The University of Plymouth Netball Club (UPNC) is one of the University’s largest and most successful student sports clubs, bringing together over 130 members who compete in local leagues, BUCS competitions and Varsity events. As proud sponsors of the club, WhichPad sat down with Kelsy McGregor to discuss student life, university sport and the challenges of finding student accommodation in Plymouth.
Team Quick Facts
- University: University Of Plymouth
- Sport: Netball
- Achievements: Varsity Winners 2026, 2 podium positions for our first team in the local league and BUCS, promotion for our second team.
- Squad Size: 130 members
- Sponsored by: WhichPad
The Spotlight Interview.
Tell us about the team this season – what are your biggest goals and highlights so far?
Kelsy McGregor: Our biggest highlight of the year has to be our varsity win against Marjon University. This year we won 47-25. Every year this brings the club together nicely as many supports make a day of supporting the other societies with their games during the day, before congregating in the early evening for the netball. As well as this, our 2s got a promotion in our local league (PDNL) and will now be playing in the same division as the 1s. We also co-ordinated with rugby and ran a netball tournament where I think 8 teams entered, all dressing up and raising money for charity.
How do you balance intense training schedules with university studies and student life?
Training is normally during the evening or on weekends, when there are no lectures going on. Alongside this, netball training often becomes the much-needed break from studies and allows players to relax and do something they enjoy, (even if it is for a couple hours a week).
What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to incoming freshers wanting to join a sports team?
Try everything. Sign up for trials. We’ve had girls not think they’re going to make a team and then get into the 1s. Go to the socials, watch BUCS games on a Wednesday, just take part in as much as possible to make the most out of being in a uni society.
As student athletes, what are the most important factors when choosing where to live?
I’ve had conversations with freshers about choosing where to live in second year, and I’ve told them it’s always easier to live somewhere accessible. To me this means close to the uni, but also not too far from a supermarket either. I’ve also been told that if people can drive, they don’t necessarily worry as much about accessibility, and often opt for somewhere closer to the uni, but don’t worry about other defining factors.
Have you had any funny or memorable experiences with teammates while house-hunting?
Me and my teammate (and a couple of others) once viewed a house where the landlord didn’t seem to have any idea what the house looked like. There were socks covering fire alarms, a tile was missing from the kitchen floor and one of the rooms was completely trashed. Not even untidy, just unliveable. And another story, not from me but my friend, was that they walked into a house viewing and our captain from first year, who has graduated and does not live anywhere near Plymouth, was sat on the sofa.
What are the biggest challenges student renters face?
I think the rush in first year to choose who you’re going to live with for the foreseeable is a big issue. For later years it is much easier as you know your solid friends and have normally discussed plans to live together prior to the house search. Other than that, I think communication with landlords is nerve wracking and can sometimes be hard, especially when using an app to report issues, it feels very impersonal and as though nothing will really get done.
If you could give one tip to other students about choosing a letting agent or landlord, what would it be?
Honestly, I’d recommend using WhichPad. It’s one of the easiest ways to compare letting agents, read verified student reviews and learn from other students’ experiences before choosing where to live.
How important is it to live close to your teammates?
As we’re all near the university and town centre anyway, it doesn’t really matter the distance. It is nice to go and see your friends regularly, but even from the university to say, Astor House, is only a 10-minute walk, so nothing is really that far. However, this year I have lived with one of my teammates which has been beneficial as we have gone to training and games together, and been able to have a debrief afterwards.
What does the WhichPad sponsorship mean to the team?
The WhichPad sponsorship is very important to UPNC. It not only helps the girls, especially freshers, choose their housing for the coming years, but also means we can replace the necessary equipment to ensure everyone has the resources to improve and have fun. It also means that the promotional posts we make can increase inclusivity by allowing girls to partake and have their say.
What’s next for the team?
Promotion! We want more teams to be promoted in their respective divisions. We want another varsity win, with hopefully even more supporters this year. We also want to increase support at the weekly games by encouraging people to go and watch the other teams play, whether this is in PDNL or BUCS. Lastly, it is important that we stay the tight-knit club that we are, so we are wanting to create a more intertwined relationship between the teams.
🚀Rapid Fire Round with UPNC:
Favourite study spot on campus?
Library or Babbage Cafe.
Best takeaway near your student house?
Food 4 U!
House-hunting horror story or win?
Win: viewed a house for 6 of us, it was a 7 bed, but we loved it. One of us messaged her course mate out of the blue, and he said yes to moving in (we still haven’t met him).
Early morning training or late-night revision?
Early morning training any day of the week.
Must-have item in every student rental?
Full length mirror, or two ovens.
Dream post-match celebration location?
Cuba or Crafty Half.
One thing you wish you knew before signing your first tenancy?
That we could only report issues through a website, so we wouldn’t know if they saw it.
Teammate you’d most trust as a housemate?
Cara Barnes!
Best thing about being part of this team?
The excitement when we win (and the team debrief afterwards).
Shoutout to a teammate who deserves more recognition!
Mai Thacker-Elliott!
A huge thank you to the University of Plymouth Netball Club for sharing their experiences with us. The UPNC team agreed that choosing the right student accommodation is about more than just price. Location, reliable landlords, easy access to campus and reading verified student reviews can make a huge difference to your university experience.
Whether you’re searching for student accommodation in Plymouth, comparing letting agents or preparing for your first year at university, learning from other students can help you make more informed renting decisions. WhichPad is proud to support student athletes and give students a trusted platform to share their experiences.
Finding student accommodation in Plymouth can be competitive, especially before the start of the academic year. Reading verified student reviews, comparing letting agents and choosing accommodation close to the University of Plymouth can make the process much easier. WhichPad helps students make informed decisions by providing genuine reviews from students across the UK.
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