Thunderbirds Sport Clubs – Year In Review: 2022/2023
The 2022/2023 season saw a return to sport for many. With travel restrictions being lifted, some teams saw a return to action and their first sanctioned competition in years. There was great success on all fronts for each team, highlighted by the growth of our program and the amount of competitive success our teams saw.
Alpine Skiing
Alpine Skiing saw a great return to competition with plenty of strong divisional showings, capped off with the Men’s Team qualifying for Nationals.
Submitted by Victor Samyn, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Alpine Skiing
This year was my last year competing with the UBC Alpine Ski Team as I will be graduating, and what a year it was. We had a great opportunity to start the year with a lot of very good dryland training which really set the tone and helped everyone get on the same page fitness-wise. Sadly due to the conditions we were not able to set a lot of gates and train a lot at Grouse this year but the few we had were great.
The two qualifying races that we attended this year will remain a core memory for me as we had some incredible performances from the whole team but also a lot of fun, which as a co-captain means a great deal.
Regionals was most likely the highlight of the year, the training day that we had the opportunity to have to train in bogus was amazing to help us get ready for the two days of competition. The extra training really paid off as we managed to qualify for nationals on our first year back on the circuit after Covid.
Making nationals was a crazy goal that we as an executive team had and making it was incredible. We cried and celebrated the moment it was announced. It was a very special moment that I was very lucky to spend with the best people I could have hoped for.
This year could have never been possible without the athletes in it, I am so proud of every single one of them and I am so excited to see what they will be able to do in the next coming years.
View this post on Instagram
Artistic Swimming
Looking to repeat as National Champions, Artistic Swimming saw a successful season – recognized as an exceptional club in competition and as a TSC.
Submitted by Lisa Koyama-Wong, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Artistic Swimming
UBC Artistic Swimming has had one of its best seasons yet so far! The season started off with the biggest turnout for tryouts in the club's history. The club also had the most rostered athletes to date this season with 35 swimmers competing across 4 teams, 5 solos, a duet, and a trio. During the first 4 months, the teams trained hard to choreograph their routines and build endurance. At the end of the fall semester, UBC Artistic Swimming hosted their annual winter water show and raffle to showcase this season's routines to their friends and family. In January, the competition season began with the club co-hosting CUASL Westerns in Surrey, BC. The competition started off with the extra routines where the experienced soloists swept the podium and the novice soloists placed 2nd and 5th. The duets also placed on the podium with the experienced duet taking home the gold and our novice duet taking home the silver. The weekend ended with the team event where the experienced teams captured 1st, 2nd, and 4th place and our novice team placed 2nd. These results qualified all of our routines to compete at the CUASL national championship which will be taking place at the Toronto Pan Am sports center in late March.
UBC Artistic Swimming ended the season with a successful weekend at the CUASL National Championships at the Markham Pan Am Centre! The novice team, trio and solo all had amazing season-best swims!
This season would not have been possible without the amazing work of both our executive team and coaches. Thank you for the continual dedication allowing us all to share these unforgettable memories!
TSC Awards
They finished their season with two more trophies, as Claire Hein-Salvi was recognized as Athlete of the Year for her performances at Nationals (earning the most aggregate points to the Sport Club’s 2nd overall finish), and the team earning TSC Team of the Year for their competitive success and the inclusive culture the team has built.
View this post on Instagram
Cycling
Cycling saw plenty of success this year - highlighted by some strong finishes in their CX season, a training camp in beautiful California, and multiple podiums in the few races they've had in the road race season.
Submitted by Bridget Meyboom, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Cycling
The school year started with a fun and successful cyclocross season for the Thunderbirds. They had many first-time cyclocross racers, and the team left the season with at least one podium at every race. They even had one of their riders race in nationals over in Victoria! To prepare for the road season - their main focus - the ‘Birds migrated to Los Angeles in February for a training camp to get some good weather to ride in. During the trip, they saw lots of hills and earned plenty of mileage under their belts.
Now the official road season is just getting started! Two weeks in and the ‘Birds have already done 3 races and finished with 5 podiums; three 1st places, two 2nd, and one 3rd! They are motivated and excited to see what the rest of our season has to bring.
View this post on Instagram
Equestrian
In their return to competition, this group of athletes saw unprecedented competition success with UBC dominating their division and more.
UBC TSC Equestrian has seen a return to competition and are thriving in the process. This year’s roster had 26 riders – the most in their history. This season also marked the first time UBC had to host a show, and their executive rose to the occasion by putting together a successful competition. The team saw a historic weekend at their co-hosted show with University of Oregon in January. During that weekend, they dominated their classes, winning Champion College and Reserve Champion College. Several riders claimed High Point or Reserve High Point title, with the entire team being commended for their skills and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. In Februrary, they sent more riders to Lynden, Washington where their riders placed either first or second in all jumping classes and contributed to their High Point College Champion title for the weekend.
