VANCOUVER – 2025 was
another successful year for the UBC Thunderbirds, with plenty of championships and standout performances to celebrate.
With all games and exams done, and the holidays in full swing, here are 10 fun facts to enjoy from this past year, as our Thunderbird athletes and staff prepare for a busy and exciting 2026.
UBC varsity teams won national/conference championships in 11 different cities in 2025
In all, the T-Birds boast 17 championships that were added to the trophy case this year. The 'Birds flew far and wide to earn them, lifting banners in the following cities:
- Vancouver, B.C. – U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship, Canada West Women's Soccer Championship
- Langley, B.C. – Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Championship
- Chilliwack, B.C. – Canada West Women's Golf Championship
- Kamloops, B.C. – Men's and Women's Golf Canada Canadian University/College Championships
- Lethbridge, Alta. – Men's and Women's Canada West Swimming Championships
- Toronto, Ont. – Men's and Women's U SPORTS Swimming Championships
- Montreal, Que. – Canadian University Men's Rowing Championship
- Portland, Ore. – Men's and Women's Cascade Collegiate Conference Golf Championships
- Ashland, Ore. – Cascade Collegiate Conference Women's Track & Field Championship
- Marion, Ind. – Men's and Women's NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
- Ypsilanti, Mich. – NAIA Women's Golf Championship
10 Thunderbirds were selected in professional sports drafts
The players drafted came from five different sports, consisting of baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer. The full list of players who heard their names called is as follows:
UBC Women's Soccer played 1,420 minutes this season before conceding their first goal
One year after their perfect season, the T-Birds did one better in Canada West play as they won every regular season game while not allowing a single goal. That record-breaking shutout streak lasted until the Canada West Final Four, when the Mount Royal Cougars scored in the 70th minute – a game that UBC won 2-1, one day before winning their second straight conference title with another clean sheet.
And speaking of shutouts…
UBC varsity teams combined to record 85 shutouts across all sports
Women's Soccer led the way in this category with 16 in the regular season and playoffs combined, followed by a tie for second place between Men's Soccer and Women's Hockey with 12 each. Men's Volleyball was the other team to crack double digits, recording 10 3-0 victories.
Other teams to record shutouts in 2025 included Softball (nine), Women's Volleyball (nine), Women's Rugby (four in 7s play, one in 15s), Women's Field Hockey (four), Men's Rugby (three), Men's Hockey (two), Men's Field Hockey (two) and Baseball (one).
A total of 3,200 points were scored across all games at the two 2025 U SPORTS Final 8 basketball tournaments
UBC made history in March as hosts of both the Men's and Women's U SPORTS Final 8 basketball tournaments. With 22 games played across four days in two different venues, the total of 3,200 points averaged out to 145.5 points per game.
The Thunderbirds accounted for 438 of those points between the women's and men's squads, as they earned fourth and sixth-place finishes at the tournaments, respectively.
UBC athletes earned 69 conference Player of the Week awards
The Thunderbirds boasted athletic excellence across the board, earning 46 Canada West Player of the Week awards and 23 Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Week awards this year. They were spread across 57 athletes from 21 different teams, showing a wide range of success.
Women's Rugby star
Adia Pye received the most honours, tallying four Canada West Player of the Week nods split between 15s and 7s action.
Lucy Borowski (Women's Volleyball) earned three awards, while
Grace Bell (Women's Golf),
Grace Elliott (Women's Hockey),
Maximilien Filion (Men's Cross Country and Track & Field),
Jonny McGill (Baseball),
Kayla Sanchez (Women's Swimming),
Aidan Schumer (Men's Golf),
Fareed Shittu (Men's Basketball) and
Charity Williams (Women's Rugby) were all two-time Player of the Week winners.
Elliott and Shittu were the only two to do so in consecutive weeks, while Filion was the only athlete to be both a Canada West and CCC Player of the Week, earning the former in Cross Country and the latter in Track & Field.
UBC Baseball and Softball combined to hit for 1,610 bases
Both of the T-Bird Baseball and Softball squads had fantastic 2025 seasons, with Softball qualifying for the NAIA Championship Opening Round for the first time in program history and Baseball making it all the way to the NAIA World Series for the first time since 2006.
Those big years included plenty of offensive exploits, with the Thunderbirds hitting for a combined 1,610 bases and scoring 719 runs, while allowing 1,234 bases and 507 runs for their opponents.
The T-Birds' swim teams averaged 1.58 podium finishes per race
The Thunderbirds dominated the pool in 2025, with both teams taking first place at all three major collegiate meets they competed at – the U SPORTS National Championships, Canada West Championships, and University Cup Pacific.
At those three meets combined, the T-Birds tallied a staggering 186 podium finishes in 118 events, blowing away the competition with consistent excellence across just about every stroke and distance.
41 episodes of The Simpsons have aired since UBC Men's Volleyball last lost at home
Long-running TV show, meet long-running win streak.
UBC Men's Volleyball did not lose a single regular season or playoff match at home in 2025. In fact, you have to go back to February 16, 2024, to find the last time that they failed to secure a victory inside War Memorial Gym, a streak that's now reached 22 matches in a row.
Two days after that last home loss,
The Simpsons aired its 761st episode, "Frinkenstein's Monster". 41 episodes have aired since, and with the T-Birds not playing at home again until January 16 against MacEwan, that number is guaranteed to rise at least a little higher.
UBC hosted 195 varsity home games/event days in 2025
With 26 varsity teams there is always plenty of action happening across the multitude of venues on the UBC campus. That included a grand total of 195 varsity home games/event days featuring UBC teams in 2025.
While big enough on its own, that number doesn't even include the many neutral site games hosted at UBC across the calendar year, highlighted by ones hosted during three U SPORTS national championship tournaments as well as the CCC Baseball Conference Championship.
With 2025 soon to be in the books, the UBC Thunderbirds wish all of our athletes, staff, students, alumni, fans and other supporters a happy holidays and a fantastic new year!
