From Michaelmas 2026, CULNC are welcoming a (not-so-new) official fifth team to our ranks, alongside a re-vamped Development Squad.

The Robins have been CULNC’s fifth Varsity team for four years, but this year they will be an official CULNC team. They will be selected early in the season and play matches throughout the year, and be able to attend socials and buy incredible kit designed by our Kit Officer. This shift to an official team has been brought about to acknowledge the great progress and contribution the Robins have made to CULNC, and to provide them with better quality training and matchplay throughout the year. They will train with our new pathway squad once a week on Sundays, being coached by CULNC’s talented Development Squad Officers. Through these changes, the Robins will continue to play Varsity against their Oxford counterparts, the Sapphires. And this year, our new Robins team will be on their home territory. Our hopes are high for another Robins win!
As well as this, a new Pathway Squad is starting this year, offering a squad of promising athletes consistent and quality training in a squad with like-minded and similarly talented players. This squad is intended as a bridge between university and college netball, providing a space for athletes to improve for university trials next year, or for their own personal development. This squad will be hand-selected and trained alongside our Robins team, with equal coaching from the CULNC Development Squad Officers. Our pathway squad is designed to promote interest and curiosity in netball, and movement into the pathway is possible at the discretion of the CULNC committee. If anyone wants to improve their netball, from club, school, or college, the pathway squad is a low-commitment way to start your university netball journey (and to play indoors!)
The Robins and the Pathway Squad will be selected from the Freshers’ Week CULNC trials and a Robins and Pathway trial in week one of Michaelmas. Successful triallists will train at Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre every Sunday during term. Check out the CULNC website for more information on how to sign up for trials and preseason, or find us at the Sports Fair (5th October) and Freshers’ Fair (6th and 7th October). We look forward to seeing you there!

You can also follow along with our Dev Squad Instagram Page!