The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thunderbirds are the most successful athletic program both regionally in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association, and nationally in U Sports, winning 123 national titles. UBC has won an additional 24 national titles competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics against collegiate competition from the United States and 47 national titles in sports that compete in independent competitions.
Teams Across 15 varsity sport disciplines, UBC fields 26 teams overall; notably, 15 of which compete in U Sports, six in the American collegiate NAIA, and five of which are independent of these governing organizations:
Men's sports Women's sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross country Cross country Field hockey Field hockey Golf Football Ice hockey Golf Rowing Ice hockey Rugby Rowing Rugby 7s Rugby Soccer Soccer Softball Swimming Swimming Track and field Track and field Volleyball Volleyball
Associations (m/w) teams in all cases except where indicates: U Sports: Basketball, cross country, football (m), ice hockey, swimming, volleyball NAIA: baseball (m), golf, softball (w), track and field independent: field hockey, rowing, rugby (m), rugby 7s (w)
Baseball In the summer of 1996, 30 years after the original UBC baseball program was disbanded due to budget cuts, Athletic Director Bob Phillip was encouraged and excited for former professional baseball player Jim Murphy to bring baseball back to UBC. Community baseball coach Mark Hiscott provided funding and the team was born. Hiscott recognized student Terry McKaig, a former collegiate player and national team member, as the one to take over the program from Jim Murphy as head coach. Since 1997, McKaig has been the driving force behind the T-Birds with support and funding from such major leaguers as Jeff Zimmerman and Ryan Dempster. In 2015, Chris Pritchett was named the new head coach of the baseball team and Terry moved up to the position of Director of Baseball. After Murphy started the program, baseball eventually became a varsity sport across Canada.
The Thunderbirds compete in the United States as the only Canadian member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In 2001, the program reached a new level as the New York Mets made Derran Watts the first ever Thunderbird to be drafted, when they selected him in the 12th round. Since then nine more Thunderbirds have been drafted including 2007 World Series starter Jeff Francis. T-bird baseball successes include their trip to the 2006 and 2025 NAIA World Series.
Football
The UBC Thunderbirds football team has won the CWUAA Hardy Trophy conference championship 16 times, which is third all-time among competing teams. On a national level, the team has won the Vanier Cup championship four times, in 1982, 1986, 1997 and, most recently, in 2015. The team has also lost three times in the title game, in 1978, 1987, and 2023. The Thunderbirds program has also yielded three Hec Crighton Trophy winners: Jordan Gagner in 1987; Mark Nohra in 1997; and, most recently, Billy Greene in 2011.
Men's ice hockey
Father David Bauer coached the Thunderbirds for two seasons, and led the team to a Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship in 1963, and reached the final game of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union men's ice hockey championship tournament for the CIAU University Cup, but lost by a 3–2 score to the McMaster Marauders.
Bob Hindmarch began coaching the men's ice hockey team during the 1964–65 season, and led them to the 1971 Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship. He accumulated a winning record in 11 of 12 seasons, and set UBC record with 214 wins by a coach in ice hockey. In December 1973, they became one of the first Western Bloc sports teams to tour China, and played a series of games focused on friendship and teaching hockey skills to local players. The trip was supported by the Government of Canada as part of a desire to normalize relations with China, and was not well-publicized at the time. The Thunderbirds won all seven games played by a combined scored of 56 to 5.
Men's rugby Men's rugby is one of the oldest varsity sports at UBC (including the precursor to UBC, McGill University College of BC, varsity rugby started in 1906). The varsity XV now competes against the University of Victoria in a two-game, combined score series to claim the coveted "Boot". They also play a two-game, combined score series against the University of California for the "World Cup" trophy (a competition started in 1921). The varsity XV was coached for many years by Spence McTavish (former UBC varsity rugby captain, former Canadian rugby international and captain, and former Bobby Gaul award winner), and assistant coach Rod Holloway (former UBC varsity rugby scrumhalf, and former assistant coach of Canada's National Senior Men's team (RWC 1995).
The men's team is currently coached by Didier Banse.
UBC's rugby program has a long tradition of producing national team rugby players (7s and 15s), most recently Jim Douglas (RWC 2003), Mike Burak (RWC 2007), Chris Pack, Ryan MacWhinney, Justin Mensah-Coker, Tyler Hotson, Eric Wilson, Harry Jones (RWC 2015), Brock Staller and Ben LeSage.
U Sports does not currently contest a national championship for Men's Rugby, however UBC are five-time champions of the independent Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the trophy of which is named after Spence McTavish. They also compete in the BC Rugby Premier League, alongside fellow CUMRC member UVic. The Thunderbirds are one of only two teams to have won the BC Premier League in the last ten years, the other being the UBC Old Boys Ravens, a team formed from former UBC students.
Women's rugby Women's rugby is 5 time CanWest XVs Champions and 2024 7s & 15s National Champions. Alongside U Sport's 15s competition, the Thunderbirds compete in the Women's Premier League of the BC Rugby Union, as well as fielding reserve teams in the lower divisions.
