Latest News

This week, UTSNZ Executive Director Sarah Anderson met with representatives from the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand to reflect on a year of meaningful collaboration and explore opportunities for 2025. The meeting celebrated key milestones, including New Zealand tertiary teams competing at prestigious FISU events in China, and highlighted the University of Auckland men’s football team’s qualification for the 2025 FISU University World Cup in Dalian. Both parties expressed enthusiasm for building on these successes to foster international connections and create meaningful opportunities for athletes and students in the year ahead. Read more here .

UTSNZ is excited to announce that Snow Sports NZ has selected a team of five talented alpine skiers to represent New Zealand at the 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Torino, Italy. This prestigious global event will take place from 13-23 January 2025, bringing together student-athletes from over 50 countries.

The 2024 UTSNZ Tertiary Recreation Awards showcased the outstanding achievements and innovations of tertiary institutions and individuals dedicated to enhancing student recreation experiences. This year’s awards highlighted initiatives fostering inclusion, community, and innovation while celebrating leadership and service. Read more here on the nominees and winners in each category.

UTSNZ is pleased to announce several key updates regarding the composition of the Board, which will continue to provide strategic leadership and support UTSNZ's mission of enhancing tertiary sport in New Zealand. Click here for the latest update on key appointments and changes.

Netball, like many team sports, relies on the sharp focus of its umpires to ensure fair play. With two required for each game, umpires play a vital role in shaping the flow of the match, often under pressure from passionate supporters. Despite the challenges, umpires are the backbone of the sport, and Desterney Reid, who officiated at the recent National Tertiary Netball Championship, exemplifies dedication to the craft. Starting in high school, Desterney has honed her skills over the years, rising to a national level and becoming an inspiring figure in the umpiring community. Read more on Desterney's journey here.

The 2024 National Tertiary Championship Series concluded with resounding success as the University of Canterbury (UC) emerged as the overall champions, securing their place at the top of New Zealand’s premier tertiary sporting competition and backing up their impressive double title win in 2023. In addition to Canterbury's success, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) has been awarded the prestigious Te Kaitiaki – National Tertiary Spirit Champion Award. Te Kaitiaki recognises the tertiary institution that best captures the spirit of national championship events, based on votes from participants across all UTSNZ National Tertiary Championships. Read more on this year's major award winners here.

The University of Auckland (UoA) has claimed the 2024 National Tertiary Netball Championship title, emerging victorious at the Massey University Recreation Centre in Palmerston North over the weekend of September 28-29. This marks their fourth triumph in the event's history, continuing their dominance after also winning in 2022, 2019, and 2016. UoA’s success a testament to the strength and consistency of their netball programme. Read more here.

UTSNZ strives to create a space where students of all levels, motivations, and personalities can thrive and find their place in the wider tertiary sporting community. This vision comes to life through stories like Brianna Ferguson’s - a tale of quiet achievement, where hard work and determination take centre stage over recognition. For Brianna, representing the University of Canterbury in the National Tertiary Netball Championship this weekend is simply business as usual, as she steps into the shooting circle for the third time at the national tertiary level. This story is brought to you by Beka Hunt, Ara New Zealand Broadcasting School student, who captures Brianna’s journey and the excitement surrounding this final Championship showdown of 2024.

The National Tertiary Basketball Championships were held in Wellington from the 20th to the 22nd of September, bringing together top university teams from across New Zealand to compete for the title. In this exciting tournament, some changes occurred in the team line-ups. A Wellington-based invitational team stepped in to replace the Waikato women's team, while another invitational team took the place of the Otago men's team. These adjustments maintained the competitive spirit of the event, showcasing high-level basketball talent and keeping the championship running smoothly despite the team changes.Read more on the event here.

Despite the cold weather and intermittent rain, the nine teams participating in the 2024 NZ Tertiary Ultimate Championships at Ilam Fields were buzzing to be there. The pristine fields provided the perfect playing surface for the teams from AUT, the University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Otago, and the hosts University of Canterbury.

Nine teams from across Aotearoa will meet at the Ilam Fields in Christchurch this weekend to compete in the 2024 NZ Tertiary Ultimate Championships. In a format that is unique to the ultimate championship, universities can enter multiple teams with hosts University of Canterbury entering three teams and providing over 60 students the chance to participate. The universities of Auckland and Otago have entered two teams each, while teams from Victora University of Wellington and AUT round out the entries.

In a display of passion, dedication, and exceptional organisational skills, the inaugural New Zealand Tertiary Grappling Challenge event, held 24-25 August at the University of Canterbury (UC), highlighted the potential for student-driven sports events in New Zealand. The event, primarily organised by the University of Canterbury Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CUBJJ), brought together student grapplers from across the country and underscored the potential of students to lead and execute successful sporting events. Read more here.

Caitlin Bowden, a passionate and dedicated recent graduate from AUT, recently played a vital role as a volunteer at the National Tertiary Futsal Championship held in Auckland from August 18th to 20th. Her work at the championship, assisting the Marketing and Events Manager, saw her leading social media initiatives and driving digital engagement among students. This experience not only contributed to the success of the event but also provided Caitlin with invaluable opportunities for vocational skill development, a core objective of the Team UTSNZ Workforce Development Programme. Read more here.

The National Tertiary Futsal Championships came to a close on Tuesday afternoon at Auckland’s Pulman Arena, as three days of intense competition and rivalry concluded with two fascinating finals. Read our full recap of both finals here.

University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) and Ara Institute of Canterbury’s New Zealand Broadcasting School (NZBS) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on media coverage opportunities for sports events at local, national, and international levels. The three-year partnership aims to provide students with practical experience in sports journalism, commentary and photography and is the first formal agreement between UTSNZ and a tertiary institution outside the university network. Read more here.

The New Zealand Universities men's and women's futsal teams who competed at the FISU World University Futsal Championships in June,had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich culture of Shanghai, thanks to the support of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Student Sport Fund. Cultural activities allowed student-athletes to engage with the local community, experience traditional Chinese customs, and foster international friendships through sport. Read some reflections from the team here.

The University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau have regained top spot in the overall tertiary shield standings thanks to winning both the men’s and women’s National Tertiary Volleyball Championships last weekend. The event was hosted by Wellington Regional Volleyball Association at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua where over 150 student-athletes from around the country converged to do battle on court.

The University of Canterbury (UC) men's 3x3 basketball team has emerged victorious at the FISU Oceania 3x3 Continental Qualifying Tournament, securing their spot at the FISU University World Cup 3x3 in Xiamen, China, this November. Read more on the team's achievement here.

Four university 3x3 teams from New Zealand competed at the FISU Oceania 3x3 Continental Qualifying Tournament this week, attempting to qualify to represent the region at November’s FISU University World Cup 3x3 in Xiamen, China. Men’s teams from the University of Canterbury and the University of Waikato along with women’s teams from Lincoln University and the University of Waikato travelled to the Sunshine Coast of Australia.

Michelle Daniel, a second-year student at AUT, is set to embark on an exciting journey as she represents University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) and New Zealand in the 2024 FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy. The FISU VLA will see Michelle join young leaders from around the world to promote volunteering and leadership in sport. Read more here.

The National Tertiary 3x3 Championship, held at the Selwyn Sports Centre on 11-12 May, showcased the incredible talent and competitive spirit of New Zealand university 3x3 athletes. Read more about the exciting weekend of action.