Varsity Netball

Last updated
Varsity Netball
Varsity Netball logo.jpg
Sport Netball
Founded 2013
No. of teams8
Country South Africa
Most recent
champion(s)		 UFS Kovsies (5th title)
Most titles UFS Kovsies (5 titles)
TV partner(s) SuperSport [1]
Sponsor(s) First National Bank
Suzuki [1]
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. [2]

Contents

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. [3] [4] They won further titles in 2014, 2018, and 2021. [5] In 2024, UFS Kovsies won their fifth title, after defeating UJ Netball 58–55 in the final. [6] [7] [8]

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. [9] [10] [11]

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. [12] [13] [14]

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. [15] [16] [17] [18] In 2019, UP-Tuks won their second title, this time defeating Maties 48–43 in the final. [19] [20] In 2023, UP-Tuks won their third title after defeating UJ Netball 63–61 in the final. [21] [22] [23]

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. [24] [25]

Teams

TeamUniversityHome venueTNL parter
UFS Kovsies Netball [5] University of the Free State Callie Human Hall Free State Crinums
UJ Netball [26] University of Johannesburg Gauteng Golden Fireballs [27] [28]
Madibaz Netball [29] Nelson Mandela University Madibaz Sports CentreEastern Cape Aloes [30]
NWU Netball Pukke [31] North-West University NWU Mafikeng Great Hall North West Flames
UP-Tuks Netball [32] University of Pretoria Rembrandt Hall Gauteng Jaguars
Maties Netball Stellenbosch University Coetzenburg Indoor Arena
TUT Netball Tshwane University of Technology
Wits Netball [33] University of the Witwatersrand Wits Sports Hall

Sources: [7] [34]

Finals

SeasonWinnersScoreRunners UpVenue
2013 [3] [4] UFS Kovsies44–40NWU-Pukke Potchefstroom
2014 [35] [36] [37] UFS Kovsies49–42UP-TuksRembrandt Hall
2015 [12] [38] [39] NWU-Pukke50–37MatiesCoetzenburg Indoor Arena
2016 [13] [14] NWU-Pukke56–55UP-TuksRembrandt Hall
2017 [15] [16] [17] UP-Tuks43–41NWU-PukkeRembrandt Hall
2018 [40] [41] UFS Kovsies63–59UP Tuks Bloemfontein
2019 [19] [20] UP-Tuks48–43MatiesRembrandt Hall
2020 (Note 1)
2021 [42] [43] [44] UFS Kovsies55–39MatiesCoetzenburg Indoor Arena
2022 [45] [46] Maties68–55NWU-PukkeCoetzenburg Indoor Arena
2023 [21] [22] [23] UP-Tuks63–61 UJ Netball Rembrandt Hall
2024 [6] [7] [8] UFS Kovsies58–55 UJ Netball Callie Human Hall
Notes

Sources: [2] [18]

Notable players

Winning captains

SeasonTeamCaptains
2013 [3] [4] UFS Kovsies Maryka Holtzhausen
2014 [36] [47] UFS Kovsies Karla Mostert
2015
2016 [13] [14] NWU-PukkeChante Bester
2017 [15] [16] [17] UP-Tuks Shadine van der Merwe
2018 [18] [40] UFS KovsiesAlicia Puren
2019 [19] [20] UP-TuksTshina Mdau
2021 [44] UFS KovsiesSikholiwe Mdletshe
2022 [45] MatiesSian Moore
2023 [21] [23] UP-TuksKamogelo Maseka
2024 [8] UFS KovsiesRefiloe Nketsa

Player of the Tournament

SeasonTeamWinners
2013 [48] UFS KovsiesAné Botha
2014 [36] [47] UFS Kovsies Karla Mostert
2015UFS Kovsies Karla Mostert
2016 [13] [14] [49] UP-Tuks Shadine van der Merwe
2017 [50] UFS KovsiesKhomotso Mamburu
2018 [40] [41] UFS Kovsies Khanyisa Chawane
2019 [51] UFS Kovsies Lefébre Rademan
2021 [42] [43] Maties Nicholé Taljaard
2022 [45] NWU-PukkeElmeré van den Berg
2023 [21] [23] NWU-PukkeSanmarie Visser
2024 [6] [8] UFS KovsiesRolene Streutker

Source: [18]

Internationals

Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa

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References

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  2. 1 2 "History". www.varsitysportssa.com. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
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  30. ↑ "Eastern Cape netball on the rise as Aloes clinch promotion". sport.mandela.ac.za. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
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  35. ↑ "Kovsies retain their crown". www.old.varsitysportssa.com. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
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  47. 1 2 "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.
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