Saturday 11th March 2023

The BUCS Scottish Conference Finals 2023 took the town of St Andrews by storm on Wednesday the 8th of March. Student Athletes from across Scotland arrived ready to represent their institutions.

The BUCS Scottish Conference Finals 2023 took the town of St Andrews by storm on Wednesday 8th March. Student athletes from across Scotland arrived ready to represent their institution in fierce competition for either a Cup or Trophy on the day. The standard of play was high and there was fantastic support from friends and fellow students on the sidelines.

Read all about it!

The Conference Finals featured a range of sports, including football, basketball, netball, tennis, table-tennis, volleyball, badminton and hockey. Unfortunately, inclement weather meant that the lacrosse and rugby fixtures will have to be rescheduled.

The day started off with the ICG Women’s Hockey Trophy, where Glasgow Caledonian University 1s faced off against the formidable University of St Andrews 3s. The game was intense, with both teams playing their hearts out but in the end, a dominant GCU took the victory with a 7-1 win over their opponents.

The ICG Women’s Hockey Cup was an Edinburgh derby and equally as tense a game, but a strong performance from the University of Edinburgh 4s lead to a 3-0 win over Heriot-Watt University.

In the highly anticipated Men’s Hockey Trophy students from Robert Gordon University 1s faced off against the home favourites, St Andrews 3s. The Saints put up a good showing but at the end of the day RGU turned the tables in their favour, defeating the home squad 4 – 1.

It was a different story in the Men’s Hockey Trophy, however, with the lads from Edinburgh Napier storming out the blocks. The pace was relentless and didn’t once let up, with the Aberdeen team showing good sportsmanship and grace in defeat. Napier took home the silverware with a 9-1 win.

In Badminton, the University of Edinburgh started well against their Heriot-Watt opponents with a blistering showcase of hand-eye coordination and timing, but it was not to be; Heriot-Watt University won the day, going 9-3 overall.

The University of Strathclyde 3s took on the University of St Andrews in the arena for the EY Netball Trophy.  It was a strong performance from the St Andrews team with good home support, but they couldn’t quite overcome the Strathclyde side, who took home the trophy.

A close match followed in the EY Women’s Netball Cup, with the University of Edinburgh 3s taking the University of Glasgow 2s right to the wire. The team from the West won the day with the final scoreline being Glasgow 40-36 Edinburgh.

Thank you to Sirens for providing match ticket vouchers as prizes for the MVPs of both Netball Finals!

In the Women’s Tennis Cup athletes from the University of Dundee 1s took to the indoor court against the University of Strathclyde 2s. The athletes from both sides played well, but it wasn’t to be for the team in maroon, with Dundee defeating them 5-1 after a valiant show from the Strathclyde students.

The Teach First Women’s Tennis Trophy followed the fast four format and took place on the outdoor pitches. Heriot-Wat University 1s battle sun and snow to win. HWU 6 – 0 Aberdeen.

Tennis Scotland Representative, Jack Ganley, was present to deliver both of the Women’s trophies to the successful teams. Thank you to Jack for giving up his time!

The Teach First Men’s Tennis Cup was incredibly close, with a momentous display of stamina taking place on the courts. The cup eventually went to a shootout, with the University of Stirling defeating the University of St Andrews 4 – 3.

The Teach First Men’s Tennis Trophy was equally close with a massive series of matches eventually ending in a shootout. Both universities were well represented by their athletes but eventually, Glasgow Caledonian’s 1s defeated the University of Stirling’s 7s 2 sets – 1 to take home the trophy.

Heading back into the arena we had the Table Tennis Cup. Tight matches and immense displays of hand eye coordination were in full view as the University of Glasgow battled it out with Heriot-Watt University. In the end it was a dominant display from the team from the cultural capital, ending with Glasgow 14 – 2 Heriot-Watt.

Basketball was another exciting sporting display at the conference finals. In the Women’s Cup final Queen Margaret University faced off against the Granite City’s Robert Gordon University. The game was close, with both teams trading baskets throughout. In the end, it was RGU who took the victory after a valiant fight from QMU.

In the Men’s Basketball Cup Final the University of Stirling faced off against the University of Edinburgh. The crowd cheered both teams on, reaching fever pitch after a late comeback from the University of Edinburgh, but it wasn’t enough as the boys in green took victory!

The Aldi Men’s Football Trophy took place on the outdoor pitches, offering up a whole host of challenges as the players not only battled each other but also contended with snow storms and blinding sunlight. In the end the Univerity of Stirling 4s defeated Heriot-Watt to take home the trophy.

