New opportunities through sport

A message from Chief Operating Officer Dr Stephen Weller: ACU is set to enter the University Basketball League (UBL) in 2023, providing an opportunity for student athletes to progress their sporting endeavours alongside their studies.

Entering its third season, the UBL is the only national university league for any sport in Australia, leveraging the popularity of basketball within the university sector.

The UBL’s 2023 season, which begins in March, will pit 13 competing universities from around the country against one another. Team ACU will play a series of home and away fixtures against foes Curtain University, Federation University, RMIT, University of Sydney, University of the Sunshine Coast, La Trobe University, University of Melbourne, University of Adelaide, University of Tasmania, Victoria University, University of Western Australia and UTS.

Centred in Melbourne under the guidance of three-time NBL champion Matt Shanahan, the ACU team has a unique opportunity to select student athletes from a wide talent pool along the eastern seaboard. Matt established the university’s high-performance basketball program in late 2021 and is excited by the team’s progression into the UBL.

The UBL brings more to university life than sporting opportunities, with ACU Sport planning to partner with faculties to provide both work integrated learning and internships in high-performance sport, physical preparation, physiotherapy and sports management, including game-day logistics.

Director, Sport, Wellbeing and Residential Life Paul McJannett said ACU’s involvement in the UBL will deliver extensive athletic and educational outcomes for ACU students.

In addition to opportunities for players, there will be numerous ways for staff and students to get involved as spectators, volunteers or by participating in a supporter Track Trip, where they will get to enjoy the hype and community of this national competition.

ACU will play their first round against RMIT in Melbourne on Wednesday 15 March.

Find out more about the program

For more information on the UBL team or to express your interest in WIL opportunities for your students, contact admin.sport@acu.edu.au.