Sport and Wellbeing
The Sport and Wellbeing group manages and maintains sport facilities, clubs, events and wellbeing services on campus for the benefit of students and staff, and the wider university community.
This includes key recreation assets on the Hamilton campus like UniRec, the Wellbeing Hub and Esports Arena, the School of Education (SOE) gym, the University Pools, and sports grounds and courts, alongside Inter-faculty and Inter-hall events throughout the year.
It also includes key services in both Hamilton and Tauranga such as University Sports Clubs, Social Sport, Inter-tertiary sport, and supporting student and staff wellbeing programmes across both campuses.
UniRec
UniRec is one of Hamilton’s best equipped gyms, located on the University of Waikato Hamilton campus, with student and staff discounts, community memberships, group exercise and sport facilities.
Their team caters to people of all walks of life, delivering expert fitness advice in a warm and welcoming environment packed full of different options.
The facility includes three dedicated cardio zones, a large weights room, group exercise classes including REV and yoga, women’s only options, and a sports hall with free drop-in sport sessions for students and staff.
For more information, visit the unirec website , or email: unirec@waikato.ac.nz .
Location: University of Waikato campus, Gate 1, Knighton Road, Hamilton.
Tauranga Campus - Gym Options and Activities
Gym memberships for University of Waikato staff and students in Tauranga will be available through our partner gym providers. Social sport, yoga and other activities are offered.
For more information, visit: Sport and Wellbeing at Tauranga website, or email: uowsport@waikato.ac.nz .
University of Waikato (UW) Sports Clubs
University of Waikato sports clubs include rugby, netball, basketball, hockey, football, rowing and cricket as well as developing clubs such as spikeball, snow and ski, and tramping.
For more information on UW sports clubs, visit: Sport at Waikato website, or email uowsport@waikato.ac.nz .
Social Sport
Hamilton's largest social sport mixed league runs all year round on the Hamilton campus. Indoor leagues run between March and October, and Outdoor leagues from October until the following March.
Indoor runs in six-week blocks, offering indoor netball, basketball, volleyball and futsal while outdoor runs for a full 14 weeks over summer with touch and football. Teams play against those with similar ability and all teams are mixed gender.
For more information, visit: Social Sport website , or email: uowsport@waikato.ac.nz
Students on the Tauranga campus will be supported to join a team into local social sport leagues. If interested, email uowsport@waikato.ac.nz.
Inter-Halls, Inter-Faculty and Inter-Tertiary Sport
Represent the University of Waikato, your Hall, your Faculty with a number of sporting opportunities throughout the year.
Inter-tertiary Sport provides an opportunity for competitive, high performing students to represent the University of Waikato at the University and Tertiary Sport NZ (UTSNZ) events.
Inter-faculty Sport lets students play for their school in a number of events throughout the year including volleyball, basketball and dodgeball.
Inter-hall Sport also runs throughout the year with fun and friendly events between the four University Halls in Hamilton.
For more information, visit: Sport at Waikato website, or email: uowsport@waikato.ac.nz
Sports Facilities - Hamilton Campus
Fields, Touch, Rugby and Football
The University of Waikato fields are the largest of any New Zealand University. They cater for a range of recreation and sporting activities including the Social Sport outdoor league and act as the home fields of the University of Waikato Rugby Club, Unicol Football Club and the Hamilton Cricket Association.
For more information, visit: Sport at Waikato website, or email: uowsport@waikato.ac.nz.
Cricket Nets
There are three cricket nets situated by the Sports Pavilion available for use. To make a booking email cricket@hsucc.co.nz(please note all bookings need to be made at least 2 days in advance).
Courts - Basketball, Netball, Tennis and Squash
There are four tennis courts available on campus during the summer months (reduced to one over winter) and three floodlit netball courts available during winter, as well as two basketball courts available all year round.
University of Waikato Swimming Pool
The outdoor swimming pool complex on campus includes a 50 metre main pool with up to six lanes and a dive pool. The season operates from 1 December until 31 March each year open seven days a week with discounts for students and staff.
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 12 – 6pm, Saturday – Sunday, 10am – 6pm. The pools can be accessed through Gate 4, Hillcrest Road, Hamilton and are free to UniRec members.
For more information, visit: Swimming pool facility website, or email uowpool@waikato.ac.nz.
Sports Facilities - Tauranga Campus
The Tauranga CBD Campus is located close to the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre (QEYC) and the Memorial Pool. Tauranga’s beaches, river and cycleways offer students and staff the perfect playground.
Esport Arena
The University of Waikato is committed to leading the way in Esports in New Zealand with the Esports Arena, University of Waikato Esports Club, Esports minor, High Performance Team and tournaments and activities (managed by University of Waikato Esports Club).
For more information email: esports@waikato.ac.nz or visit our Esports page.
Wellbeing Hub
The Wellbeing Hub is a drop-in space on campus for students to relax and recharge between classes - have a cup of tea, play board games or even have a nap. University staff and students can enjoy an extensive activities calendar with wholesome sessions and much more.
The Wellbeing Hub is located at The Station, 164 Hillcrest Road (opposite Gate 5). For more information email: wellbeinghub@waikato.ac.nz
High Performance Sport and Performing Arts
The University is committed to supporting high performance athletes and performers across all disciplines and aims to provide opportunities for students to excel in both academic and sporting or performing arts endeavors. The Student-Athlete Support Hub (SASH) offers assistance to students trying to balance their training, competitions and study, and is available for liaising with academic staff, scholarship providers and sporting bodies.
For more information visit: High Performance website.