The weather was no better in the Aldi Men’s Football Cup, as a last-minute venue change saw the home side St Andrews take on Edinburgh Napier. After an electric match with a fantastic crowd Napier toppled the Saints 3-0.

In the Aldi Women’s Football Cup the Univeristy of Aberdeen 1s took on home side St Andrews 2s, with a brilliant support turnout spurring both teams on! After an even match the Saints girls just edged it, defeating Aberdeen to take home the cup.

Heading back into the sports hall for the Women’s Volleyball cup, we saw the University of Edinburgh take on the University of Strathclyde. It was relentless from the start from Edinburgh, comfortably beating their opponents 3 – 0.

In the Men’s Volleyball that followed spectators got a brilliant show, with nail-biting sets that went right to the wire. Heriot-Watt University battled it out with Edinburgh Napier University, finishing HWU 3 – 1 Edinburgh Napier.

The BUCS Scottish Conference Finals 2023 was a fantastic day and it couldn’t have been completed without the tireless effort of the officials, venue staff, and volunteers who gave up their time to make it happen. We were also delighted to work with our BUCS partners in the build-up to the event.

Find all of the photos here on our Facebook page!

Check out the highlights video here!

Results: Please click HERE for the results and MVPs of the matches played at St Andrews on 8th March

What Did You Think? Please let us know how you found this event by completing our Feedback Survey!

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Wednesday 15th February 2023

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena buzzed with anticipation and activity as students from far and wide across the country took part in the Scottish Student Athletics Indoor Championships.

A record-breaking weekend!

 

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena buzzed with anticipation and activity as students from far and wide across the country took part in the Scottish Student Athletics Indoor Championships.

Scottish Students Indoors 2023 Copyright Bobby Gavin

We were delighted to see students filling the bleachers, cheering on their friends and fellow competitors in a thrilling display of athletic achievement across track and field.  The Indoor Championships is one of the premier student athletics events, and the turnout this year was simply fantastic.

Now, on to the good stuff! Let’s break down some of the top moments from the day. In the middle of it all was the 60m, with University of Glasgow’s Ethan Pottie the only men’s athlete to break 7 seconds – in both the preliminary rounds and the final!

It was a similar story in the 400m, with Scott Hannaway (University of Abertay) breaking 50 seconds, the only athlete to do so.

 

That’s not all for the Men! Rory Muir (Guest athlete) helped the University of Strathclyde’s Calum Young’s drive for the gold Student medal in the Men’s 3000m with both athletes achieving PB’s for their efforts. The competition was particularly fierce, with the top 4 athletes in this race getting PBs!

Scottish Students Indoors 2023 Copyright Bobby Gavin

Record-breaking performances appeared across the board for the Women, starting off in the Field with the Shot Put. The University of Glasgow’s Amy Kennedy broke the student record, throwing a respectable 13.73m, a total of 0.44 more than the previous record holder.

The Women’s 4x200m 2018 relay record was broken not once, but twice in a superbly exciting straight final. Athletes from University of Glasgow A broke the record with their second place 1:44:01, but University of Strathclyde A calimed the new 4x200m record by managing a blistering 1:40:81! Congratulations to Rachel Callan, Kelsey Stewart, Emma Barclay and Erin Campbell.

Hailing from the granite city, Stefanie Tucker (University of Aberdeen) had a belter of a day! Stefanie broke the Women’s 3000m record by nearly ten seconds, taking the crown from Emily Kearney (record set in 2015) – the new record (and personal best for Tucker) now stands at 9:43:76. Stefanie also got to lift some silverware as she was awarded the Ian Tatton Trophy for the Best Overall Performance for this run.

Last, but not least the Women’s 200m record was smashed by UHI’s Lois Gardland, taking Rebecca Matheson’s 2020 record with a time of 24.36. This was a new PB for her too!

 

The scores on the doors 

Full results from the event can be found HERE – an amazing 122 PBs were set at the event overall!

The Ian Cosgrove Trophy awarded to the Best Overall Institution went to University of Glasgow. The full breakdown of points can be found HERE.

Scottish Students Indoors 2023
Copyright Bobby Gavin

 

 

Thanks and Photos

Thank you to all the Officials and volunteers for making it happen, without your tireless support we couldn’t bring such fantastic competition to students, your time and effort are greatly appreciated. We’d also like to extend to huge thank you to the students, who turned up with the energy and excitement to create an amazing competition environment.

Link to photos from Bobby Gavin

Check out the highlights video here!

What Did You Think? Please let us know how you found this event by completing our Feedback Survey!

See you all at the Outdoor Championships on 22nd April!

