Women in Sport

We’re levelling the playing field for women’s sport

From women-focused injury prevention research to advanced training programs and world-class sporting facilities, La Trobe University is using its excellence in health, science and technology to better prepare women athletes for whatever challenges they face on the field.

Real impact right here and now

Home of the Matildas

Our state-of-the-art football centre purpose-built for the Matildas is located in the La Trobe University Sports Park, a world-class precinct for teaching, research, community participation and elite sport.

Sports research and innovation

Women athletes are up to five times more likely to get injured on the field.* La Trobe researchers are working with partners like the AFLW, Medibank and the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) to better understand injuries in women athletes – from ACLs to concussion – and prevent them by delivering advanced training programs.

Sports partnerships

Through partnerships with Football Victoria, Carlton Football Club and their AFLW team and The Australian Ballet, La Trobe is co-developing research, education and facilities. We’re particularly proud to support the Adam Saad Pathways Program, including its Girls Academy, which is building future women footy stars from Melbourne’s North.

Sports courses

With short courses designed to support women athletes and Bachelors in Exercise Science, Physiotherapy and more, La Trobe is empowering the next generation of professionals to make an impact on women’s sport today. And the day after tomorrow. We’re proud to also support over 120 elite athletes – from Olympians to AFL players to netballers – to study at university through our La Trobe Elite Athlete Program (LEAP).

Changing the game with our sport industry partnerships

Learn more about Chloe’s progression through the ranks of the sport industry thanks to La Trobe’s industry partnership with the Carlton Football Club, and how her PhD research is preparing Carlton’s women athletes for any on-field challenge.

Your chance to win two tickets to this year's Footy Grand Final

Thanks to our partners at Carlton Football Club, you could win two tickets to the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Just book and attend a one-on-one consultation to explore our eligible sport courses. T&Cs apply.

Book now

Why study Sport at La Trobe?

World-class sports research

La Trobe's research in human movement and sports science and in physiology is rated 'well above world standard'.

Australian Research Council, 2019, Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) Outcomes 2018

Top 50 globally

We’re ranked in the world’s top 50 for sport.

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), 2025, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Sports-Related Subjects

Discover our sport courses

_{*Montalvo, A, Schneider, D, Webster, K et al, 2019, ‘Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk in Sport: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis of Injury Incidence by Sex and Sport Classification’, National Library of Medicine, 2019}

News

Helping women sport officials feel safe, included

Helping women officials in community sport feel included, safe
Women elite sport physios paid less, harassed more

Women in elite sport and exercise medicine face inequality, harassment
Fresh research to tackle women’s knee injuries

Game-changing research to tackle women’s knee injuries