The Thunderbirds program has also yielded three Hec Crighton Trophy winners: Jordan Gagner in 1987; Mark Nohra in 1997; and, most recently, Billy Greene in 2011.

Hiscott recognized student Terry McKaig, a former collegiate player and national team member, as the one to take over the program as head coach.

Since 1997, McKaig has been the driving force behind the T-Birds with support and funding from such major leaguers as Jeff Zimmerman and Ryan Dempster.

The Thunderbirds compete in the United States as the only Canadian member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

In 2001, the program reached a new level as the New York Mets made Derran Watts the first ever Thunderbird to be drafted, when they selected him in the 12th round.

T-bird baseball successes include their trip to the 2006 NAIA World Series Father David Bauer coached the Thunderbirds for two seasons, and led the team to a Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship in 1963, and reached the final game of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union men's ice hockey championship tournament for the CIAU University Cup, but lost by a 3–2 score to the McMaster Marauders.

[3] Bob Hindmarch began coaching the men's ice hockey team during the 1964–65 season, and led them to the 1971 Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship.

[4][5] In December 1973, they became one of the first Western Bloc sports teams to tour China, and played a series of games focused on friendship and teaching hockey skills to local players.

The varsity XV now competes against the University of Victoria in a two-game, combined score series to claim the coveted "Boot".

They also play a two-game, combined score series against the University of California for the "World Cup" trophy (a competition started in 1921).

The UBC Thunderbirds are the most successful men's soccer program in Canada, having won 13 U Sports championships, eight more than any other school in the country.

[7] They have also won 22 Canada West conference titles since competition started in 1972. Notable players include Brian Budd, Pat Onstad, and Srdjan Djekanovic.

In the following season, the Thunderbirds defeated the two-time defending champion Trinity Western Spartans in straight sets in the U Sports gold medal match on March 18, 2018 to win their first national title since 1983.