 

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Thursday 9th February 2023

The Scottish Student Games were held over the 4th and 5th of February, bringing together student athletes from colleges and universities across Scotland, and beyond, for a thrilling showcase of skill and athleticism.

The Scottish Student Games were held over the 4th and 5th of February, bringing together student athletes from colleges and universities across Scotland, and beyond, for a thrilling showcase of skill and athleticism.

This year’s games featured a diverse range of sports, including trampoline, judo, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, swimming, and fencing, offering something for fans of every discipline and students of all abilities.

 

Trampoline

The trampoline open was incredible, with students from twenty four institutions and guest entries from across the UK and Ireland showing off their aerial skills.

The judges were impressed by the high level of difficulty and execution displayed by the competitors, with many athletes showcasing blistering displays and breaking personal bests in the individual, syncro, DMT and two-trick categories.

For the first time ever this event featured a Disability Category, in partnership with All Stars Disability sports club, further driving home the SSS ethos of inclusivity for all.

The full results round-up can be found here and photos here.

 

Judo

The Judo Championships took place on Saturday, bringing together eighteen institutions (as well as a few guests) in the biggest Judo Championships in Scottish Student Sport history!

The competition was intense, with athletes battling it out for medals in their respective weight classes.

Many students return to Strathclyde the next day to learn from Paralympian, Samuel Ingram, at the Training Day. The students got a lot from it and the sense of community within the sport is clearly developing year on year.

You can see the full results here and the event photos here. Thank you to Fergus and Tracey Pirie for capturing the Championships!

 

Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair Basketball Open was another standout event, with eighteen athletes coming together and showcasing their skills and athleticism.

The competition was incredibly competitive, with teams battling it out for the title of SSS Champion. In the end, it was Team Four: Becky Gordon (Heriot-Watt University), Jennifer-Rose Tennant (Heriot-Watt University) Conor Smart (University of Edinburgh) who emerged victorious, taking home the gold medals with a hard-fought victory over their opponents.

See the results and the photographs.

 

Aquatics

Aquatics was also a major focus of the weekend, with athletes heading west to partake in the Swimming Championships. The competition was incredibly close, with athletes from five institutions taking to the pool. The best overall institution (most points) was won by the University of St Andrews, with swimmers from the seaside town dominating in the pool with their incredible speed and endurance.

See the results here and the event photographs by Craig Fellowes here.

 

Fencing

Fencing was another stellar event, with fencers from all over Scotland battling it out in the biggest SSS Beginners since 2017. The competition was intense, with athletes showing off their mastery of the sport and their quick reflexes and precision in foil, epee, and sabre categories. We were excited to welcome ten institutions, as well as guests, into the Open for two days of fantastic competition.

See the results here and photos by Adele Cook here.

Table Tennis

Continuing our record-breaking trend, this year’s Table Tennis Championships were also the largest in SSS history. Students from across Scotland and beyond took to the table in a number of epic bouts, with both individual and doubles competition. The final matches were particularly nail-biting, with lightning-fast reflexes and comebacks galore. Congratulations to Andrea Arcari (University of Glasgow) who was awarded Player of the Tournament!

Full results can be found here and photos found here.

The SS Games were a thrilling showcase of the best talent from colleges and universities across Scotland. From the incredible aerial skills of the trampoline gymnasts to the technical mastery of the judo athletes, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The event was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the athletes who participated, and of course, the tireless hours put in by the volunteers that made it happen.

Scottish Student Sport would like to extend a massive thank you to the Officials, Sports Development Groups, Venues and Volunteers on the day for making the sport a roaring success.

What Did You Think? Please let us know how you found the SSGames by completeing our Feedback Survey!

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in getting involved in Scottish student ultimate frisbee, learn how you can here!

Key Information

 

Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact, self-refereed sport played with a flying disc. Players cannot run with the disc and must pass it to players by throwing it. The objective of the game is to score points by catching the disc in the opposing team’s end zone. Ultimate can be played indoors or outdoors, with indoor games being played on a smaller 5 a side pitch whereas outdoor ultimate is 7 a side.

 

Contact: scotstuultimate@gmail.com

Governing Body: UK Ultimate

Ultimate is known for its emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play. If you’re interested, some of the institutions that offer an ultimate frisbee team include:

 

  • University of Glasgow
  • University Of Aberdeen
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University Of Stirling
  • University Of Dundee
  • Heriot Watt University

 

Events

 

  • Mixed Indoor Regionals is the first and largest event of the year
  • BUSC League
  • Nationals

 

 

 

 

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in learning how to get involved in Scottish Student volleyball, then read more here!

Key Information

 

Volleyball is a team sport that can be played indoors or outdoors on grass, and sand. The objective of the game is to get the ball over the net and land to on the opposing team’s court. Each team is allowed three touches to return the ball across the net.

