The fifth Varsity Hockey season gets underway on 5 May in Stellenbosch and this year it is the turn of the ladies to do battle for the title. Defending champions University of Johannesburg (UJ) will look to repeat their 2015 success when they face seven other universities including University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks), University of Stellenbosch (Maties), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Madibaz), University of the North West (NWU Puk) and University of the Free State (Kovsies).

In 2015 UJ shocked Kovsies in the final by beating them 3-0 despite a resilient fightback from the team from Bloemfontein. This was Kovsies’ only defeat in the 2015 edition of Varsity Hockey. UP-Tuks and Wits will have no less than six national players, while newcomers UKZN will rely on the captain and South African Indoor player, Amy Greaves to lead the way. Greaves is of the opinion that the pressure on them won’t be as much as it is on the other seven teams.

“We have nothing to prove despite this being our first time competing,” says Greaves. “There is great excitement in the team because we get to test ourselves against some of the best players in the country.”

UP-Tuks are the only side that will feature two South African senior players, Marlise van Tonder and Izelle Verster, while Wits have a Namibian national player, Petro Stoffberg, and three SA Under-18 players including Lelethu Ndakisa, Lezaan Jansen van Vuuren and Tamsin Copeland in the charges, as they set their sights on the trophy.

The first leg will take place 5 – 8 May at the Maties Astro in Stellenbosch, with the second leg set to get underway between 12 – 15 May at the NWU-Pukke Astro in Potchefstroom. UKZN qualified for Varsity Hockey, for the first time, after they eliminated the University of Cape Town (UCT) in last year’s USSA tournament.

Entry to both venues are free of charge but spectators will need to download their free ticket from the Varsity Sports app. Matches on three days including 8, 14 and 15 May to be televised on SuperSport along with the final set to be played on 22 May. They will be treated to live music, on-field entertainment, sponsor giveaways and refreshments throughout the day, compliments of Mugg & Bean, FNB and Samsung. Matches commence at 13h30 on Friday, 5 May, when Wits will take on NWU-Puk at the Maties Astro.

VARSITY LADIES HOCKEY FIXTURES – 2017