Students’ sporting year’s just oarsome
NEWCASTLE University goes into 2019 celebrating its third consecutive top-10 BUCS ranking, its highest-ever sports scholars intake and the construction of a new sports centre.
The university finished 10th out of 160 institutions in the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) for season 2017/18.
It collected 2,346 BUCS points, 1,241 league points and 1,105 points through the individual, knockout and cup competitions an increase of 6.3% from 2016/17.
It was the second-highest ever BUCS points total for the campus.
Newcastle entered 78 teams into the traditional weekly BUCS Wednesday sports programme playing 859 fixtures, winning 401, drawing 54 and losing 404 for a win rate ratio of 47%.
Performance Sport Manager Fraser Kennedy said: “A top-10 ranking and seventh within the Russell Group of universities is a significant achievement.
“It is one Newcastle can be proud of when considering the level of competition within the top 25 institutions.
“This achievement is a result of all the hard work and commitment the staff and student athletes have put in throughout 2017/18.
“Our BUCS performance will go a long way towards attracting the best student athletes to Newcastle University.”
Team Newcastle had 11 teams winning their respective BUCS Leagues, including American football, women’s tennis firsts, men’s futsal firsts, men’s basketball seconds and women’s water polo seconds.
Newcastle had its most successful season in the Championship Cup events, five teams reaching the semi-finals and one making it to the finals at Nottingham University as part of Big BUCS Wednesday.
In the Conference Cup competitions, Team Newcastle featured three finalists, with men’s squashseconds winning their competition while women’s badminton seconds lost out to Northumbria firsts and American football lost by two points in their final to Coventry University.
In the BUCS canoe wild water racing competition, held on the River Washbrun in Yorkshire, the Canoe Club gained 13 medals and claimed second spot overall.
The Boat Club was crowned BUCS Regatta champions, gaining the overall Victor Ludorum at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham.
Newcastle’s 53 boats reached 27 A finals and cruised to 19 medals making this one of the most successful weekends in the Boat Club’s history.
■ UNIVERSITY rugby descended on St James’ Park when Newcastle University faced Northumbria University.
The clash saw Newcastle snatch a late win after trailing by 12 points, eventually winning 28-21.
The match took place ahead of a game between Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints.
■ NEWCASTLE University and Newcastle United Foundation kicked off a unique partnership to work together on outreach, education and research programmes across the region.
The partners have developed a number of joint projects to encourage learning and promote healthy lifestyles.
The collaboration includes a jointly-funded PhD studentship which will involve the development and evaluation of a 12-week community-based exercise and education programme run by the Foundation.
The programme will focus on physical and mental health and wellbeing in overweight and obese men in the North East.
■ NEWCASTLE University has launched a Performance Squash Academy in partnership with the Northumberland Club in Jesmond.
The development will benefit Newcastle University Squash Club, which has three men’s teams and three ladies teams competing in BUCS and local leagues.