Stephanie Brandt walked away with title of FNB Player of the Match when the Maties defeated NMMU 56-30 on Monday night. Varsity Sports decided to get to know the shining star a little better.
After matriculating from Paarl Girls High in 2014, Brandt joined the famous Maroon Machine and made an immediate impact. She was part of the squad that progressed to the final and her efforts caught the eye of both provincial and national selectors. After playing for the Southern Stings in the Brutal Fruit Netball Challenge she was called up for duty with the U21 Proteas and was joined by teammates Charmaine Baard, Sasha-Lee Petersen and Jo Prins.
Her netball idol is Sharni Layton, who has won the Netball World Championship and Commonwealth Gold Medal as part of the Australian Netball Diamonds. Like Layton she also plays GK and GD, and will also look to emulate her idol’s success on the court.
Brandt started her academic career as a BSc Agric student but has since joined six of her teammates in the Education faculty. She stays in Huis Neethling, the Maties Sport High Performance Residence, where she rubs shoulders with various other future stars.
Brandt is set for a long and prosperous career at Maties, and will look to continue delivering standout performances on whichever stage she might find herself. If she can keep developing and working hard there is no reason why she can’t face Layton in the colours of the Proteas!
By Dorfling Terblanche
