The North-West University (NWU) left it until the 89th minute to earn a valuable away draw against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in the opening round of the 2025 Varsity Football season.

Playing under chilly skies in front of a packed UJ Stadium on 7 August 2025, the home side struck early. UJ’s Thabo Moshikere tapped in from close range after a well-placed free kick was headed into his path by Yasidu Lifa. The early goal gave UJ the momentum as they went into halftime leading 1-0.

In true Mandela Day spirit, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus turned up the energy and heart rate (?) on 18 July with a vibrant and meaningful walk around the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds.

With the 2025 Varsity Football tournament set to kick off on 7 August, the men’s team from North-West University (NWU) say they are mentally and physically prepared for another competitive campaign.

Head coach of the NWU Soccer Institute, Nkululeko Malgas, says the team is entering the season with a solid foundation and the benefit of experience. “They are in the right mental space, having retained almost 70% of the players from the 2024 season. They know exactly what is at stake,” he says.

Lemogang Moote, secretary general of the South African National Boxing Organisation (SANABO) in the North West, has added another accomplishment to her growing list of achievements by graduating with an MSc degree in agricultural economics from the North-West University (NWU).

They hardly put a foot wrong. With flair and dazzling dance performances, the Dance Sport team of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus has successfully defended their title as University Sports South Africa (USSA) Dance Sport champions.

The NWU team of 20 athletes competed against dancers from 13 South African universities in a tournament hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville Campus in Durban from 28 June to 3 July.

On the fields where they once chased goals, a new group in Mahikeng is now learning how to shape them. The North-West University (NWU) Soccer Institute hosted the South African Football Association (SAFA) D Licence coaching course from 30 June to 6 July 2025, training aspiring coaches in the principles that guide youth and amateur football development.

For years, the bodybuilding team of the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU) has been a consistent force, never dropping out of the top three at the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Bodybuilding Championships.

2025 was no different, as they once again showcased their class at the USSA Bodybuilding and CrossFit Championships hosted by the Durban University of Technology in Pietermaritzburg on 28 June.

For Joubert Schoeman, a BCom Honours in Management Accounting student at the North-West University (NWU), representing South Africa on the global stage was not just a dream, but a goal he pursued with passion. His determination recently paid off when he helped the Springbok Sevens ‘A’ team win the Rugby Africa Sevens Cup in Mauritius.

In a partnership that aims to provide students with hands-on experience and practical exposure aligned with their academic curriculum, the School of Human Movement Science at the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) has embarked on a transformative collaboration with the North West Provincial Department of Art, Culture, Sports and Recreation (DACSR).

A former NWU Soccer Institute player, Michael Radebe has made the transition from the pitch to the training room, now serving as strength and conditioning coach at Durban City Football Club. The club was recently promoted to the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL).

“Studying sport science at NWU laid a good foundation for my current role,” says Radebe. “The sports science programme helped with theoretical knowledge and practical experience in programme designing and player monitoring, which is one of the critical factors in conditioning.”