At UniSC, high performance athletes excel in study, research, training, and competition, supported by purpose-built facilities, world-leading coaches, performance specialists, and sport and exercise scientists.
Physical performance
High performance athletes and teams benefit from evidence-based strength and conditioning strategies designed to optimise physical preparation and maximise sport performance. Coaches implement comprehensive assessment and screening protocols to identify individual needs, followed by training programs that enhance performance. Recovery methods and load management are strategically integrated to minimise injury risk and support peak performance across training and competition phases.
High Performance Student Athlete program
The High Performance Student Athlete program provides a suite of benefits and services to assist you in balancing the demands of your training and competition schedules with your study commitments so you can achieve your personal best in both pursuits.
Youth Athlete Academy
The UniSC HPS Youth Academy provides a platform to foster the development of school-aged athletes along their sports and education pathways. It is essential to the continued growth of HPS at UniSC. It extends UniSC HPS to the secondary education sector, demonstrating the University’s commitment to its communities and the imperative to build capacity within its regions.
Our sporting connections
At UniSC, we’re proud of our deep and enduring connections with some of the nation’s most respected and high-performing sporting organisations. From national teams to elite local clubs, our partnerships reflect a shared commitment to excellence, community, and athlete development. We are honoured to work alongside the Dolphins NRL, Sunshine Coast Lightning, Australian Cycling Academy, UniSC Spartans Swimming, Sunshine Coast Thunder, Swimming Australia, and the Queensland Academy of Sport—each playing a key role in shaping the future of sport in our region and beyond.
UniSC is the official Tertiary Education Partner of the Dolphins NRL which provides work integrated learning opportunities for students and research opportunities for our academic staff.
Research opportunities
Add to a body of work that includes biomechanics, exercise physiology, psychology, coaching, and motor control and learning. Specialist research laboratories are accredited by the Australian Institute of Sport.
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UniSC Clinics
Our UniSC Clinics are open to the public and provide services overseen by appropriately qualified and experienced professionals. Our Clinics include Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Community Counselling and Lifestyle and Performance Nutrition.
Contact the team
UniSC's High Performance Sport team comprises highly qualified professionals with decades of experience and knowledge in competing or preparing athletes for peak performance.
Associate Professor Mark McKean
Director of High Performance Sport
Dr Aaron Turner
Physical Performance Coach in High Performance Sport
Kristy Munroe
HPSA Support Program Coordinator
Adjunct appointments
Dr Danielle Doyle - PhD ASpS2 AHPM
Adjunct Fellow in High-Performance Sport
Sunshine Coast Swimming Hub Manager at the Queensland Academy of Sport, UniSC Spartans High Performance Swim Hub
Dr Danielle Doyle is a sport scientist and swimming performance leader with a PhD in elite crawl and backstroke biomechanics from UniSC and deep experience in high-performance swimming. Based at the UniSC Sunshine Coast Swimming Hub, she manages Queensland Academy of Sport operations and performance support for Olympic and Paralympic pathway swimmers, leading Individual Athlete Performance Planning and innovation with Swimming Australia. Previously Paralympic Performance Science Manager at Swimming Australia, she directed integrated science and medicine services, race analysis, athlete monitoring and international classification support across major campaigns. Danielle has over 15 peer-reviewed publications and is known for turning complex data into clear, actionable strategies for coaches and athletes.
Dr Katie Verdejo - PhD ASpS2
Adjunct Fellow in High-Performance Sport
Senior Sports Scientist (Physiology) - UniSC Spartans High Performance Swim Hub
Dr Katie Verdejo is an Applied Sports Scientist at the Queensland Academy of Sport, specialising in exercise physiology and the support of Olympic and Paralympic swimmers through physiological testing, training monitoring, and performance analysis. She has more than a decade of experience in elite sport and has contributed to multiple Australian teams, including the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Katie also supervises PhD students and is actively involved in collaborative research, with interests in athlete monitoring, exercise physiology, data analytics, and translating sport science research into high-performance practice.
Ryan Hodierne - BA Hons ASpS2
Adjunct Fellow in High-Performance Sport
Senior Movement Scientist - UniSC Spartans High Performance Swim Hub
Ryan Hodierne is a senior movement scientist and biomechanist with four Olympic Games' experience, working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes across Australia, Singapore, and South Africa. Based in Queensland, he's Senior Movement Scientist at the Queensland Academy of Sport, leading biomechanics support for elite swimmers, able-bodied and para. He's served Paris 2024, Tokyo 2021, Rio 2016, and London 2012, and built performance analysis systems at major aquatic centres in Singapore and Sydney. Known for simplifying complex science and thriving under pressure, he consults widely and mentors emerging practitioners in sports science.
Dr Tony Boutagy - PhD AEP
Industry Fellow in High-Performance Sport
Dr Tony Boutagy is a strength and conditioning coach and exercise science educator with more than 30 years of experience bridging research and coaching practice. Tony holds a PhD in Exercise and Sports Science (CDU) and is currently undertaking a second PhD at the University of Sydney. He is the principal of the Boutagy Fitness Institute in Sydney, where he coaches athletes and everyday clients and delivers professional education courses for trainers and coaches. Across his career, he has written training programs for athletes in over 30 sports, including Olympic and Paralympic representatives, lectured for universities and fitness education providers throughout Australia and New Zealand, authored two books, and hosts the podcast Stronger with Time. His current work focuses on translating research in strength training, endurance and healthy ageing into evidence-based coaching practice.