Athletics and Recreation

Thunderbird student athletes have long been a source of pride for the University of British Columbia, combining unmatched academic and athletic excellence to produce the leaders of tomorrow. Success in the classroom and in competition requires the support of the entire UBC community. With your help, we will continue to reach our goals and positively impact the lives of student athletes year after year at the university.

Your support is an investment in these young leaders, in the University of British Columbia, and in the future of athletics at UBC.

Find a Fund:

Priority Funds

Blue and Gold Women’s Varsity Endowment Award

Department Priority Funds

Baseball +

Decade of Dominance 2020-2029
T-Bird Baseball Fund
Thunderbird Baseball Award Endowment

Basketball (Men's) +

T-Bird Men's Basketball Fund
T-Bird Men's Basketball Award Fund
Bird Backer - Men's Basketball

Basketball (Women's) +

6th Woman - UBC Women's Basketball
T-Bird Women's Basketball Award Fund
T-Bird Women's Basketball Fund

Field Hockey (Men's) +

Bird Backer - Men's Field Hockey
T-Bird M Field Hockey Award Fund
T-Bird Men's Field Hockey Fund

Field Hockey (Women's) +

Women's Field Hockey Short Corner Club
T-Bird Women's Field Hockey Award Fund
T-Bird Women's Field Hockey Endowment

Football +

UBC Football Champions Fund for Athlete Excellence
Bird Backer - Football
Frank and Casey Smith Football Endowment Fund

Golf +

Bird Backer - Golf
T-Bird Golf Award Fund
Thunderbird Golf Society Endowment

Hockey (Men's) +

UBC Men's Hockey Power Play Fund
T-Bird Men's Hockey Award Fund
Father David Bauer Memorial Hockey Scholarship

Hockey (Women's) +

Bird Backer - Women's Hockey
T-Bird Women's Hockey Award
Old Birds Women's Ice Hockey Endowment

Rowing +

Power 10 Fund - Rowing
Rowing Alumni Scholarship
Frank Read Thunderbird Rowing Award

Rugby (Men's) +

Thunderbird Rugby Thunderrenewal Fund
Thunderbird Men's Rugby Award Fund
Thunderbird Men's Rugby Endowment

Rugby (Women's) +

T-Bird Women's Rugby Fund
Maria Gallo Women’s Rugby Award

Soccer (Men's) +

Bird Backer - Men's Soccer
T-Bird Men's Soccer Award Fund
Josef Molnar Memorial Men's Soccer Award

Soccer (Women's) +

Bird Backer - Women's Soccer
T-Bird Women's Soccer Award Fund

Softball +

T-Bird Softball Fund
T-Bird Softball Award Fund
Thunderbird Women’s Softball Award Endowment

Swimming +

Thunderbird Swimming Endowment
Thunderbird Swimming Award
Thunderbird Swimming Excellence Fund

Track & Field/Cross Country +

Bird Backer - Track and Field Cross Country
T-Bird Track & Field and Cross Country Award Fund
Thunderbird Track and Field Endowment

Volleyball (Men's) +

Bird Backer - Men's Volleyball
Men's Volleyball Legacy of Excellence Fund
Thunderbird Men's Volleyball Award

Volleyball (Women's) +

Bird Backer - Women's Volleyball
Sandy Silver Volleyball Award
Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award in Women's Volleyball

Recreation Priority Funds +

UBC Intramurals Fund
Nestor Korchinsky Recreation Award

Projects and Impact Stories:

  • Priority Project

    UBC Thunderbirds Baseball: A Decade of Dominance 2020-2029

    UBC Thunderbirds Baseball: A Decade of Dominance 2020-2029

    The UBC Baseball program, which was started again in 1997, is entering its 23rd season. We are very proud of what has been accomplished in a short period of time. more

  • Priority Project

    Thunderbird Swimming Excellence Fund

    Thunderbird Swimming Excellence Fund

    As a member of the Lane 4 Club, your generosity will help sustain excellence over the long term, benefiting the swimming program directly by providing ongoing support towards coaching, scholarship more

  • Priority Project

    The Sandy Silver Volleyball Award

    The Sandy Silver Volleyball Award

    The Sandy Silver Volleyball Award recognizes UBC Women’s Volleyball student-athletes who are stand out athletes on the court, strong students in the classroom, and who also give back to the more

