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10 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo Sonia Small
Kovsies Dream Team takes the netball crown
The Dream Team from the UFS celebrate their victory after beating Tuks by 63-59 in the final of the Varsity Netball competition.


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The Kovsie netball team has the Varsity Netball trophy, one of the most prestigious in university sport, back in the cabinet. With this, they are now the most successful team in the history of the competition, having won three (2013, 2014 and 2018) of the six titles.

The Dream Team earned the prize thanks to a brilliant performance in the final against the defending champs, Tuks, winning by 63-59 in front of a sold-out Callie Human Centre on Monday 8 October 2018. It was the first final staged in Bloemfontein.

The Kovsies was in the lead after each quarter, but Tuks seemed to ascend in the final quarter, leading by 49-46 with nine minutes remaining. The home team then called the power play (when goals score two points) and during a golden five minutes, they built up a 63-55 lead to seal the match.

It was a brilliant turnaround for the Dream Team after losing twice to the same team in July – with 10 and 18 goals.

“The team played excellently, and I am so proud of their performance. I watched them perform throughout this year’s Varsity Netball series and want to congratulate them on their victory on behalf of the university’s executive management and the entire university community,” said Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State. 

“There’s nothing greater than playing for a great team that supports you and trusts you; thus, every time you go on court you want to give your all for them,” said Khanyisa Chawane, who played centre and wing attack in the final.

“We came a long way; there was no way we were going to give it away once we got to the final. Kovsies have a legacy and this is a legacy we want to carry through.”

Chawane was named the Player of the Tournament. She is the first player to be awarded the best player title in the Premier League, National Championship, and Varsity Netball in the same year.

Centre-court player Sikholiwe Mdletshe also referred to the legacy.

“We are starting our legacy, we knew we had to win, other teams can’t come here and dominate.”

“It is such an honour, the fact that we could do it in front of our home crowd support. We waited very long for this,” said captain Alicia Puren, who played in her final game after five seasons with the Kovsies.

According to Burta de Kock, the coach, the players used the power play in the final quarter very well in which they scored eight goals to four.  “We spoke a lot about being calm and keeping position in those two minutes.” De Kock said the large crowd was a huge advantage. “We’ve never had such a massive crowd before. It definitely helped us.”

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Wayde, Karla shine again at KovsieSport gala night
2016-10-27

Description: Wayde en Karla Tags: Wayde en Karla

Tannie Ans Botha, Wayde van Niekerk’s coach,
received a special award from KovsieSport
at the annual Sport Stars Awards ceremony.
From the left, are: DB Prinsloo, Director of
KovsieSport, Botha, and Van Niekerk.
Photo: Hannes Naude


The choice of Wayde van Niekerk as Sportsman of the Year was no surprise, but with this fourth consecutive title he joins select company at the University of the Free State (UFS). The 400 m Olympic champion equalled Franz Kruger’s record for the highest number of successive sports awards for men.

In total, Kruger (discus) was named Sportsman of the Year five times – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. He is also the most awarded Kovsie sportsman.

Blose and Puren rewarded as junior stars

On 20 October 2016, Van Niekerk and the Protea netball player Karla Mostert were honoured as Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at Leopards & Lace in Bloemfontein for a second consecutive year.

It was only the second time that KovsieSport awarded the same sports stars two years in a row – formerly it was Van Niekerk and the Protea netball captain, Maryka Holtzhausen (2013 and 2014).

Kwenzo Blose, who played for the South Africa U20 rugby team at the Junior World Cup, was named Junior Sportsman. The South Africa U21 netball captain Alicia Puren, who helped her team qualify for the 2017 U21 World Cup tournament, was crowned Junior Sportswoman for 2016.

“Wayde van Niekerk gained
unprecedented international
fame, which added untold
value to the KovsieSport
brand.”

Prinsloo proud of high quality
According to DB Prinsloo, director of KovsieSport, his department is proud of the high quality of its sports stars. “Wayde van Niekerk gained unprecedented international fame, which added untold value to the KovsieSport brand. Although Karla Mostert might have experienced tougher opposition from her fellow nominees, she was a real star for the Protea netball team.”

To be awarded, a sports star should be a registered UFS student and comply with specific academic requirements. Van Niekerk (BA Marketing), Mostert (masters in Dietetics), Blose (BA Law), and Puren (Education) meet these requirements.

In order to determine the winners, KovsieSport also uses criteria such as international participation, a contribution to UFS awareness, and excellence in sport.

“To be awarded, a sports star
should be a registered UFS
student and comply with specific
academic requirements.”

Cronjé still holds overall record
Sarina Cronjé holds the record for the most successive UFS awards (five).

Cronjé, a Springbok track and cross-country athlete, was Sportswoman of the Year from 1977 to 1981. The number of titles held by this senior officer at KovsieSport is the most by a woman.

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