Successful women’s rugby star awarded honorary degree at Middlesex University
Successful women’s rugby star awarded honorary degree at Middlesex University
16/07/2015
Former international women’s rugby player Margaret Alphonsi MBE has been awarded an honorary degree by Middlesex University.
She was presented
with the award at the University's graduation ceremony today on Thursday 16
July.
Known by many as 'Maggie the Machine', Margaret
has played in three XVs Rugby World Cups and last year she played a key part in
the England team winning the World Cup. In 2012 she also shared in a
record-breaking seventh successive Six Nations title and a sixth Grand Slam in
seven years with the England team. Margaret, who was also a flanker for
Saracens Rugby Club in north London, retired from rugby earlier this year with
an impressive 74 caps. However, far from taking things easy
she is now focusing
her efforts in her bid to compete in the shot put at next year's Rio Olympics. All of her
achievements are even more remarkable considering the experienced player was born with a club foot, but turned early adversity
into an impressive career.
Margaret's significant achievements and contributions have not
gone unnoticed as she was awarded an MBE in the 2012
Queen's Birthday Honours List for Services to Rugby, which she described as
'incredible'. She has also picked up a
number of other high-profile awards. She was awarded the esteemed Sunday Times
Sportswoman of the Year prize in 2010 and the prestigious Pat Marshall award
from the Rugby Union Writers' Club, where she pipped New Zealand captain,
Richie McCaw, to the gong to become the first woman to claim the prize in its
50-year history.
She was also named
in the Powerlist for three years running, a highly respected publication which
profiles 100 of the most influential people of African and African-Caribbean
descent in Britain.
The inspirational sportswoman continues to put her experience to good use as
she coaches
and promotes female participation in sport.
She acts as an
athlete mentor manager for the Youth Sport Trust and one of four Rugby World
Cup 2015 Ambassadors along with Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood and Jonny
Wilkinson. She is an ambassador of
several charities including Wooden Spoon, Sporting Equals and SKRUM which aims
to give the youth of Africa hope for the future through rugby.
Margaret Alphonsi said:"I'm
extremely pleased to be receiving an honorary degree from Middlesex University.
I am very fortunate to have had an amazing career so to be recognised for my
achievements by the university and to be able to address the other graduates
really does mean a lot."
Middlesex
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Driscoll said: "Margaret has overcome adversity from a young age to carve a
remarkable career in English rugby and continues to inspire women of all
ages.
"Graduates,
family and staff were honoured to welcome one of the country's star players to
the University and present her with this truly deserved award."
Successful women’s rugby star awarded honorary degree at Middlesex University
She was presented with the award at the University's graduation ceremony today on Thursday 16 July.
Known by many as 'Maggie the Machine', Margaret has played in three XVs Rugby World Cups and last year she played a key part in the England team winning the World Cup. In 2012 she also shared in a record-breaking seventh successive Six Nations title and a sixth Grand Slam in seven years with the England team. Margaret, who was also a flanker for Saracens Rugby Club in north London, retired from rugby earlier this year with an impressive 74 caps.
However, far from taking things easy
she is now focusing
her efforts in her bid to compete in the shot put at next year's Rio Olympics. All of her
achievements are even more remarkable considering the experienced player was born with a club foot, but turned early adversity
into an impressive career.
Margaret's significant achievements and contributions have not gone unnoticed as she was awarded an MBE in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours List for Services to Rugby, which she described as 'incredible'. She has also picked up a number of other high-profile awards. She was awarded the esteemed Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year prize in 2010 and the prestigious Pat Marshall award from the Rugby Union Writers' Club, where she pipped New Zealand captain, Richie McCaw, to the gong to become the first woman to claim the prize in its 50-year history.
She was also named in the Powerlist for three years running, a highly respected publication which profiles 100 of the most influential people of African and African-Caribbean descent in Britain.
The inspirational sportswoman continues to put her experience to good use as she coaches and promotes female participation in sport. She acts as an athlete mentor manager for the Youth Sport Trust and one of four Rugby World Cup 2015 Ambassadors along with Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood and Jonny Wilkinson. She is an ambassador of several charities including Wooden Spoon, Sporting Equals and SKRUM which aims to give the youth of Africa hope for the future through rugby.
Margaret Alphonsi said:"I'm extremely pleased to be receiving an honorary degree from Middlesex University. I am very fortunate to have had an amazing career so to be recognised for my achievements by the university and to be able to address the other graduates really does mean a lot."
Middlesex University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Driscoll said: "Margaret has overcome adversity from a young age to carve a remarkable career in English rugby and continues to inspire women of all ages.
"Graduates, family and staff were honoured to welcome one of the country's star players to the University and present her with this truly deserved award."