Men's soccer
The UBC Thunderbirds are the most successful men's soccer program in Canada, having won 14 U Sports championships, nine more than any other school in the country. They have also won 22 Canada West conference titles since competition started in 1972.
Notable players include Brian Budd, Pat Onstad, and Srdjan Djekanovic.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Thunderbirds played in the old Pacific Coast League, notably finishing as league runners up in 1967–68 and 1968–69.
Men's volleyball The Thunderbirds men's volleyball team has won four U Sports men's volleyball championships and five conference championships. Kerry MacDonald took over the helm of the men's volleyball program starting with the 2016–17 season. In the following season, the Thunderbirds defeated the two-time defending champion Trinity Western Spartans in straight sets in the U Sports gold medal match on March 18, 2018 to win their first national title since 1983. MacDonald resigned after this season to take a position with Volley Canada and Mike Hawkins took over as head coach for the 2018–19 season.
Women's volleyball The Thunderbirds women's volleyball team has been the most successful program in its sport, with 14 National Championship victories, most recently in 2024. The Thunderbirds have also won 16 conference titles with the most recent win occurring in 2014. The team has been led by head coach Doug Reimer since 2000 (and from 1994 to 1997) and he has accounted for ten of the program's championship wins. Notably, in the 2013 gold medal match, the Thunderbirds defeated the Alberta Pandas in straight sets to tie U Sports' all-time record—shared with the Winnipeg Wesmen (1983–1988) and Alberta Pandas (1995–2000) for holding the longest reign as a repeat champion in the sport with six consecutive wins (2008–2013). The program has also featured five Mary Lyons Award winners, with Liz Cordonier (2010), Shanice Marcelle (2011, 2013), Kyla Richey (2012), Lisa Barclay (2014), and Kiera Van Ryk (2019) each winning the award.
Women's field hockey The UBC women's field hockey team has won the most titles out of any school in Canada, with 19 since 1978. This includes 7 straight from 2011-2017. The Thunderbirds also hold records for total wins (105), consecutive wins (13), and consecutive finals appearances (9). They have a fierce rivalry with Victoria, who are also one of the best programs in the country.
Along with competing in the U Sports championship, the program also fields teams in the Vancouver Women's Field Hockey Association. Two Point Grey Thunderbirds teams participate, one in the Premier Division, and one in the second tier Division One. The Premier Division squad won the 2024 WVFHA title, defeating West Vancouver 2-1. The two met again the following years final, West Vancouver winning 5-2.
Club Teams
Men's Field Lacrosse The Thunderbirds field a team in the Canada West Field Lacrosse League. The team has competed in the CWFLL since 2014, but has yet to win a title.
Facilities
Venue Sport(s) Ref. Thunderbird Stadium Football Thunderbird Stadium Ken Woods & Warren Fields Soccer Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre Ice Hockey Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre War Memorial Gymnasium Basketball Volleyball War Memorial Gymnasium Wolfson East, Buck & Lord Fields Rugby Gerald McGavin Rugby Centre Rugby Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre Tourmaline West Stadium Baseball Thunderbird Park facilities Wright Field Field hockey John M.S. Lecky Boathouse Rowing John M.S. Lecky Boathouse Rashpal Dhillon Oval Track and field UBC Aquatics Centre Swimming UBC Aquatics Centre
Notes
National Championships U Sports, NAIA, and Independent listed:
Assoc. Sport Titles Winning years U Sports Swimming (women's) 26 2026, 2025, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1986, 1985 Swimming (men's) 22 2026, 2025, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2012, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1965 Field hockey (women's) 19 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1990, 1983, 1982, 1980, 1978 Soccer (men's) 14 2024, 2013, 2012, 2007, 2005, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1974 Volleyball (women's) 14 2024, 2023, 2019, 2017, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 1978, 1977, 1974, 1973 Soccer (women's) 9 2024, 2023, 2019, 2015, 2006, 2003, 2002, 1993, 1987 Basketball (women's) 6 2008, 2006, 2004, 1974, 1973, 1972 Football 4 2015, 1997, 1986, 1982 Volleyball (men's) 4 2018, 1983, 1976, 1967 Basketball (men's) 2 1972, 1970 Cross country (men's) 2 2023, 1993 Cross country (women's) 1 2023 NAIA Golf (women's) 8 2025, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2012, 2010, 2004, 2000 Cross country (women's) 5 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012 Track and field (women's) 5 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019Track and field (men's) 3 2025, 2019, 2017 Golf (men's) 2 2023, 2008 Cross country (men's) 1 2017 Independent Golf (women's) 19 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 Rowing (men's) 10 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2005 Golf (men's) 9 2025, 2024, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009, 2008 Rugby (men's) 5 2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017 Rowing (women's) 4 2021, 2019, 2018, 2004
Notes
Fight song UBC used to have a fight song "Hail UBC", written by Harold King in 1931. A pep song with the same name "Hail UBC", written by Steve Chatman, was adopted in 2011. The lyrics go:
Hail to the Thunderbirds! Hail UBC! Thunder and lightning — Onward to victory! Hail to the Blue-and-Gold! Hail UBC! U, B, C forever — Onward to victory!
NCAA membership bid