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Varsity Netball

Sport	Netball
Founded	2013
No. of teams	8
Country	South Africa
Most recent champion(s)	UFS Kovsies (5th title)
Most titles	UFS Kovsies (5 titles)
TV partner(s)	SuperSport
Sponsor(s)	First National Bank Suzuki
Official website	Varsity Netball

Varsity Netball is a netball league featuring teams representing universities in South Africa. It was formed in 2013. UFS Kovsies were the inaugural winners and they remain the league's most successful team, having won five titles. It is one of several similar sports competitions that form the Varsity Sports series. Others include leagues for men's football, women's football, field hockey and rugby union.

History

UFS Kovsies

In 2013, UFS Kovsies won the inaugural tournament. With a team captained by Maryka Holtzhausen, they defeated NWU-Pukke 44–40 in the final. They won further titles in 2014, 2018, and 2021. In 2024, UFS Kovsies won their fifth title, after defeating UJ Netball 58–55 in the final.

UFS Kovsies are closely associated with Free State Crinums of the Telkom Netball League. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, Crinums were a de facto Kovsie team. The vast majority of their squad members, including Lefébre Rademan and Khanyisa Chawane, were University of the Free State students. Crinums head coach, Burta de Kock, was also the head coach of Kovsies.

NWU-Pukke

In 2015 and 2016, with teams featuring Sigrid Burger, Renske Stoltz and Jeanté Strydom, NWU-Pukke won two successive titles. In 2015, after finishing the regular season in fourth place, they eliminated two-time defending champions, UFS Kovsies, in semi-final before going onto defeat Maties 50–37 in the final. In 2016 they retained the title following a narrow 56–55 win over UP-Tuks.

UP-Tuks

In 2017, after finishing as runners-up in 2014 and 2016, UP-Tuks and won their first title. Their winning team was coached by Jenny Van Dyk, captained by Shadine van der Merwe and featured Marlize de Bruin and Ine-Marí Venter. In the final, they defeated NWU-Pukke 43–41. In 2019, UP-Tuks won their second title, this time defeating Maties 48–43 in the final. In 2023, UP-Tuks won their third title after defeating UJ Netball 63–61 in the final.

UP-Tuks are closely associated with Gauteng Jaguars. Since 2017, Jaguars have been winning Premier Netball League titles. The core of their team is made up of UP-Tuks players. Jenny van Dyk, served as head coach of both UP-Tuks and Jaguars.

Teams

Sources:

Finals

Notes

• ^1 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.

Sources:

Notable players

Winning captains

Player of the Tournament

Source:

Internationals

 South Africa

References

1. ^ "Sponsors". www.varsitysportssa.com. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
2. ^ "History". www.varsitysportssa.com. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
3. ^ "Kovsies stun Pukke in final". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
4. ^ "Holtzhausen hails Kovsies heroes". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
5. ^ "Netball Home". www.ufs.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
6. ^ "Kovsies crowned Varsity Netball 2024 champions after dramatic extra-time final". www.varsitysportssa.com. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
7. ^ "Kovsies Crowned 2024 Varsity Netball Champions after Extra-Time Win over UJ". gsport.co.za. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
8. ^ "Kovsies crowned 2024 Varsity Netball champions after thrilling extra-time win". www.ufs.ac.za. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
9. "Kovsies make up entire Crinums squad". www.ufs.ac.za. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
10. "More success for netballers in different competition?". www.ufs.ac.za. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
11. "Player management key to netball team". www.ufs.ac.za. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
12. ^ "Underdogs NWU-Pukke Earn Debut Varsity Netball Title Win". gsport.co.za. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
13. ^ "Champions reign supreme as Pukke defeat Tuks in thrilling final". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
14. ^ "Pukke Snatch 2016 Varsity Netball Cup from Tuks". gsport.co.za. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
15. ^ "Tuks finally earn the Varsity Netball crown". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
16. ^ "Van Dyk's UP-Tuks celebrate their first Varsity title". www.teamsa.co.za. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
17. ^ "Success for Tuks in Varsity Netball after years of disappointment". www.citizen.co.za. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
18. ^ "Varsity Netball final facts: Kovsies vs Tuks". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
19. ^ "Tuks make history by winning nail-biting final against Maties". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
20. ^ "UP's TuksNetball team wins Varsity Netball Tournament in historic unbeaten run". www.up.ac.za. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
21. ^ "UP-Tuks crowned 2023 Varsity Netball champions". supersport.com. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
22. ^ "Gutsy Tuks wins Varsity Netball Tournament for a third time". www.up.ac.za. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
23. ^ "UP-Tuks crowned 2023 Varsity Netball champions". www.varsitysportssa.com. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
24. "#TuksNetball: Van Dyk coaches Jaguars to a 2nd Brutal Fruit title and 18 game winning streak". www.up.ac.za. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
25. "#TuksNetball: The Gauteng Jaguars are not taking anything for granted in the 2021 Telkom Netball League". www.up.ac.za. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
26. "UJ Netball Club". www.uj.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
27. "UJ Netball players shine at the start of the Telkom Netball League". www.uj.ac.za. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
28. "UJ netballers set for championship performances repeat in 2023 Telkom Netball League". www.uj.ac.za. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
29. "Welcome to the SPAR Madibaz Netball Club". netball.mandela.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
30. "Eastern Cape netball on the rise as Aloes clinch promotion". sport.mandela.ac.za. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
31. "Ladies Netball – Men's Netball". sport.nwu.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
32. "TuksNetball". www.up.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
33. "Netball – Wits University". www.wits.ac.za. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
34. "UJ Leads Varsity Netball Log as Kovsies Inflict Resounding Defeat on Defending Champs Tuks". www.varsitysportssa.com. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
35. "Kovsies retain their crown". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
36. ^ "Kovsies Beat Tuks to Retain Varsity Netball Crown". gsport.co.za. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
37. "Unbeaten Tuks stumble across last hurdle in Varsity Netball final against Kovsies". www.citizen.co.za. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
38. "Pukke dominate to win first Varsity Netball tournament". www.citizen.co.za. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
39. "Pukke dominate to win first Varsity Netball tournament". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
40. ^ "Kovsies Lift 2018 Varsity Netball Trophy in front of Sold-Out Home Crowd". gsport.co.za. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
41. ^ "Kovsies take down Tuks in thrilling final". www.teamsa.co.za. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
42. ^ "Clinical Kovsies claim fourth Varsity Netball crown". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
43. ^ "Kovsies Overwhelm Maties to Win 2021 Varsity Netball Tournament". gsport.co.za. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
44. ^ "South African Varsity Netball competitions back in action after postponement". www.fisu.net. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
45. ^ "Home-town success for Maties as the Maroon Machine beat NWU to be crowned 2022 Varsity Netball champions". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
46. "Maties Crowned 2022 Varsity Netball Champions". gsport.co.za. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
47. ^ "More silverware for Mostert". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
48. "Kovsies' Botha cleans up". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
49. "Super Woman: Shadine van der Merwe". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
50. "Khomotso and Romé honoured". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
51. "Lefébre Rademan named Varsity Netball 2019's best player". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.

External links

• Varsity Netball on Instagram

• Varsity Netball
• Netball competitions in South Africa
• Varsity Sports (South Africa)
• Netball leagues in Africa
• Women's sports leagues in South Africa
• 2013 establishments in South Africa
• Sports leagues established in 2013