Epigram has connected with a number of our sports societies in order to give them a direct voice to our oncoming Freshers. Here is what they have in store.
University of Bristol Ladies Hockey Club
By Jodie Welton, Press and Publicity Secretary and final year BA History
The 24/25 season is set to be an exciting one for UBLHC. We will be entering six teams into our BUCS competition with four also playing in a Saturday league. We also have one friendly team who play in the intramural league. This year we hope to see success for all the teams within these leagues with several narrowly losing out on promotion last year and wishing to rectify this! With so many teams we are a big club and are excited to invite incoming freshers to join us.
In addition to our sporting goals, we will continue to hold the SU to their commitments on improving the welfare of students within the university’s clubs. Last year we made complaints to the SU surrounding their failure to protect a member of our club after a case of sexual assault. After which, we worked with them to amend the issues with the student code of conduct and we are proud to have brought change to protect students not only in sport but throughout the uni.
We are a club committed to having fun first and foremost and this is of course what we intend to continue doing in the incoming season.
University of Bristol Association Football Club
By Harley Mackenzie, Social Media Secretary and second year BA History
Hi there and welcome to Bristol!
My name’s Harley and I’m UBAFC’s social media sec who joined Men’s Football last year through the September trials. Being able to play for the official football club at the university has been an amazing opportunity, allowing me not only to represent my university but also creating a platform to meet lots of new and interesting people, within our diverse sporting community.
Last year was a rollercoaster campaign that was ultimately successful. In BUCS (British Universities and College Sports), we saw 2 of our 6 teams being promoted, with an array of great performers across all of our teams. The season also saw the beginning of the Saturday League team, a UBAFC team competing in the Hellenic Division Two West, a competitive men’s league. The team ended up winning the League Cup Final, a perfect way to cap off our season.
What to expect this year? Well, the club has been going from strength to strength so be sure to expect plenty more success in the coming 24/25 season, as the Saturday team is developed further, and our BUCS teams seek further promotions to even higher divisions.
University of Bristol Netball
By Rebekah Williams (third year BSc Biochemistry) and Libby Rowe (second year LLB Law). Co-Freshers Secretaries.
UBNC is an ever-growing society and we are looking forward to having our best season yet! Our Head of Netball is current Team Bath Assistant Coach, Chani Wopara.
At UBNC, we have social and development teams, as well as 6 teams competing in BUCS. All the BUCS and development squads train twice a week, with matches every Wednesday. Having achieved our Gold Award for the 2024 season, we have proven our place among the teams under the Performance Sport programme, giving us access to specialised Strength and Conditioning coaching.
UBNC freshers are not only first years, but anyone joining the club for their first season. UBNC is fun, welcoming and you’ll build lasting friendships with students across all year groups and create unforgettable memories both on and off-court. We offer year round sport and social events including Christmas and End of Season formals, Derby Day and we even had one of the girls representing us at Fight Night.
Over summer, we went to Valencia, for a mix of teamwork, adventure and laughter. During term time, we hold weekly socials, both drinking and alcohol free, which included hilarious themes everyone can get involved in, fun challenges and city explorations.
University of Bristol Netball Instagram.
University of Bristol Spartans Basketball
By Liam McKenzie, Social Media Secretary and second year BSc Chemistry
We are Spartans, the basketball society at the University of Bristol! Whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner, we offer a vibrant and competitive environment. We proudly support three men’s and two women’s teams, host give-it-a-go sessions and our weekly Spartans League, whereby players who are not part of a team can participate.
Last year was a landmark season as we were awarded the Bristol SU Sports Team of the Year! Our men’s first team earned promotion to Western 1A. The women’s first team not only earned promotion to Western 1A undefeated, but also clinched the Conference Cup. The women’s second team also showcased their talent, finishing runner-up in both league and cup to our first team. Lastly, the men’s third team won their WEBBA league and Fair Play Team of the Year.
We excitedly await this season as brings challenges for all our teams! Last February we took our annual trip to Paris and in May we held our All-Star weekend which brought the whole club together plus alumni. Joining our club is more than just playing basketball; it’s about becoming part of a close-knit community that supports one another and has fun on and off the court!
Bristol Medics Hockey
By Phil Kucharski, fourth year MB ChB Medicine
Hello! We are UBHMHC – Bristol’s Medics’ hockey club. We are proud to be a welcoming, diverse and inclusive club. We welcome people from all courses, and hockey abilities, whether it’s your first time, or you’re a seasoned pro.
Last year was a busy one – we joined the mixed friendly league, now with 8 teams and a great source of regular organised friendly hockey. We established strong connections with Mendip HC, returned to the corporate league, playing with local companies and organisations like the BBC. We volunteered weekly at a local primary school and ran some great socials. There’s something for everyone – karaoke, curry night, club nights, tours and more!
This year we plan to play in a league to increase our mixed matches as well as organising friendlies against local clubs for both our men’s and women’s teams. We will continue to have loads of socials both on the weekends and weekdays so all our members can attend on top of going on tour to Southampton and Manchester to play against other medic hockey teams. Most importantly, we’re always at Coombe on a Friday evening for a fun training session followed by pints at the White Bear. Come join us!
Don't forget to checkout our part two!