  • Impact Story

    Ken Woods Thunderbird Award helps student athletes play at the top of their game

    Ken Woods Thunderbird Award helps student athletes play at the top of their game

    Both the women’s and men’s UBC golf teams had record-breaking starts to the 2018-19 season. Led by Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Coach of the Year Chris MacDonald, the teams have kept the UBC Thunderbirds winning tradition alive and well by claiming the top spots at a remarkable eight tournaments so far this year. The teams’ performances were backed up by strong more

  • Priority Project

    The Blue & Gold Women’s Varsity Endowment Fund

    The Blue & Gold Women’s Varsity Endowment Fund

    The Blue & Gold Women’s Varsity Endowment Fund will provide awards exclusively for deserving female athletes. Your support for female athletes will help close the funding gap between male and more

  • Priority Project

    Bird Backer Banner

    Thunderbirds Sport Clubs

    UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs (UBC TSC) within the Department of Athletics and Recreation, is a competitive club sport program that features eleven sports, and over 300 student athletes. Launched in 2015, these student-led sport teams compete in non-CIS/NAIA level competition across Canada and the United States, some even going as far as Europe. more

  • Priority Project

    UBC Varsity Weight Room

    The Varsity Weight Room

    The UBC High Performance Support Fund supports the efforts of our Strength and Conditioning team. Your gift will provide scholarships for Student Coaches and Graduate Assistant Coaches in the field more

    Student Learning

  • Priority Project

    UBC Varsity Women's Soccer Team

    Starting XI

    For a soccer team to succeed on the field, each member of the starting 11 must work together and follow the game plan. When each member of a united team more

  • Priority Project

    The Lane 4 Club

    The Lane 4 Club

    As a member of the Lane 4 Club, your generosity will help sustain excellence over the long term, benefiting the swimming program directly by providing ongoing support towards coaching, scholarship more

    Community Engagement, Student Learning

  • Priority Project

    100 Years of Impact: Mapping Donor Support

    100 Years of Impact: Mapping Donor Support

    If you take a walk around our campus, you will see the impact of our supporters everywhere. Click on the points below to find out more—where will you make a more

    Community Engagement, Research Excellence, Student Learning

  • Priority Project

    Short Corner Club photos

    Join the Short Corner Club and Support UBC Women’s Field Hockey

    The UBC Women’s Field Hockey “Short Corner Club” is a new avenue for alumni, friends and supporters to be part of the Thunderbird Women’s Field Hockey program and help drive more

  • Priority Project

    Frank Read and UBC Rowing

    Honouring a Legend: the Frank Read Endowment

    On June 17, 2015 Frank Read, a Canadian athletics pioneer and celebrated UBC rowing coach, was inducted into the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Gold for Life, a group of more

Contact Us

Point Grey Campus:

Sarah Barclay
Senior Director of Development
Tel: 604.822.9959
Email: sarah.barclay@ubc.ca

Kaela McDowell
Development Officer
Tel: 604 827-6466
Email: kaela.mcdowell@ubc.ca

Harvey Hubball
Development Officer
Tel: 604.822.1972
Email: harvey.hubball@ubc.ca

Samantha Trinier
Development Coordinator
Tel: 604.827.5823
Email: samantha.trinier@ubc.ca 

Stephanie Patterson
Development Coordinator, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604-822-6183
Email: stephanie.patterson@ubc.ca

RSS University of British Columbia Athletics

  • Thunderbird Alumni Profile: Liz Gleadle May 29, 2020
    LIZ GLEADLE - TRACK AND FIELD (2007-10)
  • Thunderbird Alumni Profile: Evan Dunfee May 28, 2020
  • Derrick Schoof named UBC Swimming Head Coach May 26, 2020
    VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds are pleased to announce Derrick Schoof has officially been named head coach of the swimming program. The familiar face operated as the interim head coach last season and only added to his already impressive legacy with the program in guiding the men's and women's teams to a fourth consecutive national […]
  • SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Emily Chorpita, Softball May 26, 2020
    With the COVID-19 pandemic ending the 2019-20 sports season prematurely, GoThunderbirds.ca will be celebrating senior athletes whose UBC careers came to an early conclusion. The full list of tributes is listed at the Senior Spotlight 2020 page.
  • Tian Rask, Logan Foster commit to the blue and gold May 25, 2020
    VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds' incoming recruiting class continues to take shape with the addition of a pair of skilled, two-way forwards out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.