Stick it in the record books!

UNSW Hockey has completed its most successful season on record, claiming 13 premierships across its men's and women's competitions, including a historic Premier League 1 title and consecutive Metro League 1 championships.

The club's 2026 campaign has established a new benchmark, surpassing its previous record of eight premierships, achieved in both 2024 and 2025. Eight men's teams and five women's teams have been crowned champions, with the success extending from the club's first grade sides through to its Sydney League, Metro League and Masters programs.

The season was highlighted by a weekend of first grade success on 12 and 13 September, when UNSW's men's Premier League 1 and women's Metro League 1 teams defeated Moorebank Liverpool in their respective grand finals. With two women's SEHA teams still preparing to contest their grand finals this Sunday, the club has an opportunity to add further silverware to an already record setting campaign.

Twelve months after the disappointment of losing the 2025 Grand Final, UNSW's men's Premier League 1 side returned to the competition with a clear objective. The team established itself at the top of the ladder throughout the regular season, recording 15 wins from 18 matches to secure the minor premiership with 45 competition points, five clear of second placed Ryde Hunters Hill. UNSW's attacking record was equally impressive, with the side scoring 86 goals and conceding just 25 to finish with a goal difference of +61.

Having secured the minor premiership, the team entered the finals determined to complete the job that had eluded it the previous year. On Saturday, UNSW defeated Moorebank Liverpool 4–1 at Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre to claim the Markham Cup and complete the minor and major premiership double. According to the club, UNSW became the first team in the competition's 10 year history to achieve both honours in the same season.

PL1 captain Josh Gregory said the disappointment of the previous year's Grand Final had remained a source of motivation throughout the campaign.

"This year’s win was special. Losing last year’s Grand Final sparked a redemption narrative that the squad carried with them throughout the entire season.

"To win the minor premiership as well as the major premiership is something that hasn’t been achieved in our competition for 10 years.

"The dominant performance the team put on in Saturday’s Grand Final was the exclamation point on what was an outstanding season."

The victory secured the Markham Cup and completed a season in which UNSW combined the competition's strongest regular season record with the premiership.

The following afternoon, UNSW's women's Metro League 1 team added another premiership to the club's tally, successfully defending the championship it won in 2025. The team had entered the season with the objective of securing consecutive SWHL titles and produced a consistent regular season to put itself in contention.

Across 18 matches, UNSW recorded 14 wins, three draws and just one defeat, finishing second on the ladder with 45 competition points. The side scored 71 goals and conceded only 10, recording a goal difference of +61. Its Grand Final opponent, Moorebank Liverpool, had finished the regular season as undefeated minor premiers, recording 14 wins and four draws to finish one point ahead of UNSW.

The two sides met at Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre on Sunday, with UNSW securing a 2–1 victory to claim the ML1 championship for the second consecutive year. The result ended Moorebank Liverpool's unbeaten campaign and completed a weekend in which UNSW's men's and women's first grade teams both secured premierships against the same opposition.

ML1 captain Lily Neilson said the championship reflected the commitment and collective effort of the playing group.

"Going back to back as SWHL champions was what we set out to do at the start of the season, and what we can now say we achieved!

"Each of the girls contributed to a hard-earned premiership, and it’s a testament to the commitment, belief and hard work that this group has put in all season.

"So proud of this group, the fight we showed and the standard we continue to set. Winning two years in a row speaks volumes of this group."

The victory secured back-to-back ML1 premierships for UNSW and completed a weekend of success for the club, with both its men's and women's first grade teams crowned champions.

The success of the PL1 side was part of a broader season of achievement across UNSW Hockey's men's competitions. Alongside the Markham Cup victory, the club secured premierships in Premier League 2 and Sydney League divisions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8. The SL3 and SL8 teams also claimed minor premierships, joining PL1 in completing both the minor and major premiership double.

The men's Sydney League 2 team came particularly close to adding another title to the club's tally. After finishing the regular season as minor premiers with a goal difference of +91, the side progressed to the Grand Final but was defeated 3–2 in overtime, finishing the season as runners up. While the result denied SL2 a premiership, its regular season performance and Grand Final appearance added to the breadth of the men's program's achievements.

There was also a significant milestone for UNSW's Masters program. After more than a decade without a men's Masters team, the club returned to the competition in Second Grade in 2026. The returning side went on to win the premiership, defeating Manly GNS 2–1 in its Grand Final.

The Masters victory brought the men's program's total to eight premierships, reflecting success across the club's Premier League, Sydney League and Masters competitions.

UNSW's women's Metro League teams contributed five premierships to the club's record tally, with every side from ML1 through to ML5 winning its respective championship. Alongside the ML1 team's successful title defence, the ML2, ML3, ML4 and ML5 sides all secured Grand Final victories.

Three of those teams also completed minor and major premiership doubles. ML2, ML4 and ML5 finished their respective regular seasons at the top of the ladder before converting those performances into premierships. Together with the ML1 and ML3 championship victories, the results delivered five premierships across the women's Metro League program.

The achievement demonstrated the depth of the club's women's playing ranks, with championship success extending across all five Metro League divisions in which UNSW competed.

The 2026 results represent a significant milestone in UNSW Hockey's recent history. In 2022, the club claimed six premierships, setting what was then its record for a single season. Two premierships followed in 2023 before the club established a new benchmark of eight in 2024. That record was equalled in 2025, with another eight titles, before this year's total of 13 surpassed the previous mark by five.

Across the five seasons from 2022 to 2026, UNSW Hockey has now secured 37 premierships. The latest results reflect the breadth of the club's competitive program, with titles achieved across multiple grades and age groups, alongside the return of men's Masters hockey.

The 2026 season has also delivered six minor premierships across the men's and women's competitions, with PL1, SL3, SL8, ML2, ML4 and ML5 all completing the minor and major premiership double. SL2 added a seventh minor premiership, narrowly missing out on the championship in overtime.

Despite already establishing a new club record, UNSW Hockey's 2026 season is not yet complete. The women's SEHA ED1B and ED2G teams have both qualified for their respective Grand Finals, which will take place on Sunday 20 September. The two sides will have the opportunity to add to the club's premiership tally and extend a season that has already delivered success across the men's and women's programs.

With 13 premierships secured, seven minor premierships, consecutive women's ML1 titles and a historic men's PL1 double, UNSW Hockey's 2026 campaign has set a new standard for the club.