We recently had the privilege of hosting the Spirit’s season launch at our Bendigo Campus, with Marg O’Rourke (Head of Campus, Bendigo) welcoming 90 guests including players, sponsors, partners and dignitaries to celebrate the season ahead.
La Trobe University was recognised and thanked by the General Manager Dan Jackson and Bendigo Spirit Captain Kelsey Griffin for our 20-year partnership with a signed Spirit guernsey from the team.
La Trobe is the only inaugural partner that has been there from the beginning, proudly supporting the Spirit and sharing in three WNBL championships along the way. But after 20 years, the real success of this partnership is about so much more than what happens on the basketball court.
It’s the people, the opportunities, the research and the stories we’ve created together that make this partnership so special.
It’s the La Trobe students who have gained valuable practical experience and placement opportunities within an elite sporting environment, including across high performance and physiotherapy.
It’s our researchers having the opportunity to connect academic research with elite sport. Dr Craig Staunton’s PhD research saw him embedded in the Bendigo Spirit high-performance environment, investigating athlete monitoring and exercise intensity in elite basketball. This connection between research and professional sport is a wonderful example of what a genuine university and sporting partnership can create.
It’s seeing La Trobe alumni become part of the Spirit story, both on and off the court.
And it’s people like Kelsey Griffin; Spirit captain, La Trobe alumna and former Elite Athlete Program athlete. Kelsey received the Mick Malthouse Scholarship in 2018 and went on to graduate with a Master of Teaching in 2020.
Kelsey’s story continues to provide a powerful example of balancing education with the demands of elite sport. This year we were fortunate to host her at our Shepparton Campus, where she spoke about balancing high-performance sport, study and life. We have also taken Kelsey's story into secondary schools, helping young people see that pursuing sporting ambitions and investing in their education can go hand in hand.
The partnership has also created opportunities for our staff to connect directly with Spirit players. We’ve welcomed players to staff morning teas, giving them the chance to meet our La Trobe community and share their personal stories, experiences and sporting journeys.
Then there are the moments that simply bring people together, seeing our students and staff proudly cheering on the Spirit at Red Energy Arena, hosting Spirit events on campus and building engagement through initiatives such as our annual 3x3 basketball competition.
From the basketball court to the classroom, from research and student placements to staff morning teas, our campuses and secondary schools across regional Victoria, this partnership has reached far beyond the game.
Most importantly, for 20 years we have shared a commitment to supporting and celebrating women in sport at a national level, while creating meaningful opportunities for students, researchers, alumni, athletes, staff and our regional communities.
There is so much to celebrate; championships, research, student placements, education, alumni achievements, community engagement and countless shared experiences.
But perhaps the greatest measure of a 20-year partnership is not simply how long it has lasted. It’s what we have achieved together, the people who have benefited from it and the opportunities we continue to create for the next generation.
Main Image: Bendigo Spirit players in front of the iconic La Trobe letters at the recent 2026/27 Spirit season launch held at La Trobe University's Bendigo Campus.
