On September 24, the Vytautas Magnus University Grand Hall hosted a student sports awards ceremony, which recognized the most talented, strongest, and most community-minded VMU athletes of the past few years and their achievements.
Leading among European universities
Vytautas Magnus University offers a wide variety of sports, so awards were presented to representatives of table tennis, swimming, rowing, indoor and beach volleyball, badminton, athletics, football, motorcycling, judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, and basketball.
Based on student athletic achievements in Europe among universities, VMU is climbing higher and higher – in 2022 it was tenth, in 2023 it was eighth, and in 2024 it rose to between fourth and fifth place.
This year, the university team became the Lithuanian Student Basketball League champion for the tenth time in a row and the twentieth time in 25 years. Over the past few years, VMU students have won 15 gold, 6 silver, and 10 bronze medals in European badminton, judo, rowing, 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, and table tennis championships and games.
This year, the VMU basketball team became the Lithuanian Student Basketball League champions for the tenth time in a row and the twentieth time in 25 years, while the 3×3 basketball players won gold in the national championship, SELL Games, European, Universiade, and even World Championships.
A favorable ecosystem for sports
The awards ceremony was attended by VMU Rector Prof. Dr. Juozas Augutis, Vice-Rector for Studies Dr. Simona Pilkienė, Administration Director Jonas Okunis, President of the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, Chancellor of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania Tomas Didžiulis, President of the LTU Aquatics Association Saulius Binevičius, President of the Lithuanian Basketball Association Mindaugas Balčiūnas, VMU graduate, Kaunas Žalgiris club manager Paulius Jankūnas, and other well-known athletes and the university community.
“This wonderful hall has probably never seen so many sports stars and so much attention to sports in its entire life. Since its inception, VMU has been famous for its sports organizations and student athletic achievements, as well as personalities such as Valdas Adamkus, after whom this wonderful sports center is named. However, it is not only thanks to the infrastructure that all these victories have been achieved – it all starts with people,” said VMU Rector Prof. Dr. J. Augutis.
According to him, the philosophy of artes liberales developed by the university is like a balance between various fields: science, creativity, and sports, so it is not surprising that a large part of the VDU community goes to the sports center and spends their time actively. “I believe that such sporting achievements would not be possible if a favorable ecosystem had not been formed within the university community itself. Love and understanding arise when it is our common activity,” said the rector.
The president of the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee, Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, also congratulated the VMU students. “The two most beautiful words describing a young person – student and athlete – are gathered here today. Probably the representatives of the federation and coaches know how serious a problem it often is when an athlete finishes school – where to go. Now I have the answer – they will be very well at Vytautas Magnus University. We can see and hear that VMU is the university that takes the best care of its athletes – that is, students who want to pursue a different career, but at the same time want to play sports,” said D. Gudzinevičiūtė.
Tomas Didžiulis, Chancellor of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, agreed with her, emphasizing that sports at VMU have always been at the top – loved and respected.
The Rector’s gratitude for sporting achievements was presented to:
Table tennis player Kornelija Ščiglaitė
Swimmer Kajus Stankevičius
Track and field athlete Gabija Klimukaitė
Track and field athlete Sonata Rudytė
Judo athlete Marijus Mitrochin
Judo athlete Matas Norkevičius
Judo athlete Augis Raulušonis
Badminton player Vilius Bagdanavičius
Badminton player Andrii Don
Badminton player Vladyslav Stepanchenko
Badminton player Anna Kovalenko
Badminton player Anastasiia Prokopovych
3X3 basketball player Dominyka Paliulytė
3X3 basketball player Karolina Kazočiūnaitė
3X3 basketball player Gedvilė Savostaitė
3X3 basketball player Martyna Petrėnaitė
Basketball player Matas Repšys
Basketball player Dominykas Stenionis
The Vytautas Magnus University Silver Sports Achievement Award was presented to:
Basketball player Modestas Babraitis
Basketball player Gregor Allik
Basketball player Adomas Sidarevičius
Basketball player Ričardas Butkus
Basketball player Mantas Mockevičius
Basketball player Laurynas Klimas
Basketball player Žygimantas Sabaliauskas
Basketball player Domantas Uosis
Basketball player Lukas Uosis
Basketball player Dominykas Černius
3X3 basketball player Nojus Lebskus
3X3 basketball player Kajus Leliukas
3X3 basketball player Ignas Vaitkus
Basketball player Justinas Ramanauskas
Basketball player Vitalijus Kozius
Basketball player Gytis Masiulis
Basketball player Tomas Zdanavičius
Swimmer Ugnė Mažutaitytė
Rower Aurimas Adomavičius
Rower Rokas Jakubauskas
Rower Benas Paunksnis
Rower Domantas Riaubas
Rower Virgilijus Prušinskas
Rower Raminta Morkūnaitė
Volleyball player Martyna Paukštytė
Volleyball player Vilte Bogdanovič
Beach volleyball player Artūras Vincėlovič
Beach volleyball player Arnas Rumševičius
Beach volleyball player Irina Zobnina
Beach volleyball player Urtė Andriukaitytė
Badminton player Povilas Bartušis
Badminton player Samanta Golubickaitė
Badminton player Oleksandr Shmundiak
Track and field athlete Lukas Šermukšnis
Track and field athlete Kristupas Seikauskas
Track and field athlete Eva Misiūnaitė
Soccer player Lukas Marcinkevičius
Greco-Roman wrestler Mindaugas Venckaitis
Table tennis player Eglė Jankauskienė
Table tennis player Vitalija Venckutė
Motorcyclist Arūnas Gelažninkas
The Vytautas Magnus University Gold Sports Achievement Award was presented to:
3X3 basketball player Augustinas Mikštas
3X3 basketball player Titas Januševičius
3X3 basketball player Gabrielius Čelka
3X3 basketball player Rokas Jocys
3X3 basketball player Evaldas Džiaugys
3X3 basketball player Aurelijus Pukelis
3X3 basketball player Šarūnas Vingelis
3X3 basketball player Marijus Užupis
Swimmer Kotryna Teterevkova
Swimmer Rūta Meilutytė
Beach volleyball player Patrikas Stankevičius
Beach volleyball player Audrius Knašas
Judo athlete Augustas Šlyteris
Rower Armandas Kelmelis
Rower Dovydas Nemeravičius
Rower Povilas Stankūnas
Rower Giedrius Bieliauskas
The VMU Gold Sports Achievement Award was presented to 3X3 basketball coach Dainius Novickas
Alfonsas Kazlauskas was awarded the silver medal of Vytautas Magnus University for promoting a healthy lifestyle and for his long-standing and consistent efforts to involve the university community in sports activities, performing organizational and managerial work in sports, and educating students, which has resulted in high achievements by the university’s athletes.
Airidas Nutautas was awarded the silver medal of Vytautas Magnus University for his effective sports and wellness activities, performing sports organizational and management work, representing the university, and involving students in sports activities, contributing to their education, which resulted in high achievements by the university’s athletes.
For his long-standing and consistent work and the high achievements of Vytautas Magnus University athletes, who represent and promote the university’s name in Lithuania, Europe, and the world, the university’s gold medal was awarded to the head of the VMU Sports Center, Doc. Dr. Vladas Juknevičius.
