A North East university graduate is aiming for sporting glory in his country's first-ever major international tournament.
Gian-Piero Meade, who graduated from Teesside University last year, will represent Italy at the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup—Italy’s first-ever major international tournament.
Mr Meade, known as JP, studied BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation and was a Performance Sport Scholar on the TASS Dual Career Pathway, which supports students to combine elite sport with higher education.
He said: "My time at Teesside University was very positive.
"The staff were supportive and flexible, particularly in accommodating the demands of elite sport alongside academic study.
"I was also involved as a gym instructor, which was a great opportunity to gain practical experience, develop professionally and further apply what I was learning on my course.
"It was a rewarding experience and added another dimension to my time at Teesside.
"I graduated last year from the Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation degree, which I found both academically rigorous and highly relevant to my sporting career."
The cricketer has also set his sights on returning to the university to pursue further studies.
Mr Meade said: "I am looking forward to returning to Teesside University for postgraduate study, as I have a place on the MSc Physiotherapy programme for 2027.
"It really interested me, given the strong applied focus of the programmes and the quality of teaching and facilities I experienced during my undergraduate degree."
He said the decision to study at Teesside was influenced by the opportunity to continue his sporting career without putting his education on hold.
Mr Meade said: "The Performance Sport Scholarship was a significant factor in my decision to come to Teesside University.
"A major attraction was the opportunity to continue competing at a high level while also gaining a degree.
"Teesside offered a supportive environment that understood the demands of elite sport, allowing me to pursue my education alongside my cricket without compromising either.
"That balance was extremely important to me at the time."
Since 2019, he has played with the Italian squad.
He credits Teesside with playing a meaningful role in his career progression—even though he hadn’t fully established himself in international cricket before joining the university.
Mr Meade said: "Access to high-quality facilities, strength and conditioning support, and a performance-focused environment at the university helped me continue to develop physically while balancing academic demands.
"Even small marginal gains at that stage of my career were important, and Teesside contributed positively to that process."
The 2026 T20 World Cup takes place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Italy will compete in Group C alongside England, Nepal, West Indies and Scotland.
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Their first match is against Scotland on February 9.
Mr Meade said: "In the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup I was able to make good use of the facilities and support available at Teesside University.
"Access to the gym, rehabilitation resources, and sports science support allowed me to maintain consistency in my physical preparation for lead up toward camps, which was extremely valuable."
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