Latest News

Climbing NZ is calling for expressions of interest from New Zealand tertiary students who are interested in competing at the World University Sport Climbing Championship, 9 - 12 September in Koper, Slovenia. The World University Sport Climbing Championship, an international event organised for tertiary student athletes, is held under the auspices of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). Click here for more information.

The Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland men's Football team to represent New Zealand and the Oceania region at the upcoming 2023 FISU University World Cup Football has been announced. The highly anticipated event is scheduled to take place from October 21 to 31, 2023, in Jinjiang, China. Click here for more details and a full Team List.

As anticipation builds for the Alpine Classic in September, university cheerleading clubs from across New Zealand are stepping up their game, each bringing their unique spirit and dedication to the forefront. The upcoming event promises a thrilling showcase of athleticism, camaraderie, and boundless enthusiasm, as teams vie for top honours in this exciting competition.

A highlight of the university futsal calendar is right around the corner with the National Tertiary Futsal Championships 2023 kicking off on Thursday 24th August at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North. Featuring some of the finest futsal Aotearoa has to offer, this year's competition promises four days of action, with the title of 2023 National Tertiary Futsal Champions on offer to the victors. Games will take place from August 24th - 27th, with the finals held on Sunday 27th August. Click on the link below for more.

From 16 to 27 July 2025, top student athletes from all over the world will come together at the Rhine and Ruhr. After Duisburg in 1989, the FISU World University Games will be held in Germany for the second time. For the first time, the Rhine-Ruhr region will host the event: the five host cities – Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr – will be home to the world's elite in university sport for twelve days. Read the latest Press Release statement from the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 Organising Committee here.

Tegan Walmsley, a name that resonates throughout the New Zealand student lacrosse community, is a shining example of passion, dedication, and sport leadership both on and off the field. Her journey into the world of lacrosse began in 2015 when she took her first steps onto the field at Te Awamutu College. Instantly falling in love with the sport, she honed her skills over the years, making a significant impact as both a player and a volunteer. Read more about Tegan's journey and achievements in the sport of Lacrosse here.

With international hosts confirmed and planning well underway for the FISU World University Championship (WUC) Programme in 2024, anticipation is high as invitations for participating nations begin to be distributed. The FISU World University Championship events, held every two years, bring together talented student athletes from university and tertiary institutions worldwide to compete in various sports. Read more on the 2024 programme of events here.

The 2023 FISU Oceania Continental Qualifying Tournament (QT) came to an exhilarating close on July 22nd in Auckland. Proudly hosted by AUT, the two-day event featured male and female university teams from across the Oceania region competing for a coveted spot at the FISU 3×3 University World Cup, set to take place in October 2023. Read more on the final results here.

AUT made the most of the opportunity to host the 2023 National Tertiary Volleyball Championship, winning the women’s grand final over their local rivals from the University of Auckland. In the men's tournament, the University of Waikato triumphed over the University of Auckland to win in 4 sets and claim gold.

New Zealand's university lacrosse scene is buzzing with anticipation as the 2023 New Zealand Universities Lacrosse Tournament approaches. Scheduled to take place on 14-15 July this Matariki weekend, this year's edition of the tournament will bring together teams from the University of Canterbury, Victoria University of Wellington, and the University of Auckland, each vying for the coveted title.

The National Tertiary Volleyball Championship heads to Auckland for the first time in its history as AUT hosts the event on the North Shore this weekend. The men’s and women’s teams from AUT and the University of Auckland are particularly excited as they couldn’t make it to Christchurch last year due to the last-minute cancellation of their flights.

Taking place in Auckland next month, the FISU Oceania 3x3 Continental Qualifying Tournament will witness a fierce battle among teams from New Zealand, Australia and across the Pacific. The stakes are high, with only one team from each gender category earning the opportunity to showcase their talent at the prestigious FISU University World Cup 3x3, scheduled to be held later this year. Read more about the upcoming event here.

In an enthusiastic display of creativity and teamwork, volunteers from University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) have joined forces to help produce an engaging and informative ‘Team UTSNZ’ Workforce Development Programme promotional video aimed at connecting passionate and talented students wanting to put their studies to practical use with volunteer roles, both nationally and internationally. Read more about the project here.

UTSNZ proudly announces the selection of McKayla Little, a talented student, to participate in the prestigious FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy. This exciting opportunity which includes an introductory session on the 23 June, followed a three-day online forum from 7-9 September, will mark an important milestone in Little's academic and leadership journey.

UTSNZ is thrilled to announce that the Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland Men's Football Team has received confirmation of funding support from the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono for their participation in the highly anticipated FISU University World Cup Football event. The tournament will take place in Jinjiang, China 21 - 31 Oct, bringing together top university teams from across the globe to compete for football supremacy.

University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) is thrilled to announce its participation in the global initiative, Sport for Climate Action Change. As an organisation committed to well-being and the future of sports, UTSNZ is dedicated to driving sustainable practices within the university and tertiary sport sector.

The Lincoln University women’s 3x3 team couldn’t be stopped, defending the National Tertiary 3x3 Championship and bringing their total number of titles to five. In the men’s tournament, the University of Canterbury ensured both sets of gold medals were heading down south as they defeated Victoria University of Wellington 21-20 in an epic Grand Final.

The University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau have claimed the National Tertiary Badminton Championship title for the fourth year running, defeating a spirited University of Canterbury team 4-1 in the Grand Final. In the Tertiary Badminton Cup, first-time entrants XtreMe from the University of Canterbury claimed the silverware over Just In Time 2K23.

UTSNZ is calling for nominations for candidates to fill a student representative governance role on the UTSNZ Board of Directors. More information on the role and the vacancy can be found here.

The 2023 FISU University World Cup Football will be held on 21-31 October, 2023 in Jinjiang, China. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second edition was postponed from 2021 to 2023. It has been four years since the first FISU University World Cup Football successfully took place in 2019 in the same host city.  A total of 16 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams from five continents will gather in Jinjiang again to fight for the supreme honor of university football, and offer another spectacular competition to the world. Read more about the UWC and New Zealand's involvement here. 

Following the Aon New Zealand University Rowing Championship held in April, Rowing NZ have announced the New Zealand Universities Rowing Team to compete against the Australian Universities Rowing Team in Brisbane, Australia – July. Click here for a link to the official announcement and a list of selected athletes.