The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Orange Army made a powerful statement at the 2025 University Sport South Africa (USSA) Summer Championships, concluding a successful five-day campaign on Friday, 5 December. UJ secured two gold medals, a silver medal, and a bronze medal across the various sporting codes hosted in three cities, with star performances from the Senior Women’s Football Team and table tennis champion Keenen Jooste.
Senior Women’s Football Clinches Gold and Major Awards
The UJ Senior Women’s Football Team was unstoppable in Tshwane, delivering a sensational run that culminated in the championship title. The team dominated the competition, winning five matches and drawing one (which they won in a penalty shootout), with only a single loss.
Their journey to the top included decisive victories:
In the group stage, UJ Ladies won 3-0 against Fort Hare and 2-0 against UP-Tuks. In the semifinal match, they won through a thrilling 3-1 penalty shootout over UWC after a 1-1 draw. In the final match, a commanding 3-0 victory over Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was enough to clinch the USSA title for the Orange Amy..
The team’s success was further highlighted by individual honours: Striker Thato Mofolo was named the Player of the Tournament, and Head Coach Nthabeleng Modiko received the Coach of the Tournament Award.
Bronze for Senior Men’s Football
The UJ Senior Men’s Football Team secured a hard-fought bronze medal. After a strong campaign with four wins, their title hopes were dashed in the semifinals, losing 3-0 on penalties to hosts UP-Tuks. However, they regrouped swiftly to defeat Durban University of Technology (DUT) 2-1 in the 3rd/4th place playoff.
Individual Brilliance and Chess Silver
In table tennis, Keenen Jooste showcased his mastery, securing UJ’s second gold medal of the championships, cementing his status as a top university athlete.
At the Wits University campus, the UJ Chess team performed exceptionally well, earning a well-deserved silver medal. Chess player Shaun Maupi also finished strong, securing a spot in the competition’s Top 10 Male Players at 10th place.
Basketball and Cricket: Close Calls and Rising Stars
While not securing a podium finish, UJ’s other teams delivered competitive performances:
The UJ Senior Men’s team, the defending champions, had a strong showing, winning four out of their five matches. They were agonizingly close to qualifying for the semifinals, ultimately finishing 5th overall after losing out to be in the semifinals by just two points.
The UJ Senior Women’s Basketball Team showed significant improvement, finishing 4th in the A Division. They fell to TUT Ladies in the 3rd/4th place playoff on the final day.
At the end of the tournament, Sbongakonke Mkhwanazi (Men’s Team Player) and Nelly Mahara (Women’s Team Player) were named the All Star Players of the Tournament. Karabo Tlhapa, Thandiwe Padzuwe, Thabang Ndlovu, Nyeleti Nyathi and Sbongakonke Mkhwanazi were selected for the USSA National Squad.
Men’s Cricket
In Stellenbosch, the UJ Senior Men’s Cricket Team finished their competition with two wins out of five matches. The tournament saw impressive batting performances from Juan Minnaar (84 runs off 84 balls) and Kieron Croome (51 runs off 92 balls), highlighting the talent pool in the Orange Army. Linda Ndlovu won a Player of the Match on Day 4 against UWC with 73 runs off 95 balls.
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