town. I have just returned from a year’s football scholarship in the USA which was an incredible experience and I’m now looking forward to furthering my football and educational development at Solent University.

Megan Dorney
Basketball
MA Sport Management

I'm thankful and excited to be offered a scholarship to Solent University to continue to play basketball as well as continue my educational career. I'm from Spokane, Washington, and competed at the DIII level at Whitworth University. Being awarded this scholarship will give me the opportunity to continue to improve on and off the court and represent the University. I'm thrilled and look forward to being a part of this programme, as well as building relationships with those around me.

Gregoire Durand
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Business Management with Finance

I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity to study at Solent University, and I look forward to representing Solent both athletically and academically. Basketball has afforded me numerous opportunities and has opened doors for me to continue my education while playing. After spending a year studying and playing in Texas, I am grateful to be awarded another scholarship by Solent University. I look forward to improving on and off the courts, while representing the University to the best of my ability.

James Faley
Windsurfing
BEng (Hons) Yacht and Powercraft Design

I’m super excited to be starting Solent’s scholarship program. Windsurfing is super important to me and I can’t wait to continue progressing to eventually achieve my goal of becoming world champion. For me, windsurfing is more than a sport, it’s a way of life.

Aiden Harris
Football
BSc (Hons) Sports Performance Coaching

At 16 I joined a semi-professional football academy at Basingstoke Town FC, where I was lucky enough to be given opportunities to play for the men's first team. My previous teams include Team Solent, Badshot Lea FC, and currently Tadley Cavella FC. Recent achievements include helping Tadley to reach their best and furthest stage in the FA Cup. My future aspirations and goals are to become a professional football player and ideally coach alongside it at an elite level.

Wilma Harrysson
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport Management

I'm happy and excited to join Solent University for my degree, and am very thankful and feel privileged to represent Team Solent Kestrels. I am a basketball player from Sweden and have played since 2011. Memories, new friends and a fun time are things I have experienced in basketball. I look forward to making some new memories with the Kestrels and having an amazing time here.

Jack Higgins
Athletics
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm a 400-metre runner who also runs 200 metres. My best achievements to date would be third at the national indoor U20 for 400 metres, running at the Loughborough international meet, and getting fourth in both indoor and outdoor 400 metres at U17 age group. I also run for Southampton AC in the British Athletic League and the Southern Athletic League during the summer. I look forward to the opportunity to compete in BUCS this year.

Xavier Hinves
Sprint Kayak
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I'm an under-23 sprint kayaker and compete at an international level - I have represented Great Britain at both European and World Championships. I have been kayaking since I was five years old, and my greatest achievement so far was winning six out of six gold medals at the under 18 national championships. I'm looking forward to completing my degree and furthering my sporting career with support from Solent University. 

Saffie Jarju
Basketball
BA (Hons) Criminal Investigation with Psychology

I've been hooked on basketball since I was 13, after a training day at John Madejski Academy. Since then I have played for WEABL, Reading Rockets U14s to Division 1, five years for the South region, and was selected twice for the England camps. When I started university, I joined the BUCS Solent team and Division 1 Solent Kestrels. I am so excited and thankful to receive this scholarship and can't wait for the season to begin.

Bradley Jenvey
Athletics
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm looking forward to starting my degree in September and am very grateful to have been offered a scholarship at Solent University. I have been an athlete for 11 years and have been throwing javelin for eight years. I have competed in many competitions over the years ranging from county level to the home international as an U17 athlete. My goals for next season are to complete at the British Championships and throw the javelin 70m.

Sophia Keenan
Football
MA Sport Management

I'm beyond excited to have the opportunity to further my education and playing career at Solent University. I've been playing soccer for about 18 years and am eternally grateful for the joy it has brought me in my life. I played NCAA D1 Collegiate soccer at Central Washington University for five years where I accumulated 4,636 minutes with accolades such as first team All-GNAC award, third team All-West Region and honourable mention. I hope to continue achieving my goals on the field and in the classroom while experiencing a new culture!

Lauren Knight
Football
BA (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm excited to start my degree at Solent and being able to use the excellent training facilities. I’ve been playing football since the age of four and played in the regional talent programme and, through the last two seasons, I’ve played in the WSL Academy League for Reading FC. I'm looking forward to a new challenge with Solent women’s football.

Peter Langton
Boccia
MA Sports Broadcast Journalism

I've just graduated from Solent with a 2:2 in sports coaching and development. I'm heading into my 14th year as a Boccia player and was part of the pathway towards the Paralympics from halfway through the first lockdown in 2020 until I got reclassified from a BC2 to a BC5 in 2021. I am also the captain of Solent Boccia, and we complete nationally as a team. Individually, as a newbie in the BC5 category, I achieved fourth and third place finishes in the recent post-Covid ‘back to Boccia’ competitions. I’m looking forward to seeing what this year brings for me. Who knows, I might end up fulfilling the dream in some way and front the Paralympic coverage!