 

Contact: p.mcpate@dundee.ac.uk

Governing Body: Scottish Volleyball Association 

Being a part of a student volleyball team means lots of competitions and lots of fun! Some of the many institutions that offer volleyball as a student club include:

 

  • Abertay University
  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of St Andrews
  • Heriot Watt University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Strathclyde
  • Fife College
  • City of Glasgow College
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Stirling
  • University of Dundee
  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Queen Margret University

 

Events

  • Volleyball 4v4 Tournaments
  • Woman’s Volleyball Cup
  • Men’s Volleyball Cup
  • Woman’s National Squad Trial
  • Men’s National Squad Trial
  • Conference Finals

 

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in getting involved in Scottish Student Triathlon, you can find out more here!

Key Information

 

A triathlon is a multi-sport event that involves swimming, cycling, and running for various distances.

 

Contact: ssstriathlon@outlook.com

Governing body: Triathlon Scotland

Triathlon is growing in popularity amongst students and below are some of the institutions with clubs:

  • University of Glasgow
  • University Of Aberdeen
  • St Andrews University
  • Strathclyde University
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University Of Stirling
  • University Of Dundee

 

Events

 

  • Aquathlon
  • Duathlon
  • Triathlon

 

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in learning how you can get involved in Squash, read more information here!

Key Information

 

Squash is a racquet sport played by two or four people in a four walled court. Players take turns hitting the ball against the front or side walls but below the “out” line. To win points a player must hit the ball in a way in which their opponent cannot return it.

 

Contact: ssssquashchair@gmail.com

Governing body:  Scottish Squash. Main contact, Jack Brodie (Club Development Manager)

If you’re interested in trying out the fast-paced game of squash, the following institutions are some of which have a student squash club:

 

  • University of Glasgow
  • Robert Gordon University
  • University Of Aberdeen
  • St Andrews University
  • Heriot Watt University
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University Of Stirling
  • University Of Dundee

 

Events

 

  • BUCS Squash League
  • Squash Championships

 

 

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in getting involved with Scottish Student Polo, find out everything you need to know here!

Key Information

 

Polo is a team sport that is played on horseback. The objective of the game is to score goals by hitting a small ball into the opposing team’s goal using long-handled mallets. The game is typically played on a large grass field, and each team consists of four players.

 

Contact: ssspolo@outlook.com

Governing body: Hurlingham Polo Association 

If you’re interested in polo, the below institutions are some of which have student polo teams.

  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Stirling

 

Events

 

  • Polo League matches 4 times a year
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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in getting involved in Scottish Student Netball, find out everything you need to know here!

Key Information

 

Netball is a sport similar to basketball, but it has certain rules and differences. It is played by two teams of seven players, with the aim being to score goals by throwing a ball into a raised net. The ball is passed between players by throwing it with one hand and players are not allowed to run with the ball. Instead, they must pass it to a teammate or take three steps before being required to pass.

 

Contact: ScotStuNetball@outlook.com

Governing body: Netball Scotland

Netball has the highest female participation numbers within Scottish Student Sport! Increasing year on year, there are currently 48 teams entered across 8 BUCS leagues from 15 Scottish Universities and Colleges. Many Scottish university teams also compete in local association leagues, regional ladders and national competitions. Here are some of the institutions that have a student netball team:

  • Abertay University
  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of St Andrews
  • Heriot Watt University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • University of Glasgow
  • Strathclyde University
  • Fife College
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Stirling
  • University of Dundee
  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Queen Margret University

 

Events

  • Conference Final
  • Recreational Netball Festival

 

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Friday 3rd February 2023

If you’re interested in Scottish Student hockey, find out how you can get involved here!

Key Information

 

Hockey is a team sport where two teams of 11 players each play on a grass or turf field with a small, hard ball. The objective is to score goals by hitting the ball into the opposing team’s goal using a stick with a curved end. The University of St Andrews also has an Ice Hockey team which has the same objective as field hockey, yet the players are skating on ice.

 

Contact: ssshockeychair@gmail.com

Governing Body: Scottish Hockey

Hockey is an extremely popular sport amongst students, and these are some of the institutions that have student teams:

 

  • University of Glasgow
  • Robert Gordon University
  • Abertay University
  • University Of Aberdeen
  • St Andrews University
  • Heriot Watt University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Strathclyde University
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University Of Stirling
  • University Of Dundee
  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Queen Margret University
  • Fife College
  • Glasgow College

 

Events

 

  • Conference Cup, a knock-out competition with the eventual winner decided at the SSS Conference Cup Finals

 

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