TSC Awards
In April, Madison Weber was recognized as one of two TSC Rookies of the Year for her dominance in her division. Shortly after, she and Jasmine Taylor went to Zones in Stanford, California where they just fell short of qualifying for Nationals in Kentucky.
View this post on Instagram
Lacrosse
With bigger membership than previous years, this Sport Club saw some key wins and made big strides on and off the field.
Submitted by Aydan Johnson, Club Lead, UBC TSC Lacrosse
The UBC TSC Lacrosse team had an eventful season, filled with both highs and lows.
One of the highlights of the season was the significant increase in fundraising compared to the previous year. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the players and club executives who put in the work. Organizing two bar night fundraisers, the team looks forward to continuing to build connections within the Thunderbird Sports Club community. Additionally, the team saw a substantial influx of new players, which bodes well for the future of the program.
However, the season was not without its challenges. The club executives made some mistakes, which had an impact on the team's performance. However, they are taking these lessons to heart and will use them to improve their leadership and decision-making going forward.
Despite the difficulties, the UBC Lacrosse team remained resilient and focused on their goals. With the experience gained from this season, the team is poised to make even greater progress next year. The future looks bright for this talented and determined group of athletes.
Fun Facts:
- Congratulations to Dylan who was drafted into the WLA to his hometown team the Coquitlam Adanacs.
- An unofficial award goes towards Peter Landine for breaking the most long poles in a season (3 heads and 2 shafts).
View this post on Instagram
Nordic Skiing
With the biggest roster in team history comprised of fresh faces and long-time vets, Nordic Skiing saw a new level of competitive and administrative success.
Submitted by Rachel Bates, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Nordic Skiing
The 2022-2023 year for UBC Nordic was one for the books! This fall marked our largest team in history, with 23 total athletes rostered. The fall was our pre-season, meaning our weeks were full of running, stairs, strength training, and track intervals. We had a chance to finally get on skis at our November Training Camp in Silverstar, B.C. for some awesome (and gruelling) training and great team bonding.
The start of our race season was marked by BC Cup #1 in January, the first of 3 in our provincial race series. We came out of the weekend with 15 top 5 finishes in the Saturday classic sprint and Sunday skate distance race! Despite Whistler’s challenging conditions that weekend, this success would set us off on a record-breaking season of results over 6 weekends and 12 races. For the remainder of our season, our athletes showed growth in both results and team camaraderie. Overall, we came out of our race season with 7 athletes awarded the top 3 Provincial University Aggregate Awards and approximately 5000 kilometres of collective skiing. We are beyond thankful for such an amazing team this year, especially the athletes that make it the welcoming, positive, and crazy-fun environment that it is.
TSC Awards
And to top it all off, our group of executives were recognized by TSC as the Executives of the Year at the TSC Banquet!
View this post on Instagram
Quadball
From name changes, to returns to competition and various events - UBC Quadball had a strong return to action this season.
Submitted by Hannah Illing, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Quadball
This was a big year for UBC TSC Quidditch… I mean Quadball. In January of 2023 Quidditch Canada followed the lead of other Quidditch organizations to officially change the name of the sport from Quidditch to Quadball. You can read more about the name change on our blog.
In December of 2022 there was the last Quidditch Canada National Championships in Edmonton where we saw UBC TSC Quidditch finish 6th overall in Canada and 2nd overall among university student teams. This was a significant tournament as it was the first Nationals tournament to be held since 2019, and the last before the name change.
The team continued to dominate against long-time rivals of the Simon Fraser Quidditch team and hosted their own tournaments in October and February. We were also excited to bring back the Yule Ball in April to celebrate the hard work of everyone on the team.
Over half of the team this year were rookie athletes and we are so excited to see the team grow stronger next year!
View this post on Instagram
Fun Facts
- Seven former UBC TSC Quidditch Athletes were on the winning team at Quidditch Canada Nationals
- The team traveled over 1700 km for competitions this year
- No one on the team played the sport before university
- UBC Quidditch began in 2010 at UBC so the team is 12 years old
- Six of our players are certified Quadball refs
- Quidditch is the only co-ed full contact sport
- 30% of the team is graduating this year
Sailing
Being able to compete post-COVID took our sailors around North America this season. Read more below about how they did!