Zac Mahamed
Athletics
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I'm currently a Great Britain international athlete, having represented the country at World and European levels. My achievements to date include being international champion twice back-to-back, winning the England U20 national cross-country title, becoming British champion, and winning one team gold medal at European level. I am hoping to continue to develop my athletics, preparing for the European U23 Championships in Bergen and the senior European cross-country in Turing during the 2021 season.

Mahamed Mahamed
Athletics
MSc International Shipping and Logistics

I'm currently a GB international athlete - my achievement to date includes winning England senior men’s national cross-country titles in 2019 and 2022. I also won the British cross country multiple times, competing for Great Britain at European XC championships gaining bronze medals and multiple teams medals. I have previously won the BUCS 3000m indoors and I have run personal best in different distances including half marathon in 62.52 and 10km in 28.14. I also won BUCS gold in XC as an undergraduate and now more recently as a postgraduate.

Harriet McRae
Judo
BSc (Hons) Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science

I'm very grateful to have been offered a scholarship at Solent and look forward to representing the University in judo. I've been doing judo since the age of five and have been representing Hampshire for 10 years. At the age of 15 I was selected to represent England at the judo Commonwealth Games. I'm currently on the GB and England under-21 team. Recently, I placed 7th at the Junior European Cup in Malaga and hope to attend more in the future - I feel like this will help me achieve more results at such a high level.

Abdul-Quadir Oladipupo
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm really excited to see what year two at Solent has in store for me. I can't wait to be back on the course, competing with my team-mates again. I am very enthusiastic about representing Solent University as a basketball player. I feel blessed to be where I am today because of basketball - it has given me the opportunity to be passionate, and for that I am forever thankful. I can't wait to get to work and achieve my goals with my fellow team-mates.

Hannah Peachy
Football
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm delighted to have been offered a sports scholarship at Solent University to study, alongside representing the University at football, and I am excited to get started. During my time at Swindon Town, I had the opportunity to play abroad in Sweden, where I captained my team to win the cup at Dallas and Barcelona. I was scouted for Swindon Town's Centre of Excellence at the age of nine and progressed right through to under 16s.

Elias Poorman
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I have been playing basketball for over 10 years. Playing internationally from the age of 15, I have learnt how to beat recurring injuries, which has supported my ongoing interest in sports therapy and rehabilitation. I'm grateful to Solent University for offering me a scholarship to learn my preferred course and play high-level basketball. Since my great experience from by previous year in the D1 Juco Midland College, I have been playing for the Kestrels in NBL D1 and for the BUCS first team.

Tom South
Cricket
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Psychology

I've represented Hampshire Academy since I was 14. My biggest achievement has been representing South and West England, where I scored 50 off 23 balls. I'm excited about my second season playing for Solent, and I hope to prove myself and gain a professional contract in my time here.

Jack Stearman
Cricket
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I have represented Wiltshire County since playing at a junior level and have received numerous awards during my time there - one big moment was winning Wiltshire Player of the Year at just 16 years of age. During my time at Solent, I aim to develop both my skills and overall game, and to hopefully play first-class cricket, if not better. Hopefully we can go one better, having reached the BUCS Trophy semi-final last year.

Ilias Taiwo
Basketball
MSc Computer Engineering

I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter at Solent University. Having access to high quality training facilities is a blessing and I can’t wait to represent the University as both an athlete and a student. Previously I had played for the University of Hertfordshire and have history with NBL D1 side Hemel Storm. I'm grateful to be awarded a scholarship and I’m ready to make a positive impact both on and off the court. I’m very excited for what this year has to bring and hopefully it comes with a trophy.

Charlotte Videlo
Sailing
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy

I'm looking forward to starting my degree at Solent and being able to use the excellent training facilities. I have represented Great Britain in a range of dinghies at international level and am part of the British Youth Sailing Team. I am currently sailing an ILCA 6 (formerly known as the Laser Radial) and am in the top three of the women's U19s in the country. My ambition is to represent Great Britain at a senior level.

Kai Walker
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport Performance Coaching

I have been playing basketball since I was 15. I would like to thank Solent University for offering me a scholarship to study, as well as competing as a basketball player! Within these three years I hope to grow as a person on and off the court. I am ready for the challenges I will have to face, and ready to work hard! I have had experience in NBL D1 and D2 for the Kestrels, as well as the BUCS first team.

Oliver Wright
Basketball
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I'm very grateful to have been offered a scholarship at Solent University and am looking forward to working with the team and starting a new chapter at Solent. I started playing basketball at a young age with the Worcester Wolves Academy, recently I’ve played at Oaklands Wolves for the last three years at the D1 level and in the EABL. This year we got crowned EABL Southern Conference Champions. I'm ready to continue my basketball journey at Solent and progress as a student and as an athlete – I’m excited to wear a Team Solent jersey.

Krisztina Velkey
Basketball
MSc Marketing

I grew up in a basketball family in Hungary, both my parents played professionally and they are now coaching as well so basketball was meant to be for me. This game has given me amazing memories, great opportunities and my best friends. Last year we have promoted to the Premier League with our BUCS team and did well in the National League as well with our Division 1 team. This year, as always, I am working on achieving even more!