University
Nationals
University nationals
UniSport Nationals events facilitate representative opportunities for student athletes of the University of Newcastle to compete against the best University student Athletes in Australia.
Students in Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Foundation studies are all eligible to compete.
Expand the drop-down menu below for further information.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - 2026 UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
Expressions of Interest to trial for the 2026 UniSport Nationals (Perth) are now available HERE.
See the 2026 Trial Dates and UniSport Nationals Calendar below.
To express your interest in individual National Championship events* (e.g. swimming, athletics), please complete the form HERE. *Please note minimum qualifying standards may apply.
For updates, follow us on Instagram: @nusport.theforum
TRIAL DATES - 2026 UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
| SPORT | FACILITY | TEAM | TRIAL 1 | TIME | TRIAL 2 | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netball | Indoor Courts | Women's & Mixed | Tuesday 3 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Monday 16 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| Basketball | Indoor Courts | Women's & Men's | Thursday 5 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Friday 13 March | 3:30pm - 5:30pm |
| Volleyball | Stadium Court | Men's | Friday 6 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Wednesday 18 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| Oztag | Bernie Curran Oval | Mixed | Monday 9 March | 7:00am - 8:30am | Tuesday 17 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| League 9s | Bernie Curran Oval | Women's & Men's | Monday 2 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Thursday 19 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| Ultimate Frisbee | Oval 2 | Mixed | Monday 9 March | 7:00am - 8:30am | Friday 20 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| Hockey | Multi Sport Oval 3 | Women's & Men's | Friday 13 March | 7:30am - 9:30am | Thursday 19 March | 3:30pm - 5:30pm |
| Water Polo | NUsport Pool | Women's & Men's | Monday 2 March | 7:30am - 9:00am | Monday 16 March | 7:30pm - 9:00pm |
| Football | Oval 3 / Oval 2 | Women's & Men's | Wednesday 4 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Friday 13 March | 3:30pm - 5:30pm |
| AFL 9s | Oval 2 | Mixed | Wednesday 4 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Thursday 12 March | 5:30pm - 7:30pm |
| Rugby 7s | Bernie Curran Oval | Women's & Men's | Friday 13 March | 7:00am - 9:00am | Wednesday 18 March | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
| Rowing | High Performance Gym | Women's & Men's | Friday 6 March | 7:00am - 8:30am | Friday 20 March | 5:00pm - 6:30pm |
| Touch Football | Oval 2 | Women's & Men's | Monday 9 March | 4:00pm - 5:45pm | Monday 16 March | 7:00am - 9:30am |
*Please note: all sports are subject to expressions of interest. We will also provide EOI’s for individual sports including surfing, golf, badminton and taekwondo.
CALENDAR - 2026 UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
The following UniSport Nationals programs are supported by NUsport in 2026.
| Sport | Details |
|---|---|
| Triathlon* |
Wollongong, NSW - Dharawal 19 April |
| Athletics* |
Gold Coast, QLD - Kombumerri 22 - 24 April |
| Swimming* |
Sydney, NSW - Gadigal 15 - 17 May |
| Indigenous Nationals |
University of Newcastle, NSW - Awabakal & Worimi 29 June - 3 July |
| Distance Running* |
Gold Coast, QLD - Kombumerri 4 - 5 July |
| Cross Country* |
Ballarat, VIC - Wathaurong 22 - 23 August |
| UniSport Nationals |
Perth, WA - Noongar 26 September - 3 October |
*Minimum qualifying standards apply.
2026 INDIGENOUS NATIONALS
National Indigenous Tertiary Education Student Games (NITESG) began in 1996 as a joint class project between 13 students enrolled in a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies (Community Recreation) at the then Wollotuka School for Aboriginal Studies, The University of Newcastle.
Now referred to as Indigenous Nationals, the event is a week-long multi-sport competition for indigenous student-athletes. The annual event aims to bring together student-athletes from universities across Australia to compete in a variety of sports and ultimately crown one university team the champion of the games. Indigenous Nationals is an amazing environment to not only celebrate the rich sporting culture of indigenous Australia but to also acknowledge the heritage and history of the participating student-athletes.
In 2026, the University of Newcastle will proudly host the Indigenous Nationals, marking the 30th anniversary of this landmark event, set to take place from 29 June to 3 July. This celebration of athleticism and culture will feature a mixed competition across four sports: touch football, basketball, netball, and volleyball.
The University of Newcastle, having claimed victory in the past two years, is poised to uphold its legacy of excellence as the host of this highly anticipated event.
For more event details visit www.unisport.com.au
WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
World University Games are the pinnacle sporting events for elite University athletes. The World University Summer and Winter Games (Universiades) are held every 2 years, and are elite multisport events second only to the Olympic Games.
All World University Games and Championship teams are selected by the relevant National Sporting Organisation. Contact the High Performance arm of your sport's governing body to access selection policies and more information, or visit www.unisport.com.au/uniroos-international-events
Some funding may be available to selected athletes to assist with the cost of attending these elite events. Contact NUsport's Elite Athlete Support Officer for more information.
For all event details and more on Unisport Australia visit www.unisport.com.au
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Am I eligible to compete?
Eligibility rules are available to view here. Students who have deferred study, dropped enrolments, taken a leave of absence etc, over the time of the event, are not eligible to compete. Competitors at the World University Games and Championships may be eligible to compete up to 12-months following completion of their degree.
Do I need to meet selection criteria?
Certain sports have specific criteria – for example Swimming and Athletics. Competitors in these sports MUST be able to demonstrate recent attainment of minimum qualifying times/distances etc. This can generally be shown via online results at events such as State Championships or similar. If you are not able to demonstrate qualifying standards you will not be permitted to compete.
For team sports, selections will be made via trials. If NUsport believes a team will not be competitive at a given event, it reserves the right to refuse entry for that team.
Will there be random anti-doping testing?
Yes. As an ASADA certified organisation there will be random anti-doping testing at Nationals. Athletes are encouraged to complete the ASADA Level 1 Anti-Doping Course to familiarise themselves with anti-doping processes and prohibited substances.
Team Coaches and Managers
Expression of Interest wanted
UniSport Nationals 2026 will be held in Perth, Western Australia from Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October 2026, with all athletes and team personnel expected to arrive on Sunday 27 September.
We’re seeking enthusiastic and dedicated coaches and managers to join the University of Newcastle team and help lead our athletes at the nation’s premier university sporting event.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out via eliteathletes@newcastle.edu.au
Competing Sports:
- Netball
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Football
- Rugby 7s (2-day event)
- Touch Football
- OzTag
- League 9s (2-day event)
- Water Polo
- Hockey
- Rowing (3-day event)
- Ultimate Frisbee
2025 UniSport nationals update
In 2025, 170 University of Newcastle students represented Newcastle with pride across 12 sports, with 20 teams assembled. Highlights of the tournament include Gold in Men’s Para Single Rowing, Silver Medals in Men’s Golf and Women’s Single Sculls (Rowing) and Bronze Medals in Men’s Hockey and Rowing, while Men’s Football claimed the Division 2 Gold Medal.
