Team UNE at Canberra UniSport Nationals 2024

By Anastasia Craig

From the 9th to the 13th of September, six UNE teams and a lone golfer trekked to the stunning city of Canberra to compete at UniSport Nationals, the largest inter-university sporting event in Australia. Our six teams competed fiercely throughout the week across three sports: volleyball, netball and futsal. Representing the University of New England (UNE) with pride, our team made many core memories both on and off the court.

There were many highlights throughout the week. From witnessing the camaraderie between the UNE teams, the inclusivity of Unity Day, interacting with other universities and forging new life-long friendships, my travels with the UNE women’s volleyball team have given me many unforgettable memories.

No matter the stakes, every victory, big or small, was celebrated by the entire team. I distinctly remember cheering from the sideline with other members of my team as we watched the men’s volleyball team take their first set of the tournament.

Many teams enjoyed bonding and sightseeing in Canberra in their downtime; the futsal teams took an adventure to Parliament House, the volleyball teams competed against each other in mini golf and the netballers enjoyed exploring Canberra in their free time.

“Watching our efforts pay off on the court and reflecting on how much progress we’ve made over months of training felt incredibly rewarding. Plus, it was a great chance to bond with other sports enthusiasts and create lasting connections.”

– Cassie Benett (Women’s Futsal and Volleyball)

All teams went to support each other between games; women’s futsal came to cheer on women’s volleyball, and men’s volleyball went to encourage women’s netball.

Everyone would make the trek between venues to cheer on each team, creating a wonderful atmosphere and sense of camaraderie.

Support also came from other universities. During their match for ‘the wooden spoon’, Australian National University were calling timeouts and joining the UNE men’s volleyball team huddles, giving them words of encouragement. After the conclusion of the game, the teams mixed players and enjoyed some scratch matches in the world-class facilities provided by the Australian Institute of Sport.

This experience has left a lasting impact on all the athletes involved:

“Unigames was such an amazing experience. Getting to play competitively and see how the Div 1 teams play was so much fun. This always meant a lot to me as my mum played Unigames back when she was my age and she’s been my biggest supporter even from Coffs Harbour. It was also just a great week to spend with the team exploring Canberra!” – Abby O’Dwyer (Women’s Volleyball)

Results:

 Women’s Volleyball: 7th place in Division 2

Men’s Volleyball: 14th place in Division 2 (wooden spoon winners)

Women’s Netball: 11th place in Division 1

Mixed Netball: 4th place in Division 2

Women’s Futsal:  11th place in Division 1

Men’s Futsal: 6th place in Division 2

Golf: COMING SOON

This experience isn’t just available for Armidale Campus students. Jack Ritchie, who represented UNE in golf, is a Sydney-based student. In years past, many members of our team sports have also been external students.

So, whether you’re based in Armidale, Sydney, or anywhere else, the UniSport Nationals experience is open to you as a UNE student. If you’ve ever wanted to combine your love for sport with unforgettable friendships and travel, this is your chance.

Stay tuned to our social channels in 2025 for your opportunity to join the team and represent our university on the national stage. For questions about competing, reach out to Matt Pine via email at mpine@une.edu.au.