Submitted by Nicole Eastman, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Sailing
This past year marked the return of the UBC Sailing Team as the team was finally able to compete at regattas again after a Covid hiatus. A highlight of the fall semester was UBC sailor Sophia Moiyesenko being selected to compete on the Canadian National Keelboat Team. Another fall highlight was CICSA Fleet Racing Nationals in Montreal. UBC performed well, placing 5th overall. UBC’s best performance was at the ICSA North North Regatta in Seattle. UBC finished placing 2nd overall. The spring semester brought the UBC Sailing Team through two extremes. Flying all the way to Honolulu and competing at the ICSA Rainbow Invite Regatta, UBC sailed in the sunshine and tropical conditions. In contrast, a month later UBC hosted the CICSA Match Racing Nationals at West Vancouver Yacht Club. UBC Sailors competed on J/22s, braving below-freezing temperatures and it snowing while sailing. All in all, the 2022/2023 was full of great times and some great wins. UBC Sailing can’t wait to bring this momentum into next year and achieve amazing things.
View this post on Instagram
Fun Facts about the Sailing Sport Club:
Number of regattas competed at: 12
Farthest travelled: Hawaii and Montreal
How many athletes on national team: 2
Hottest temperature sailed in: 29 degrees
Coldest temperature sailed in: -2 degrees
Table Tennis
In their first year competing as a TSC, our Table Tennis teams made a name for themselves in the American circuit as a force to be reckoned with.
Submitted by Gloria Yin, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Table Tennis
This year, UBC Thunderbirds were represented officially on the competitive table tennis scene for the first time at the NCTTA Pacific Northwest Divisional I (Nov. 2022) and II (Jan. 2023) held at the University of Washington in Seattle. The Women’s team took first place in the division while the Co-Ed team placed second. In Men’s Singles, David Lin emerged as the division’s champion and Edison Huang took third place. In Women’s Singles, Ivy Liao took first place, Rose Huang came in second, and Akkshita Guptaa and Fiona Fan placed third.
After the divisional tournaments, the Thunderbirds headed to UCSD (University of California, San Diego) in February for the West Regionals Tournament. A two-day event, the first day was filled with Men’s Teams and Women’s Singles events. Our Men’s team placed third, solidifying their direct invitation to Nationals! For Women’s Singles, our players played their very best and many of them wildcarded into Nationals. On the second day, Women’s Teams and Men’s Singles took place. Our Women’s team took second place, also directly qualifying for Nationals! In Men’s Singles, Edison Huang directly qualified for Nationals by becoming one of the top 8 men in the region. Many of our other team members wildcarded into the Men’s Singles event at Nationals.
At Nationals, our co-ed team placed 5th in North America and our Women’s team placed 7th! If you want to read more about our trip to Nationals and how we did, check out the blog here!
Fun Facts:
- Our team travelled 6400 km throughout the year for competition!
- 9 of our athletes have played for their respective provincial and/or National teams before!
Tennis (Men’s)
Fresh off a National Championship in August 2022, these 'birds retooled with hopes to repeat. Read more below about their title defense campaign.
Submitted by Andrew Oh, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Men’s Tennis
Our 2022-2023 season could be summed up as a year of novelty. Coming off of our previous season winning Nationals, the team had never been in a situation to enter the new school year as the defending champions. Every athlete was at the top of their games to start the year and despite new additions to our roster, the family culture and theme of last year was maintained through this year. As a result, the 2022-2023 season felt the strongest the program had ever been in it’s history and we had experienced great success in our matches against SFU and UVIC during regionals. However, when it came to our greatest rivals in the U of A Golden Bears, they were able to get the best of us in a highly competitive 4-3 loss at the western championships which left us heartbroken but ultimately molded us together as a new family.
View this post on Instagram
At the TSC Banquet, we had two athletes recognized for their performances in the last year. The first of which being Marvin Kao, winning Rookie of the Year for his standout performance at Westerns. Graeme McIntosh took home Athlete of the Year honours for being undefeated throughout the year and winning key points in playoff matches.
Tennis (Women’s)
With a deep and competitive roster, these 'birds saw success competing in the United States and Canada on top of seeing administrative success off the court.
Submitted by Michelle Lim, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Women’s Tennis
The 2022-23 season was another successful one for the UBC TSC Women’s Tennis Team! With the addition of four new rookies, the roster was the deepest and the most competitive it has ever been. The team had an overall season record of 4-3, including a win against a varsity NCAA team down in Oregon. It was the first year since COVID that the team was able to travel down south to the U.S. for matches, as well host the Tennis Mixer, the biggest in-person fundraising event of the season. Overall, over $5,000 was raised from a variety of fundraising events throughout the year. Shoutout to the Fundraising and Travel & Safety execs for making these all possible! The team will continue to train hard in preparation for next season.
View this post on Instagram
To wrap up the year, Club Lead, Isabel Evans, was recognized with the Student Leadership Award for her administrative and leadership savvy throughout the year.
