"As another successful USSA Winter Championships come to a close, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and appreciation to every student-athlete, coach, manager, support staff member, volunteer and official who proudly represented the #MaroonMachine.

While we celebrate our medal-winning performances — two gold (men’s hockey and individual women’s squash) two silver (women’s hockey and squash team), and two bronze medals (men’s rugby and squash team), including improvement in our rankings of volleyball, from ending at the bottom tier in 2025 to moving to the top 10 positions- our greatest achievement lies in the commitment, resilience, sportsmanship, and pride demonstrated by every Maties team throughout the championships. You represented Stellenbosch University with distinction, embodying the values that make university sport such a powerful force for developing future leaders and strengthening South African sport.

To our champions and medallists, congratulations on your outstanding achievements. To every participant, thank you for your dedication, teamwork and unwavering commitment. Your contribution extends far beyond the results; you continue to inspire our university community and help shape the future of university sport.

A special word of thanks to our coaches, managers, High-Performance team, support staff, volunteers and Maties Hockey for successfully hosting another exceptional USSA Championship. Your professionalism, passion and commitment ensured not only a memorable event but also showcased the hospitality and excellence for which Maties Sport is known.

Finally, thank you to Stellenbosch University for its continued investment in student-athletes and university sport. Together, we continue to demonstrate that sport is an important contributor to education, leadership development, social cohesion and the future success of South African sport.

Thank you for representing the maroon jersey with pride.

Congratulations, thank you, and as always… Go #MaroonMachine!" 

A message from Maties Sport: Chief Director, Ilhaam Groenewald