Sport partnerships
AT LA TROBE, OUR MAJOR SPORT PARTNERSHIPS MEAN WE CAN OFFER YOU EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORLD OF SPORT. WHETHER THAT'S WORK EXPERIENCE, APPLIED RESEARCH, MENTORSHIP OR GAME DAY EXPERIENCES, YOU CAN ACCESS IT ALL THROUGH OUR INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS.
MAJOR INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Carlton Football Club
We are the official University partner of the Carlton Football Club. Since 2016, our partnership with Carlton has provided exclusive internships for students, game-day experiences for our community, access to industry speakers and collaborative research opportunities.
Discover more about our partnership with Carlton FC
Football Victoria
We are the official higher education partner of Football Victoria (FV), the governing body for Victorian football (soccer). Our partnership with FV opens the doors to unique opportunities for our students and researchers in sport science, allied health and sports medicine within Australia’s most popular team sport.
Learn more about our partnership with FV
Bendigo Spirit
Situated at our Bendigo Campus, our partnership with the Bendigo Spirit team continues to provide opportunities for women in sport at a national level, while also creating opportunities for placements, research and work integrated learning.
Visit the Bendigo Spirit website
Melbourne Cobras
La Trobe is the major sponsor of the Melbourne Cobras, a new Victorian hockey team that will join the national Hockey One League in October 2026. In collaboration with Hockey Victoria, our new partnership will provide significant opportunities for students while bolstering its important relationship with the Indian community in Melbourne and India.
Learn more about our new partnership with the Melbourne Cobras
Victorian Institute of Sport
The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) and La Trobe University have appointed Dr Ebonie Rio as Professor of Research, a joint role that will embed world-leading injury prevention and performance science directly into the daily performance environment of Victoria’s elite athletes. As one of only 11 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Research Centres worldwide, this appointment will deepen the integration of evidence-based research into daily performance environments and elite sport practice on the road to Los Angeles 2028, French Alps 2030 and Brisbane 2032.
Discover how La Trobe is providing world-leading research to the VIS
COMMUNITY DELIVERY PARTNERS
Active Education Australia
Based at the La Trobe Sport Park Stadium since 2021, our partnership with Active Education Australia (powered by ACHPER Victoria) has hosted numerous state-wide secondary and primary school conferences for Victoria’s health, PE and recreation teaching cohort.
Visit the Active Education Australia website
AFL Central Victoria
AFLCV is now based on our Bendigo Campus and we welcome the league’s teams and their families onto campus for around 60 events per year. La Trobe supports the development of an active lifestyle for children and teenagers while embedding our students within AFLCV with work integrated learning opportunities.
Visit the AFLCV website
AFL North East Border
We host AFLNEB events and teams at our Albury-Wodonga Campus throughout the year and provide our students with placement opportunities through the organisation.
Visit the AFLNEB website
Bendigo Academy of Sport
The Academy is involved with our academic experts and emerging sport researchers. In our strength and conditioning lab on the Bendigo Campus, Academy athletes work with sport exercise science students to discover how to best prepare for elite competition.
Visit the Bendigo Academy of Sport
Bendigo Braves
A long-term partnership that continues to provide opportunities to students through placements, research, work integrated learning and employment at the Red Energy Arena.
Visit the Bendigo Braves website
Bendigo Pioneers
Based on the Bendigo Campus, the La Trobe University Bendigo Pioneers Women’s and Men’s teams are supported with collaboration on professional development, high performance training, graduate employment, work integrated learning and research projects in conjunction with an industry PhD. The Mildura Campus also supports the Pioneers' Sunraysia Program with a Mildura game day and relocation scholarships showing a strong commitment to community and student support.
Learn more about our partnership with the Bendigo Pioneers
Bendigo Sports Star of the Year
A recently formed partnership that supports and fosters athletic potential and skills in our local community.
Visit the Bendigo Sports Star of the Year website
Bendigo Strikers
Our newly formed partnership provides opportunities for women in sport in the regions to compete in the Victorian Netball League at a national level, while also creating opportunities for placements, research and work integrated learning.
Learn more about our partnership with the Bendigo Strikers
Murray Bushrangers
Our collaboration with the Murray Bushrangers connects directly with one of the AFL’s premier regional talent pathways and leverages the strength of La Trobe’s Shepparton and Albury-Wodonga campuses. The partnership ensures authentic, place‑based engagement with athletes, families and communities, reinforcing La Trobe’s commitment to regional growth, access and opportunity.
Learn more about our partnership with the Murray Bushrangers
Northern Football Netball League
A long-term partner of La Trobe, in 2020 we formed a 20-year agreement that provides league access to our Sports Park Stadium. The partnership also supports student industry experience and research projects.
Learn more about our partnership with the NFNL
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA)
La Trobe works closely with the PFA on key research and consultative projects, and facilitate a jointly-funded industry PhD scholarship to undertake research relevant to the welfare and development of professional footballers. The PFA also provides up to three work-integrated learning placements within the organisation each year for La Trobe students.
Learn more about our partnership with the PFA