Fun Facts:
Our travel and safety officer made FIVE separate flight bookings (four of which needed to be rebooked) across THREE separate airlines, to get the team to Edmonton for Westerns!!
Our co-club lead Viktoria spent the first semester of her season on exchange in Australia competing across the country for the University of Melbourne Tennis Team!!
Triathlon
With a loaded roster, this club took on growing the sport of collegiate Triathlon while performing amongst the best triathletes in the Vancouver area and the country.
Submitted by Carson Wong, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Triathlon]
This year, our team roster boasts 30 talented athletes, including 16 returners and 14 new members. Our team is made up of individuals pursuing various degrees, ranging from architecture to kinesiology, to political sciences, all of which are at different stages of their academic careers, from first-year undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates.
Our team has been performing exceptionally well at various competitions this year, including the Great Trek, the Phantom Run, and the UBC TriDu. At the UBC TriDu, in particular, our athletes excelled, taking top podium spots in both the male and female sprint categories.
As the academic year draws to a close, we're excited to kick off the triathlon season. Our team is eagerly looking forward to upcoming races such as the Toronto Triathlon Festival and the Vancouver Triathlon, where we'll have the opportunity to showcase our skills and represent the UBC Triathlon Thunderbirds Sports Club. We're determined to continue our winning streak and prove that we're a force to be reckoned with in the world of triathlon.
TSC Awards
At the year end banquet, Abby Edison (former Triathlon Club Lead, Travel & Safety) was recognized for her athletic achievement and her all-around success as a student athlete. She was the first recipient to receive TSC Legacy Award honours, which is awarded to TSC’s outstanding graduating athlete for the legacy they have left on their team.
View this post on Instagram
Ultimate (Men’s)
After last season, these 'birds have worked to be ultra-competitive and their recent competitive success have them trending towards making a run at USAU Nationals.
Submitted by Wesley Choi, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Men’s Ultimate
The Men’s Ultimate team is currently in the middle of the season, training hard to compete for their regional bids to attend nationals. The year started off with the Canadian University Ultimate Championships, which would be the only tournament the team attended in the fall. Just before the end of the year, it was announced that they would have 6 of their athletes representing Team Canada at the World Ultimate Championship Games. In the new year, the T-birds would attend the Santa Barbara Invite, with strong showings against Cal Poly and Washington. After hosting and taking the title of the 2023 Dogwood Bowl against UVic, UBC would then attend the Stanford Invite, which would test the team’s resiliency.
With the Northwest Challenge on the horizon, followed by the series, the team has many opportunities to prove itself and the work that has been put in all year. They will have to fight for bids and compete against tough teams, including Washington, Oregon State, and Oregon.
Since writing…
Since this submission, the Men’s Ultimate team saw success on multiple fronts. In the competition scene, they came out on top of the Northwest challenge and they head down to Regionals this weekend to play for Nationals. Earlier in April, they also raised over $10,000 on Giving Day – winning numerous challenges and receiving great support from the community.
View this post on Instagram
In addition to that, long-time veteran and graduating athlete, Nicolas Sanchez was recognized with the TSC Legacy Award for his contributions to elevate the performance, well-being and camaraderie of the Men’s Ultimate team during his time as an athlete.
Ultimate (Women’s)
Coming off a 5th place finish at USAU Nationals last year and ranked as high as #2 in North America this season, these 'Birds look to make a deep run and bring a Div 1 USAU National Championship to Canada.
Submitted by Avery Lee-Pii, Marketing & Communications Officer, UBC TSC Women’s Ultimate
So far, the birds have a bright and promising future. With 17 past and present national team players and minimal turnover from last year’s roster, the team is 29 players deep. The birds have had some successful finishes at Bellingham Invite (1st place), Dogwood Bowl (1st place) and Stanford Invite (5th place). We are still looking forward to the majority of our season taking place from the end of March-May. Our next tournament is Northwest Challenge where we will have the chance to rematch our regional rivals UW. Ideally, our team will qualify for the USAU college nationals in Cincinnati, Ohio to finish what our team started last season. Go birds!
View this post on Instagram
Since writing…
Since their submission, these ‘Birds competed at the Northwest Challenge, placing 3rd. Dropping only one game to the eventual champions, Colorado. This weekend, they look to punch their ticket to Nationals and fight for higher seeding coming out of the division.
This summer, Men's and Women's Ultimate, Cycling and Triathlon continue their competitive circuits with championship tournaments on the horizons.
Thank you to our athletes, coaches, and student-leaders for a successful season. To our graduating athletes, we hope you have a wonderful summer and we wish you the best of luck in your future adventures. To our returning athletes, we look forward to your return and your future success when donning the blue and gold. Go 'Birds!