The 2001–02 season was Ulster Rugby's seventh under professionalism, and their first under head coach Alan Solomons.
They competed in the Heineken Cup, the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and the inaugural Celtic League.
[1] Solomons, former assistant coach of South Africa and the Western Stormers, was appointed in January to succeed Harry Williams in June.
Mark McCall remained assistant coach.
[2] Former Springboks assistant coach Phil Mack, who had worked with Solomons with the Stormers, was appointed fitness advisor in place of Mike Bull.
[3] Hooker Allen Clarke retired from playing and was named Director of Elite Player Development, establishing Ulster's first academy programme,[4] based at the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland.
[5] The Irish, Scottish and Welsh unions agreed a format for the inaugural Celtic League in May 2001.
It would involve all four Irish provinces, two teams from Scotland and nine from Wales, organised in two conferences.
It would kick off on 18 August, with the final scheduled for 15 December.
[6] Celtic league fixtures between Ulster and Leinster, and between Munster and Connacht, would count towards this year's IRFU Interprovincial Championship.
The remaining Interprovincial fixtures would take place in April 2002.
[7] In the Celtic League, Ulster finished second in Pool A, qualifying for the playoffs.
They beat Neath in the quarter-final, but lost to Munster in the semi-final.
David Humphreys was the league's leading scorer with 122 points, and the "leading marksman" with 39 successful goal kicks.
[8] In the Heineken Cup, they finished second in Pool 2, missing out on the knockout stage.
They finished second in the Interprovincial Championship, qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup.
David Humphreys was Ulster's Player of the Year.
Lock Gary Longwell made his 100th appearance for Ulster in October 2001.
Props Hookers Locks Back row Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Wings Fullbacks 1.
Replacements: Ryan Constable (for Stewart, 53), Kieran Campbell (for Doak, 62), Neil McMillan (for McWhirter, 62), Clem Boyd (for Best, 69), Mark Crick (for Shields, 71).
Replacements: Adam Larkin (for Bell, 54), Gary Longwell (for Johns, 55), Brad Free (for Doak, 66), Clem Boyd (for Fitzpatrick, 69), Neil McMillan (for McWhirter, 69), Sheldon Coulter (for Stewart, 73).
Replacements: Adam Larkin (for B. Cunningham, 30), Clem Boyd (for Best, 66), Paddy Johns (for Blair, 68), Neil McMillan (for Nelson, 68).
Replacements: Bryn Cunningham (for Humphreys, 40), Ryan Constable (for Larkin, 53), Jeremy Davidson (for Longwell, 53), Neil McMillan (for McWhirter, 59), Mark Crick (for Shields, 62).
Replacements: Jeremy Davidson (for Johns, 45), Adam Larkin (for Coulter, 58), Mark Crick (for Shields, 69).
Celtic League pool matches between Irish provinces count towards the Interprovincial Championship.
Replacements: Russell Nelson (for Brosnihan, 69), Bryan Young (for Fitzpatrick, 79), 1.
Replacements: Scott Young (for Malone 40), James Topping, Stan McDowell (for Stewart 40-49), Adam Larkin (for Bell 66), David Humphreys, Neil Doak (for Campbell 40), Andrew Hughes, Mike Haslett (for Nelson 42), Gary Longwell (for Kearney 48), John Campbell (for Best 66).
Replacements: Paddy Wallace (for Humphreys 21), Mike Haslett (for Brink 32), Sheldon Coulter (for J. Cunningham 40), Justin Fitzpatrick (for Boyd 53), Jeremy Davidson (for Longwell 53), Adam Larkin (for Constable 67).
Replacements: Tony McWhirter (for McMillan 58), Mark Crick (for Shields 58), Bryn Cunningham (for Wallace 71).
Replacements: Scott Young (for Topping, 40'), Paddy Johns (for Longwell, 40'), Kieran Campbell (for Doak, 54'), Richard Weir (for S. Best, 64', Clem Boyd (for Crick, 68') The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held on 23 May 2002.