It has been a tough campaign for the Cardinals, who have struggled to find consistency in their performances.

The tournament, featuring top clubs from 12 African nations, will be hosted across two venues: Lugogo Indoor Arena and Old Kampala Sports Arena. 

UCU set the tone early, overpowering Uganda Prisons in the first set with a commanding 25-14 scoreline. Their precise attacking play and solid defence left their opponents struggling to find momentum. The Doves maintained their dominance in the second set, executing well-coordinated plays to secure a 25-17 win.

Uganda Christian University (UCU) achieved an impressive third-place finish at the 13th East Africa University Games, held from December 15th to 21st, 2024, at Maseno University in Kenya. The competition brought together 39 universities from across the region.  

Shakirah Nanvubya’s journey into basketball was anything but conventional. Growing up in Wakiso, she attended Exodus College, where basketball wasn’t immediately on her radar. In fact, there wasn’t even a proper court at her school, just hoops on an uneven playing surface. “At first, we didn’t have a court,” she recalls. “It was just hoops for both sides. I played just for fun, really.”

In the National Volleyball League match held at the Lugogo Indoor Arena, UCU outlasted their opponents in tightly contested opening sets and ended in straight sets with scores of 28-26, 26-24, and 25-15, respectively.